Topic started by SivajiFan on Mon May 10 04:58:06 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
Annaiyar Thinam Special
"Eppadiyaavathu intha Mother's Day-ukku ammavai poai paarthuvida vendum," Kannan thought. Although his mother was staying only about an hour's drive away, he could hardly find time to pay her a visit. There would always be some emergency to handle, some problems to look at, some work that needs to be done - the list was endless. Especially once the children began to arrive, one after another - all four of them.
"Ennaanga. Uppu mudinjiruchu. Konja kadaikku poai uppum, rendu kilo maidavum vaangittu vanthidunga." Komathy asked.
"Pozhuthenikkum ippadithaan. Ithai ein munnadiya cholla koodaathu?" he grumbled to a wife who was no longer listening.
But there it was. His life was made up of errands, office, school, hospitals, ration shops, etc.
"Enna vaazhkaiyoa? Itharkku bathilaa bachelor-raavei irunthirukkalaam," he grumbled.
This weekend was going to be hectic. The first Sunday in the month of May. Mother's Day. Kannan had already booked a table for a function to be held in conjunction with Mother's Day on Saturday. His children will definietly enjoy it. At least the children would be able to learn a thing or two on appreciation. Gomathy would be pleased that he had remembered and made an effort.
He had to get dome gifts for the children to give their mother. If he didn't, he would have to face a glum Gomathy. Besides, he liked giving her gifts, even if they were through the children. He felt warmth at the thought of Gomathy's face lighting up as each present was opened.
That evening, after office hours, he bought four gifts, one from each child, got them wrapped and hid them in the boot of the car. It was little game they played every year. Gomathy would be certain that he would buy gifts, as she would for him on Father's day. But she would feign surprise. And that thought pleased him too. He was lucky to have such a loving family.
Satuday came and the day sped by. Soon it was time to leave for the function. True enough the children enjoyed every moment of it. There were games, sketches, cartoon-clips, songs, not to mention the speeches. It was during one of the speeches, that one professor came on stage with a jug and a some boxes. He posed a unique problem to the audience. He placed some stones in the jug to its brim and then faced the audience:
"Is the jug full?"
"Yes" everyone chorussed.
"But no," he replied as he put some pebbles and shook the jug. The pebbles filled up some of the spaces between the stones.
"Now, is it full?"
"Not totally," the audience had warmed up to the professor's line of thinking.
He smiled and this time filled up with sand, taking up almost every millimetre of the space.
"What about now?"
The audience was quiet daring not to comment.
"There is still some space," he said smilingly, while now filling the jug with water, which it amazingly took.
"What can we learn from this exercise? You." He pointed at Kannan who was seated among the front tables.
With the spotlight on him, Kannan flushed before saying, "It probably means that there is always space for additional stuff."
The audience laughed.
"I know, I know," he continued, "It means that one can always find time for everything." he added victoriously.
"Not quite, my dear friend," the professor said. "It means that you have to put the larger items first, or you will never be able to get them inside at all."
"Prioritise." he emphasised.
Kannan was stunned. He thought of his mother.
He was quiet as he drove back home."
"Einga silent-a irukareenga?" Komathy asked with concern.
"Onnumilleh, ammavai paarththu romba naalaachu. Athaan."
"Athukkenna, naalaaikku Mother's Day thaaney. Poyittu vanthuviduvoam."
"Okay, naalaikku lunch-ukku angu thaan. Aana, naan oru gift-um vaangavillaiyey?"
"Oru kadaiyum thiranthirukkaathu. Paravilley, oru cake vaangi koduththu vidungal."
"Nalla yoasanaithaan" he agreed and upon reaching home, called his mother.
"Amma, eppadi irukareenga?"
"Ennaiyaa thideernu? Ethoa aandavan punniyathile...
Pillaigalellaam eppadi irukkaraanga? Bhaskar innum irumbi kondirukkiraanaa? Unnoadu thalaivali eppadi irukku? Ozhuga marunthu saapidiriyaa?"
"Elloarum nalla irukkiroam-ma. Naalaikku pasangaloadu angu varein. Mathiya unavu ungaloaduthaan,"
"Vaanga vaanga. Romba naalai aachu ungal elloaraiyum paarthu?" Happiness melted and crept through the telephone line.
