page 2 ( 33 ) the end of vacation & the beginning of Std VII

page 2

        ( 33 )

     Towards the end of midsummer vacation, one day, I was sitting in the front verandah, reading Balarama. I heard the talks of some women climbing up the steps and coming to our courtyard.  They were the female labourers of the Puthiyaveettil House, on the way to clear out the rubber plantation.  It was a usual practice every year.  All of them were bold and always spoke loudly.  One of them, Leelamma said, "Oh ! What I see here !  A girl always reading books !  Annamma, why do you allow this?  Give her some work and let her learn everything.  Otherwise, she will suffer in her husband's house.  Look, my daughter, she  has also come to work.  I know how to bring up a girl.  That is why I advise you".  I raised my head with hatred, looked at her and her daughter Suja, who always failed in the examinations.  When I heard "husband's house", I was more provoked.  "See her face", she continued, "how come such a girl born to you !  She is full of contempt, look how she stare at us ! ".   I couldn't tolerate her any more that I went inside  the house.  "Look, did she speak any word to me ?  Is it the right way to behave to  acquaintances ?  Girls should speak something to their neighbours or fellow beings.  My mother sighed, "she won't talk anything. She is always reading or studying.  When I talk about marriage and going to husband's house,  she retorts  that she will not go to another house, she will learn as far as possible, acquire a job and earn money".  Leelamma replied , "Oh ! there are many girls in our neighbourhoods who  study well after doing all the household chores.  Then, what is special in this girl?  Why did  she go inside without speaking to me ?  It is because all your neighours are rich. Then, how will she speak to others ?" Then I stood inside the house, murmuring, " Go away, old woman, I don't have time to spend with talkative persons like you because I already have a talkative mother.  I am glad that I haven't conversed with a chatterbox like you till this time".

     My mother used to talk about getting me involved in the household works.  She reminded my father about her backpain after she fell in the ricefield when she was carrying the sheaf of corn on her head.  She always placed her hand on her waist to show that she suffered severe pain. Her complaints were that  she couldn't rise up early in the morning, cook, serve food to everyone and look after the youngest child.  "Now, here is the eldest girl in the house, capable of doing everything in a house". Then to add  more wood to fire she continued, " look at Maji, she used to do any work in her house when she was at Diya's age. Yacob is that smart. Unless she does the work he will beat her till she obeys his commands.  You don't know how to make your daughter obedient".

     One evening, as usual I went to bed. Next morning I opened my eyes, hearing a roar.  I saw my father  standing inside the kitchen with burning eyes.  He shouted at me, "why are you standing there idle, much time have passed since sunrise ! Come here, make tea and cook rice".  He ordered me to remove the ash from the fireplace, then take dried coconut leaves to be placed in the fireplace, and place small firewood over it.  Then the kerosene lamp was lighted, some of the dried coconut leaves were taken, placing them over the kerosene lamp, the dried coconut leaves would catch fire and the firewood would be  fired  by placing them under it.  My mother made orders from the bedroom," don't use kerosene oil to set fire instead of dried coconut leaves.  I can understand it when I taste the tea".  My father said, "you must do this everyday, there is no one here to make tea or cook rice.  If you want to go to school, you will have to rise early and do all the work here".  When I heard those words, I felt that I was an adult and my parents were very aged people.  I felt guilty - my old father works hard for the family, my sick old mother looking after the young child when I, a grown up woman - sitting idle.  When I look back, I feel that how did I overcome that crisis !  I was just eleven years old  then.  My mother was thirty one and my father thirty nine !  I don't know what do they term this in psychiatry,

     Std VII started with many specialities.  The students were divided on the basis of their ranks in Std VI, in three divisions .  As a result, Juby was in A division, I was in B and who was in the third position ?  That person is now  totally absent from the realm of my memory.  The Teachers did it to break  our existing companionships and make us mingle with new ones.  Devika was not there because of her father's transfer to another place and Vineeth had also gone.  The funny side was that Jordi was in my division but I had realised that my fascination towards him was just a sign of adolescence stage.