“You are too young to understand the intricacies of women’s lives,” said Lalitha to Roopa. ‘See how practical this Kusuma is!”

“Well,” said Roopa in wonderment, “it looks like anything could happen in life!”

“When it comes to love life, nothing worthwhile can happen in a man’s life unless woman concedes,” said Lalitha as though to make Roopa privy to the ingrained characteristics of the feminine fecundity. “But let woman just wink, and men in scores line up to prostrate at her feet to cater to her every whim and fancy. Well, once she gives in, the man makes her dance to his tunes in turn, so if a woman is careless in choosing her lover, it could as well spell trouble for her.”

‘How come I’ve never heard of such things before?’ Roopa thought leaving them, as it was time for Sathyam’s return, “Maybe the exposure in the metros would make women more pragmatic. Books might educate, but it’s the life that teaches.”

“Sorry, I was held up at the office,” Sathyam grumbled as he came home late in the evening. ‘The minister wanted some statistics, of course the irrelevant kind, and it’s enough for the secretary to be after me. Though quick at extracting work, they’re slow in rewarding the deserving. Even otherwise, the burden of work is borne by the likes of me, but the loaves of office are reserved for the scheduled castes.”

“They too need a place under the sun,” she said as she thought about Anand, “unexposed as they were to the light of life for so long.”

“Not that I don’t feel for them,” he said stoically. “But nothing should be done at the cost of merit. Any way, there’s nothing that can be done about it so long as the politicians have an axe to grind with them.”

“Why feel frustrated,” she said helpfully, “when it’s beyond our control?”

“Whatever,” he said still smarting, “how can one suppress aspirations?”

‘It seems life’s balancing act lies in reconciling the aspirations and the attendant limitations,’ she thought but didn’t offer any comment.

“Why crib about the routine,” said Sathyam as though in reconciliation. “We would be having a gala time next Sunday. My colleagues came up with the idea of a picnic at Gandipet to felicitate us. As they insisted, I said yes, hoping you would agree.”

“Have I ever spoiled your party?” said Roopa enthused herself, and. thought. ‘Maybe, it makes sense to go out at times than brooding at home all the time.’




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