Written
by - K.S. Suthakar
Translation by – Shiyamala Navratnam
(Canada)
“Oh, Shaanthan! When did you come
to Australia?”
“Who is it,
Kumaran? It is now one and a half years since we came here. How is everything
with you? It must be about ten to thirteen years since you left the country,
isn’t it?”
“It is ok
Shaanthan. Now we are in Dilake and you?”
“We are at
Altona.”
“Then it is
close by. What, you seemed to have stopped with one child.”
“Yes. One
is enough. I was told that everything was cheap in this ‘Laverton market’.
However when you come here you realize that it is only a bunch of old hardware
at very awful prices. Boiled corn is priced at one for five dollars.”
“You have
to come to our place for dinner next Saturday.”
“Kumaran,
what is the hurry now for dinner? Hello Bawaani, how about next Saturday?”
“There is
no program.”
“Then we
can come Kumaran. But one thing. Do not cook too much, please.”
“Here is my
business card. My phone number and address is there.”
* * * *
“Who was that
dear? He was addressing you Shaanthan, very frequently? All those who work with
you call you ‘sir’.”
“All that
was once upon a time Bawaani. Now a days even children call their teachers by
their name. This was Kumaran, who comes from Naachchimar temple area to
the cement factory for work. A ‘clerical’ job.”
“Must we
have meals at anybody and everybody’s place?”
“What to
do? If we need a couple of friends, we have to go.”
* * * *
