Article: Home

Sethuraman, Ramya
India Abroad
12-09-2005
"How much for a mozham," he inquires, hurriedly glancing at his watch. He
is in no mood to haggle. He carefully places the torn leaf tied with
malligai poo in his front pocket and starts his Vespa.

She was lost in her thoughts. She thoughtfully and methodically twined and
smoothened out the end of her soft cotton sari.

"Appa eppo ma vitku varuva? (When will Daddy come home?)," she asks,
stressing on the "vitku" She is picking up new words quickly and delights
in repeating each new word that captures her fancy - incorrectly, but with
childlike finality.

Her mother checks the time to indulge her daughter's fancy watch and frowns
that it is two minutes past ...