‘Not much, but it is kind of nice,’ I said. Of course, saying I have no fucking
clue what you are talking about didn’t seem quite right.
‘Mom won two championships at the Tamil Sangam in Kolkata when dad was
posted there,’ Ananya said, her voice proud.
‘But she has stopped singing since we came to Chennai,’ uncle said and threw
up his hands.
‘Why?’ I said.
‘Various reasons,’ Ananya said and gestured at me to change the topic.
‘Your aunt is here?’ I asked.
‘Yes, Shobha athai is in the kitchen. She is dad’s elder sister.’
I prayed Shobha aunty didn’t have a personality like her brother’s. Silence fell
in the room. I picked up a snack to eat it. Every crunch would be clearly in the
room. I had to keep the conversation going. I had read a book on making friends a
while ago. It said take an interest in people’s work and keep bringing their name
into the conversation.
‘So, you have worked all over India, Mr Swaminathan?’ I said.
‘A few places, until I became stuck here,’ he said.
‘Stuck? I thought you like Chennai, your hometown,’ I said.
Uncle gave me a dirty look. I wondered if I had said something inappropriate.
‘I’ll get Shobha. Let’s eat dinner soon,’ uncle said and left the room. I wanted
to ask Ananya about her father, but I wanted to grab her first.
‘Don’t,’ Ananya said as she sensed my intentions.
‘What?’
‘Don’t move. Keep a three-feet distance,’ she said.
‘Are you mad? There is no one here.’
‘Not here? My mother is singing in the next room for God’s sake.’
‘That’s singing?’
nora
(Nora)
#1