*From To Sathish* - Thread 3 - Page 111

Jannal oram 69

Shreekanth looked at Raman ' raman,i don't know why but i feel very comfortable with you.Its as if you are my best friend whom i am meeting after a long time' and then remembering something,he reached into his shirt pocket and took out a rather thick envelope and handed it to raman,who took out the letter and quickly scanned the contents.

Raman looked at shreekanth ' mr.krishnaswamy,my boss already told me the outlines of this tough situation you are in.But if you could just walk me through your relationship with your In-laws and please start from the beginning and then maybe we will sit down in a few days time and work in detail how to go ahead with this problem.'

Shreekanth raised his hands and stretched it and then slowly brought it behind his head and leaning into his palms,he looked at raman ' The marriage between me and sudha was an arranged one and even though my heart was not in it i went ahead with it for sudha too had gotten a job in canada where i was flying off to and although it was a bit awkward in the beginning,we fell in love and then it was all good.My daughter was born two years later and then tragedy stuck our love story and our happy family was torn apart by a drunk driver who drove through a red light and smashed into my wife's car and she died instantly.'

Shreekanths eyes filled with tears and then he began to sob ' raman,i wish it was me who had died in that accident and i wish my wife had been spared for i am sure that she would have been a better parent than me and my child wouldn't have to face all these legal problems.'

Raman got up and brought some soft tissues and gently placing an arm on shreekanths shoulder,offered it to him and shreekanth looked up at raman ' you know something,my wife is dead and i guess she is somewhere peaceful and it is me who misses her daily,wishing it was me who had died instead of her.'

A few minutes passed and shreekanth looked up ' you know what the funniest part is raman,my in-laws are fantastic people.My father-in-law might be a politician but let me tell you that he is a kind and honest person.'

Raman looked at his new client ' then why shreekanth,why this case? why drag you all the way from canada to india and rake you through all this trouble?'

Shreekanth laughed loudly ' because of my daughter,because of my wife.My five year old looks exactly like sudha his daughter and she was their only daughter.'

Rubbing his face,shreekanth sighed sadly ' honestly,i want to take up their offer of coming to live with them along with my daughter but me and my partner have just started this new venture and we are on the verge of taking it public and both of us have invested millions of dollars and two long years for me to back out now.And more importantly,i don't like being bullied,especially when it comes to my family.'

'But shreekanth,you could have filed a counter suit in your canadian courts and maybe done stalled it or done something about it.'

Shreekanth ' no raman,eventually i would have to face the courts for we cannot ignore their summons and further aggravate the judges.And,i thought i would come and reason with my in-laws for they deserve that before i fight this legally.But my in-laws are not budging and it is either come back and live nearby with my child or give her away to them.'

Raman shaking his head in frustration ' But shreekanth,your in-laws must be pretty old and moreover they don't stand a chance when a parent is around and no court will hand over a child to its grandparents.'

Shreekanth clapped his hands in frustration and pointed a finger at raman ' exactly raman,so it is just a frustrating ride they want to take me in for they bloody well know that i am neck deep in my new company affairs and wont have time to keep flying down to india every month.Forget the money,for i can afford it but think of the time wasted and the toll on my child for i cannot leave her with a nanny for a whole week and so i will have to keep flying out with her by my side.'

Raman's heart went out to shreekanth who he knew by instinct was a fine human being and decided that he would work his heart out and do justice to him and his child.

' shreekanth,don't worry for i will work things out and give you a call in a few days time and then you can come over and we will take things legally from there.'

Pointing to the legal letter ' this is just a legal notice and they will have to go file a case in the court and that will go on and on and i will work it out in such a manner that it will be enough if you just come down when you can.'

Shreekanth's face showed the relief and happiness that he was feeling and when both men stood up,he suddenly hugged raman and looking into his face ' thank you raman.i feel a lot better now.certaily,much better than when i came in.But now after having met you and spoken to you,i know everything will be all right.'

Raman looked at him ' I will take care of it shreekanth and i hope your daughter gets well soon.'

Both walked out of the office and raman went up to the car parking where a car stood with its driver and shreekanth ' my sister's car for i don't have the guts or the patience to drive in chennai's traffic anymore.'

Raman smiled and nodded ' it has gotten worse than before and every year the number of vehicles seem to double and treble and i actually use the city bus mostly but only often' and seeing his voice trail,shreekanth with a shrewd smile ' i know,nothing like a car when you are with somebody whom you love very much.safer,much safer but then it was not so in my case.'

An awkwardness suddenly welled up and shreekanth embarrassed with himself ' raman,i usually am not a very talkative person but athu ennavo,with you i feel very comfortable and at total ease.'

Raman stood and waved as the car carrying shreekanth left the premises of Rangachari and associates.

