tales of Suchita

A balmy Bombay evening, two hot cups of tea, and Tiny and Huge are sitting in their pet places, at right angles to each other. He sits quietly, as Tiny chatters away, trying to coax him into saying something. Finally she asks wistfully, “Is there anything you regret?”

Huge rubs his chin thoughtfully. Tiny is almost convinced she won’t get a response. Then he casually says, looking at her, “I have yet to make a decision I regret.”

Huge goes back to his tea with a twinkle in his eye as Tiny dissolves into a puddle of mush.

---

Tiny is talking about her courtship with Huge to her two daughters. Every time she starts a sentence with ‘do you remember,’ Huge replies sheepishly with ‘I don’t remember that.’ This goes on for some time when Little One asks, “What do you remember dad?”

“All I remember is your mom wearing a blue saree. Not dark blue…it was a soft blue, like the sky, with silver lines. She was wearing a watch and silver bangles.”

Little One and Big One turn to look at Tiny who nods with a smile.

“Well at least he remembers something!”

---

Big One has just turned eighteen and there are suddenly talks of boyfriends and dating and romance, which makes Huge uncomfortable. She may be eighteen but for him, she is still his baby.

Once Tiny has given her discourse on love and romance to her daughter, Huge decides to contribute his two-bits on the subject.

He tells his daughter with all sincerity, “Wait for the ghanti.”

“Ghanti?”

“When you hear bells ringing that’s how you’ll know he’s the one.”

She looks at Huge curiously and asks, “Did you hear the ghanti?”

“Of course. Why do you think I only remember the saree and nothing else?”