"Sari maa, maththa vishayangalai naalaikku pesuvoam. Ippo poai padunga." Kannan slowly replaced the telephone.
"Aahaa, ellaa avasaraththilaiyum Gomathikku presentation vaanga marakkavillai, athuvum onnukku naan-gaa. Aanaa ammavukku present vanganum ennum ninaippei illaamal poachei." he thought guiltily.
He turned thoughtfully to his wife, who was busy changing the children's clothes.
"Pillaigal change ellaam pack pannidu. Breakfast mudicha kaiyoadu kilambi viduvoam."
"Okay. Aanaal pozhuthoadu thriumbidanum. Monday school irukku, maranthidaatheenga."
"Hmm," he grunted irritatingly.
The persistent ring of the telephone woke him up the next day. He glanced at the wall clock. Way past 8 o' clock! God, he had overslept. Next to him, oblivious to the telephone shrill, Gomathi was sleeping.
He rushed down the steps to answer the phone.
"Hello," groggily.
"Hello Kanna. Yezhuppiteinaa?" she laughed. "Eththanai manikku kilambittu vareenga?"
"Innum konjam neraththile maa."
"Sari sari. Paaththu oattittu vaa."
Chaos broke out over the house as one by one of the children got up.
Gomathy started her chore of preparing the children while Kannan prepared to go to a nearby hotel to get some breakfast. Just as he was leaving the phobe rang again. It was his mother.
"Kanna. Oru 11 manikku ingu iruppiyaa?"
"Yeinmaa? Ethaavathu special-aa irukkaa?"
"Athulaa onnumilleh yaa. Unakku pidiththamaana item ellaam senjittu irukkein. Nee ethanai manikku ingu varuvehnu theirnjaa, saatham sooda irukkumpadi senji vaippein."
Kannan laughed. Typical of her to get excited. "Oru 12 manikkelaam angu iruppein maa. Neenga anaavasiyamaa romba velai ellaam seiyatheenga. Oru rasamum oru kaaiyum irunthaa sari."
"Hmph! Athu eppadiyaa mudiyum? Samayal velai ellaam enakku aththupudi. Kavalai padaathei. Nee neraththoadu vanthuvidu, sariyaa."
"Okay maa."
Kannan left to buy breakfast. The cake shop wasn't open but the florist was.
"Etharkku anavasiyamaana selavu. Bouquet-kku bathilaa, uruppadiyaana porul vaangi kodukkalaamey," he thought.
By the time he was through with buying the breakfast and through the traffic, it was almost 10.00 am.
Midway through breakfast. His mother called again.
"Neenga innum kilambalaiyaa?"
"Ein maa adikadi call pandreenga," beginning of irritation.
"Illeh yaa. Ungalukku suda suda saatham parimaaranumnu aasai. Athukkuthaan. Sari, naan inimeil koopidaleh. Nee paththramaa vanthu seru."
With a grimace, Kannan continued his breakfast.
BY the time, they left the house, it was after 11.30 am. Because of the late hour, he decided agaisnt buying the cake and instead planned to get a gift on a later date.
The drive was uneventful.
He reached his mother's house at about 12.30 pm.
"Saatham aari poayi irukkum. Ammavukku netchayam koabam varum," he chuckled to himself.
Surprisingly the door was closed. He knocked on the door a few times. He could hear the sound of the television. He knocked again, harder this time.
His father opened the door, ashen faced.
"Vaayaa. Unakkaagathaan unga amma romba neramaa kaarththu kondirunthaal...."
"Amma engey?" Kannan asked a sudden fear grasping him.
"Neeyey poai paaru," his father pointed at his mother sitting there watching the TV, oblivious to his arrival.
"Amma," he approached. Gomathy and the children retreated to a corner, seeking each other out, unconsciously.
His mother's eyes were closed, like she was sleeping. But she was not.
"Appa, ennaachu?" Kannan's eyes darted to his father.
"Heart attack ayya. Namma ellaam vittuttu poaitaa unga amma."
"Aththei" the cry of Gomathy.
Kannan was in a state of shock. Scenes of the florist, the bakery, fleeted accross his mind, like images of conscience.
He touched his mother. Cold.
Ironically, the rice she cooked for him was still hot.
Have you called your mother, lately?
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