Conversation

'Aarti'? 'Yaa..' came the answer, to the accompaniment of the squeak of the door shutting. A curly haired girl in her early twenties bounced into the room, with a strong air of suppressed excitement about her.Her mother looked up smiling-
'How was it?'

'Fab! it felt like we were back in college rightaway..anyway like Suma was saying the word 'reunion' somehow suggests we passed out in ancient times instead of two years ago, so this was more of a get together really. just that..'

'ok, first get some cardamom tea, i ve warmed it, its in the kitchen'

'How 'd you know i was coming like now?' asked Aarti astonished

'You mean coming now, what is 'like now'?!' said her mother sternly, possibly for the hundredth time..'I heard your laugh at the gate..who was it, by the way?'

'Oh, that!! Pasha!' said Aarti, smiling again in memory and completely ignoring the first part of her mother's sentence. 'Guess what Ma, he s getting married'!! Aarti was grinning ear to ear.

'What??' said her mother, taking off her reading glasses. Astonishment gave way to a smile of pure pleasure.'well well!..very nice, poor man he's had enough troubles..who is she?' Pasha's troubles were no secret. He'd battled a drunken older brother at home and much financial trouble, finally landing a job as a driver in a taxi company. For many years before that he d been garden-help and odd job man in various houses including theirs, instantly endearing himself by his resolutely cheerful personality and willingness to do almost any work. Also carrying an unquenched desire to be 'educated', Aarti's mother had taught him in the evenings for a while, and he was one of the few people she'd trust to pick up Aarti from her new job at night now.

'I don't know..someone who works at that Z brand place in this mall..he actually wanted me to go today for the Id dinner at his place but i told him i m meeting Deeps, she wants me to help her pick a mehndi dress..but'..continuing enthusiastically, 'he was so funny, I asked him why he s suddenly getting married, and you know what he said?! 'just like that'! as if anyone gets married just like that!!'

Her mother smiled..'Whats the girl's name?'

'I dont know' said Aarti,idly munching on a good day biscuit from the dabba, 'I'll ask tomorrow..of course he looked v happy, but i m sure he just wants someone to cook and dress up! you know how he keeps saying he s tired of cooking and nobody notices his ties!' It was certainly true that Pasha had a penchant for rather lurid ties, which was probably why people thought it more tactful not to comment on them.

'Aarti', said her mother in an unusually grave voice, causing Aarti to look around in surprise. 'Sit down for a moment..' Her mother folded her hands in what Aarti was fond of calling her 'lecturer pose'. 'Do you know, when I adopted you, one of the few people who wholeheartedly supported the idea was Pasha? And he must barely have been 18 at the time..Amma, as you know, was v supportive, but practically nobody else was. I cant tell you how grateful I was to Pasha for confidently telling me that yes of course it was stupid to marry for the heck of it and if i wanted you, I should just adopt and be happy my way, rather than suffer in conventionality..what i m trying to say is, he s probably the last person you should accuse of getting a wife because he wants a cook!'. Her voice was unusually stern.

Aarti was abashed but couldn't turn round that easily..'Obviously Ma, I like Pasha too you know that! Just that his answer was so funny! And its Pasha'! She couldn't help another smile, albeit affectionate, as if the fact of his being Pasha was sufficient to make the idea of his marrying funny.

'Just because some people can't clothe their feelings in flowery language doesn't make their emotions any less, Aarti..try remember that' said her mother.'Its important to distinguish between sophistication of speech and manner and sophistication of thought and feeling. In my mind, Pasha is more refined than several literary people I know. He has just as much right to be in love as your Shahrukh khan does on screen anyway, and he seems to exercise the right rather less often too..' she added caustically. Mums hated her favourite movie star, Aarti knew. She felt that was an unfair dig. All the more because the main point was beginning to make her uncomfortable..had she laughed on Pasha's face..? Worse, he was so tolerant it was impossible to tell if he minded!

'Umm..mayyybe' said Aarti.

Her mother had been a mother long enough to know when to stop. 'Ok go wash up, what s that awful stain on your sleeve? Panipuri again?'

'No, pickle' said Aarti..'But Ma..'

'What'?

'You think he ll feel better if I go to the dinner today'?

'Oh I don't think he d be feeling bad at all, he still thinks of you as a baby' smiled her mother

'Ok I'll go' said Aarti, instantly relieved of a growing sense of guilt. Her personality demanded immediate action, and tended anyway to vacillate between extremes of happiness and misery. 'And I 'll use the paycheck and get her something on the way'!

'What paycheck?' asked her mother

'Ooh! Didnt i tell you ?? They gave me an advance on my first salary today! I meant to surprise you', she was beaming.

'Wonderful'! said her mother, bestowing quite a queensize hug on her 6 inches taller daughter.

'Ya so now I ll get Pasha's fiance something. or maybe for the house..'

'Thats nice, but theres no need to spend it all, you can get yourself something for memory' said her mother, knowing Aarti was likely to spend it all and add more in an orgy of making amends. 'And take a jacket'!

But Aarti was already out of the house.