It would have to be கத்திரிக்காய் again, sighed Vatsala. The புடலங்காய் and the பாவக்காய் were in
season and would have made an excellent curry for their lunch that
afternoon. But no, Rajeshwari had ruled thaத புடலங்காய் caused her to
suffer from wind and பாவக்காய் was just not bitter enough these days.
So it would have to be கத்திரிக்காய் yet again. There was no point
suggesting anything to her. Once Raji had made up her mind, that was
it. She would not be budged. And that's how it has always been
between them.
Rajeshwari would decide which channel played on tv, what colour the living room wall should be painted (copper sulphate blue) and how much to pay for the கத்திரிக்காய் that they were going to eat later that morning. The sisters had been coming to the vegetable market every day for the last 50 years but Raji would never tire of talking the price down by another 50 paisa.
இருக்கட்டுமே, pleaded Vatsala feebly, it
is only small amount. How much profit do you think she is going to
make from selling a few old கத்திரிக்காய்s to us?
நீ சும்மா இரு, said her older sister
with the same decisive sterness with which she had been conducting
their patchwork family. You have no idea about money matters, let me
decide how much these old கத்திரிக்காய்s are worth.
Vatsala watched as Raji counted out the
coins, letting them drop into the shrivelled hands of the vegetable
vendor. Vatsala noticed that the hands remained outstretched long
after Raji had stopped dropping the coins and had zipped up her
purse. She let her older sister walk ahead and remained near the
stall which was piled high with the season's best vegetables.
“I'm just picking up some கறிவேப்பிலை you carry on.”, Vatsala called out to her sister who
was already crossing the street to get back home. She then carefully
untied the little knot in her pudavai thalappu that held a some coins
and a few well-creased currency notes. From this pitiful treasure
chest, she pulled out a small stack of coins and eased them into the
vendor's hands and quickened her strides to catch up with her sister.
Raji would already be wondering what was taking her so long.
(to be continued)
(to be continued)
