Page 2
( 14 )
From the beginning of the vacation, my mother had been continuously talking about purchasing new dress, umbrella, bag and sandals for me, for the next academic year. There was a discussion about admitting my brother in the 1st Std. The problem was that he wouldn't complete five years in the 1st week of June, 1983. At last, it was decided that he would join in that academic year itself eventhough he was only four and half years by then. My mother used to say, "when kunjechi ( he called me like that, the word means an elder sister but just a minor ) goes to school, he will become alone and would murmur that he wanted to go to school along with his kunjechi. That is why we decided to admit him in the 1st Std in this year itself". She told this to everyone - to neighbours & relatives.
Oneday my mother told me that the following morning I should go to grandfather's house and request him some money to purchase the necessary things for the next school year. At first, I was reluctant but I went because I knew that there was no money with my father. Early in the morning, I walked through the desolated road, crossed the paddyfield and reached grandfather's house. My paternal grandfather, Mr. Joseph, was a builder and earned more money than his sons did. Earlier, he was a labourer in Puthiyaveettil Mr Johnson's house, when Mr Johnson's father was alive. Later, he learnt the art of constructing buildings and became an expert in it. When I reached there, he was already ready for going to the worksite. Seeing me, he asked, "Ah! who is this ? what is the news ?" Grandmother was sitting in a cot nearby. I told grandfather everything with great grief. He heard everything and at last gave me a hundred rupee note. I again asked him,"grandpa, some more", but his answer was, "my lad, today there is no money with me, everything has been spent". I returned through the paddyfield and then through the tarred, desolate main road. My mother got angry seeing the note. She said,"your grandfather will not give any money to you. But he will give money everyday to Benny and Maji. They know the tricks to squeeze money from your grandfather". Then she told me and my brother to get ready to go to Kolenchery. I knew that her intention was to go to the textiles and purchase new dress for us. The puchase was done and I knew what was the next step. In the previous week, she had written a letter to her house, declaring that the following Sunday she would come home with us. The next Sunday,when I returned from the Sunday School,my mother was preparing to go to her house in Pothanicad. The newly puchased clothes were packed along with the dresses for one week. Aunt Molly was a much admired tailor in that village and aunt Laly helped her in everything. Therefore, aunt Molly stitched everything for me.
From Kadayiruppu to Kolenchery, then Kolenchery to Muvattupuzha, there we waited at a busstop called Kacherippady - either the bus to Kaaliyar or to Vannappuram. After sometime,we got the bus. The bus went past the Pothanicad town ( a small one ) and when it reached a place called Paingottoor, my mother got down along with us. From there, we walked about one and half kms and reached a place called Aanathuzhi. There was a small shop in that place. Then, walking about 7 - 8 minutes, we reached mother's house. From the main road, climbing 2 or 3 steps, we entered the courtyard of the house. The hibiscus plants were set as the fence between the courtyard and the road. Everyone received us with happiness - maternal grandfather, grandmother,aunt Molly and aunt Laly. My mother continuously talked and shared all the special news in Kadayiruppu. This house's roof was also covered with tiles and the walls made with laterite stone and the flooring was with cowdung. The difference was that the laterite stone was pared down correctly. So, there was less possibility of snakes to enter the house. This is not my opinion. I heard it someone saying this somewhere. All the neighbours who went through the road talked to my mother and she behaved like a smart young lady. I spent time by looking at her with wonder and hatred. Sometimes I and my brother looked at each other and conveyed some ideas silently. "Does he understand anything ? He is a small child", I thought.
( 14 )
From the beginning of the vacation, my mother had been continuously talking about purchasing new dress, umbrella, bag and sandals for me, for the next academic year. There was a discussion about admitting my brother in the 1st Std. The problem was that he wouldn't complete five years in the 1st week of June, 1983. At last, it was decided that he would join in that academic year itself eventhough he was only four and half years by then. My mother used to say, "when kunjechi ( he called me like that, the word means an elder sister but just a minor ) goes to school, he will become alone and would murmur that he wanted to go to school along with his kunjechi. That is why we decided to admit him in the 1st Std in this year itself". She told this to everyone - to neighbours & relatives.
