My mother is an avid reader. The most wonderful gift she gave me is the ability to lose myself in the company of books for hours. I can't match her reading in terms of quality or quantity, but I hope one day I do get there. She recently bought the complete works of Madhavi Kutty aka Kamala Das aka Kamala Surayya. A controversial writer to say the least. Very gifted, but often falsely accused of shocking people with porn. Most non-readers consider her works to be taboo for no reason.
One fine day, my mom was watching Malgudi Days (the complete DVD set is available now!) and a society lady pops in to visit Dad for some NSS activities. Mom must have dozed off in front of the TV as she always does and always denies! The lady in question is very orthodox, rather rich, and a bonafide bimbo. Dad was having a cold war with Mom and he utilized the occasion to the max.
"The missus is watching some serial. She always spents her time in front of the TV."
My mom walked over to meet her, only to get a disdainful look.
Dad decided to rub some more salt. He noticed the Madhavikutty book on the table.
"And she reads Madhavi Kutty. Got nothing better to do!", Dad said pointing to the book.
"You read Madhavi Kutty?!", the lady is visibly flabbergasted and flustered as if she just caught her son watching a porn movie. (No reading between the lines. My folks never caught me watching porn, they just caught a few of the erotic comics I drew in college. Reaction was similar though.)
"Err...Yes!", mom is embarrassed and really wants the lady out of the house so that she can bring the house down on my Dad.
Dad is triumphant and decides to leave for his own good.
He flashes his rare triumphant smile and tells the lady, "Can you just drop me to the office on your way?"
He escapes the ship, only to set up a cauldron for yours truly to be boiled.
"You will get married in 2010!", thunders my mom as a hapless me enters without any knowledge of prior events.
