Suresh, Devika and Girija (+ little Preethi)

Updating my blog after a long time with a story written when I was vetti, yes, during my summer vacation.

Suresh's family had four people including him - his mother Girija, widowed when Suresh was barely two years old; his older sister Devika, divorced four years back, and Devika's little daughter Preethi.

Things used to be so bad in their family; so bad that you'd think you were watching a typical Tamil mega serial. The happenings in their family would be so similar to a daily soap that you would feel some director saw their home and struck upon the idea of daily soaps that just wish you weren't alive. Girija had brought up Suresh and Devika with great difficulty, making sure both had their schooling completely, and in Suresh's case, a graduation. Borrowing money here and there, and using all what she had saved, she had managed to marry off Devika recently. But fate had something else in store: Devika's husband turned out to be such a drunkard and wife beater that even conservative Girija agreed to get her daughter divorced.
When Devika got divorced and came to stay with them, Suresh was still studying his B.A. in History. Just the fact that Suresh was doing a degree was a matter of fierce pride for Girija; she went about telling everyone that her son would get a degree soon, 'deguree' as she called it.

The onus of providing for the family fell on Suresh as soon as he graduated, and he did carry it off with great elan. On the second of every month, he gave Girija an envelope containing Rs. 1500. Devika supplemented the family's income by teaching embroidery to the kids in the neighbourhood.

Girija was obviously pleased with the work and responsibility of her children; one thing perturbed her greatly, though. Suresh never told any of them where he worked. When pestered, as Girija usually did the night he brought home the salary, all he would say was "Marketing."
"Marketing-naa? Selling something door to door?"
"No," Suresh would say, "this is different. People come to me to buy."
"Okay, then what do you sell?"
"Amma, if you don't let me eat in peace I will leave right now."

Girija would stop talking. But she would constantly feel uneasy. What if he was doing something illegal? What if he gets caught or something? Even when she addressed such concerns to Suresh, all he would say was "I'm doing nothing wrong."
Thus would cease the discussion for at least a month till Suresh brought home his next salary. This dialogue was a regular feature.

Little Preethi had always wanted to go to Mahabalipuram, and had been asking her mother to take her there for quite some time now. One fine Friday during her summer vacation, Devika and Girija found the time to take Preethi to Mahabalipuram. Together they set out, with a jute bag having food and a mat to spread on the floor when they would eat. They waited for a bus for a long time at the huge Saidapet bus depot, and finally got one.
The day was hot; the two women wrapped their saree pallus around their hair to avoid the hot air. The bus sped towards Mahabalipuram.

Little Preethi was the one who spotted it first. The bus was approaching a signal. There was a man in the signal selling these beautiful stuffed toys for Rs. 50. Preethi jumped at the sight of those dolls.
"Amma, I want one!"
Devika sighed. Rs. 50 for a doll was something she didn't want to spend now. But then she remembered that Preethi was turning six in another month. She could buy this instead of a new dress.
"Let the bus stop at the signal, "she said.

The bus stopped at the signal.
Devika fished out Rs 50 from her purse.
Suddenly Preethi was tugging at her saree.
"Amma....velila paaren..."
"Ennadi enna ipdi poattu padu...." Devika stopped.
"Patti neeyum paaren," cried Preethi.
Girija also peeped out, surprised at Devika's open mouthed stare.
Suresh was there, waving the dolls at each window of the bus. He hung his head low when he came to their window and noiselessly passed through it.

P.S.: Please don't tell me there is no bus that goes to Mahabalipuram from the Saidapet depot. I really don't know.
Psst...how do you like the title?? :)