Schools are closed for term break in the US and the children are all over Madras for their annual tryst with Tamil Brahmin culture.
It is also appraisal time for the parents. They have to win appreciation from the family elders for their accomplishment in educating the progeny on Brahmin sastras and sampradhayams. The children on parade promptly oblige and delight the grandparents with slokas and bharatnatyam steps. The atmosphere is wholesome and the air resonates with waves of pride and joy.
Sethu Iyer is gently rocking into siesta in the easy chair. Sita has gone shopping with Krish, Liz and Jay.
“Jay sounds good. Rueben Krishnan would have been embarrassing.” Sethu chuckles, “the toddler is bright and quick to grasp; just like his father, ahem, like his grandfather”. The thought tickles him to a whispery smile.
The bright rose color of the invitation disturbs his eye. Vasan’s grandson’s upanayanam is next week.
Sethu wakes up to a new reality.
His eyes turn to his father’s sepia on the wall. “appa, what did I do wrong?” his eyes swell and the mind comforts him in wry humor “after my time, we both will be hungry on amavasyas”.
Sipping a glass of water, Sethu drowns the lump in the throat. Working up some cheer, he gets ready to introduce Wren and Martin to Jay; “has a good vocabulary but needs to improve his grammar”.
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