‘’ Fond
memories of my childhood ‘’[ 10 ]
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
The dried
palm leaf balls and Bullock carts made out of jack tree leaves
reminded us
of Kesavapilla and we missed him a lot. we were lingering here and there had nothing to do …dad engaged a
tuition master to give us tuition.Our maidservant’s son ,a small boy started
coming with her.He was timid ,holding the tail end of her Saree and peeping through
which,walking behind,like a frightened cat,went to the back side of the
house.When she goes
for sweeping
the yard he sat near the barn leaning against the wall and slept.
When we had
brake fast in the dining table sreedharan
gave him also on the floor.We took our plates and sat
near him and watched him eating.He was so thin with high cheek bones ,very big
ears and deep set shining eye balls.His front teeth were protruded,when he chew
we could clearly see the movement of his cheek bones.His hands were thin and
drooping from his shoulders,his tummy was expanded like a balloon.All together he
had the look of a mouse,and hence we gave him a nick name “mouse”.At first he was
scared and kept a distance ,slowly he started playing with us.His name was Neelakandan
When the
school reopened;my brother started going school and I was left alone.,hence
spent time always with Neelandan.One evening my brother and myself were
standing near the compound wall.of our house and the compound was much much higher
than the road ,and the wall from our side was hardly up to our chest; that we
could see the passers by.While we were watching ,an old man was passing by wearing a shabby
collarless white shirt with sleeves neither full nor half,his hair was knotted
behind and formed a plug.His dhoti was just above his ankles,and he was lame.My
brother asked me to call him crippled and ‘’cat’s eye .When he came near my brother sat under
the wall and prompted me to call again and again . I called .He stopped
walking and looked at me angrily.Then I
noticed that his eyes were yellowish like the eyes of a cat.After two three
days while I was lingering alone in the house doing nothing,my dad asked
Pottanammachen to admit me also in the school.I was very happy to go to school
,like everybody with new clothes bag books and everything.The constable also
accompanied us.After admitting me there the constable went back but
pottanammachen
Stayed back
,took me to the class room.When I entered the class room I saw that crippled and cat’s eye master sitting in front of the
table; holding a cane in his hand.As soon as I entered he came to me ,stared at
my eyes with clenched teeth.I started shivering with fear and sobbing
.Pottanammachen felt pity on me ;pleaded with the master,and somehow brought
me back.
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
വായന തുടരുന്നുണ്ട്. ഓര്മ്മകള് ഇനിയും പറയൂ
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