Oneday my mother told me that the following morning I should go to grandfather's house and request him some money to purchase the necessary things for the next school year. At first, I was reluctant but I went because I knew that there was no money with my father. Early in the morning, I walked through the desolated road, crossed the paddyfield and reached grandfather's house. My paternal grandfather, Mr. Joseph, was a builder and earned more money than his sons did. Earlier, he was a labourer in Puthiyaveettil Mr Johnson's house, when Mr Johnson's father was alive. Later, he learnt the art of constructing buildings and became an expert in it. When I reached there, he was already ready for going to the worksite. Seeing me, he asked, "Ah! who is this ? what is the news ?" Grandmother was sitting in a cot nearby. I told grandfather everything with great grief. He heard everything and at last gave me a hundred rupee note. I again asked him,"grandpa, some more", but his answer was, "my lad, today there is no money with me, everything has been spent". I returned through the paddyfield and then through the tarred, desolate main road. My mother got angry seeing the note. She said,"your grandfather will not give any money to you. But he will give money everyday to Benny and Maji. They know the tricks to squeeze money from your grandfather". Then she told me and my brother to get ready to go to Kolenchery. I knew that her intention was to go to the textiles and purchase new dress for us. The puchase was done and I knew what was the next step. In the previous week, she had written a letter to her house, declaring that the following Sunday she would come home with us. The next Sunday,when I returned from the Sunday School,my mother was preparing to go to her house in Pothanicad. The newly puchased clothes were packed along with the dresses for one week. Aunt Molly was a much admired tailor in that village and aunt Laly helped her in everything. Therefore, aunt Molly stitched everything for me.
From Kadayiruppu to Kolenchery, then Kolenchery to Muvattupuzha, there we waited at a busstop called Kacherippady - either the bus to Kaaliyar or to Vannappuram. After sometime,we got the bus. The bus went past the Pothanicad town ( a small one ) and when it reached a place called Paingottoor, my mother got down along with us. From there, we walked about one and half kms and reached a place called Aanathuzhi. There was a small shop in that place. Then, walking about 7 - 8 minutes, we reached mother's house. From the main road, climbing 2 or 3 steps, we entered the courtyard of the house. The hibiscus plants were set as the fence between the courtyard and the road. Everyone received us with happiness - maternal grandfather, grandmother,aunt Molly and aunt Laly. My mother continuously talked and shared all the special news in Kadayiruppu. This house's roof was also covered with tiles and the walls made with laterite stone and the flooring was with cowdung. The difference was that the laterite stone was pared down correctly. So, there was less possibility of snakes to enter the house. This is not my opinion. I heard it someone saying this somewhere. All the neighbours who went through the road talked to my mother and she behaved like a smart young lady. I spent time by looking at her with wonder and hatred. Sometimes I and my brother looked at each other and conveyed some ideas silently. "Does he understand anything ? He is a small child", I thought.
Next day,my mother returned with my brother. I stayed there for one week. "Annamma's daughter doesn't talk to anyone", that was the opinion of neighbours. I was in a dilemma. My aunts behaved sweetly to me ! They were the synonyms of patience. My mother was not like them. The next Saturday, I and aunt Laly started the journey towards my house with the newly stitched dresses so that the next day I shouldnot lose my Sunday School class. When I was in 2nd Std in Sunday School, I didn't attend classes on two consecutive Sundays. One Sunday, there was the marriage of mother's 1st cousin & the next Sunday, the marriage of another 1st cousin. This caused uneasiness to my teacher and she talked to my mother. After that, during the mid summer vacation, I went to mother's house only on Sunday afternoons and returned on Saturday evenings.