Jannal oram 70

"When the heart is down and the soul is heavy, the eyes can only speak the language of tears

Raman stood watching shreekanth's car leave the street of Rangachari and associates and turn right to enter the main road that would lead to commander-in-chief road and then to spencer junction where straight meant Royapettah,left meant to Lic and further on to anna salai and parrys and left meant Gemini flyover and off to Teynampet.

Suddenly,the days proceedings just came crashing into his mind and his legs felt weak as his soul remembered the words of Govind,then his meeting with devarajan and now with his latest client Shreekanth.

Raman turned and placed both his hands on his car and leant with his hand hanging down not looking at anything,not feeling anything but just wishing that the world could have been a beautiful and better place for everyone to live and love.Lost in his thoughts,he did not even hear the mercedes purr softy and enter the parking lot and a gentle hand patted and then clasped his arm and raman turned to see who it was and quickly regaining his composure,greeted his boss krishnaswamy ' Good evening sir' and the man himself looked him over 'come,let us talk and we will see if it can make you feel better because you don't look your normal self.'

Raman held his ground for a moment and watched as his boss disappeared into the cool confines of the law firm and just as he composed himself,the whiff of exotic perfume,something expensive but subtle tingled his nose and he turned and there stood his boss's daughter Rohini.

She looked at him and raman looked back at her ' hello ma'am' and rohini with a slight twitch of her left eyebrow ' raman,it is just rohini,not ma'am but just rohini.'

Raman did not want to look discourteous by leaving immediately and yet his boss had asked him to come in to his cabin and here he was with his daughter.

Rohini ' Was that shreekanth's car we just passed for i recognise it from the few times he has been coming home since he landed in chennai from canada.'

Raman,thinking to himself that just like her dad,pretty much nothing missed being seen by his daughter ' yes rohini,that was shreekanths car' and rohini ' surprising,that he didn't wait up and i wonder where the fire is.'

Raman ' no fire,just hsi daughter who is not well and he his taking her to see his family doctor.'

Rohini with a smile that only made her already beautiful features light up even more ' tough day at work' and raman nodded ' yes.But,more than the preparation,groundwork,presenting and appearing the case,it is the emotional stuff that comes with the clients that is sometimes tough to bear and to digest.'

Rohini reached into her handbag and brought out a cigarette packet and drawing one out,lit up and as if aware that raman did not smoke,stepped a few feet away and blew the inhaled smoke that raman for a moment thought had disappeared into her throat.

Both stood drowned in their own thoughts and then rohini ' raman,i have known shreekanth from my childhood days and let me tell you,that he is a great human being and a very gentle soul.I hope you give your best in this case fo his.By the way,did you meet his daughter? a real angel like her dad.'

Raman shook his head ' no,he came alone and had left his daughter in his sister's care.'

Rohini looked at raman ' you know what my dad is doing right?' and raman ' what is he doing?' and rohini taking another long drag from her cigarette ' he is piling in all the big and difficult cases onto you,testing you,pushing you.'

Raman shrugged casually ' it is part of our job and workload and i guess it is my turn to take the brunt of these rather complicated cases' and rohini shaking his head as if she disagreed with him ' raman,he is grooming you,He tried grooming me and i left it and made my life in mumbai where i take it easy and handle one big case at a time and the money is good and more than enough for me.So,he has trained his guns on you and now he is slowly piling all his legacy and that of his grandfather rangachari's legacy on to your already over burdened shoulders.'

Raman ' rohini,why didn't you settle down here in chennai,rather than flying off to mumbai and practicing there?'

Rohini took another drag from her cigarette and looked away and raman thought that her eyes had suddenly brightened and feeling guilty he stepped a bit closer to her and gently and protectively touched her shoulder ' sorry,please forgive me for asking such personal questions' and Rohini with her face still turned away,wiped the edges of her eyes and mustering a smile on her face ' raman,the society is not kind on a divorced woman and once the word is out that a woman is divorced and single,you stop getting invitations for parties,get togethers and other family matters and people avoid you like the plague.And add to that,men of all shapes and sizes start circling you like vultures circling a dead body or a dying body.'

Taking another deep pull of her cigarette,she threw it down and stepped on it with her foot and looked up at raman ' you know what hurts most.It is my own dad thinking that i am a failure,a loss,an embarrassment.And that is why i ran away to live with my aunt who is also a divorcee and began my career in mumbai.Out of sight,out of mind.'

Raman was at a total loss and then suddenly rohini hugged him gently and raman thought for a second to step back and then hugged her back protectively.

Rohini stepped back ' she is very lucky,this woman who you are in love with.I wish you the best raman and you better go in before he blows his top and the firm into oblivion.'

Raman nodded and turned to leave and rohini held his hand ' thank you raman for spending time with me for usually most men would have made a move or at least indicated their future moves after a few minutes.

They stood man and woman and they looked at each other and they stood and in the silence a friendship was born.

"everything i know about love
is that it hurts
and is almost always never returned
the way you want it to.

but i have hope
because i do not know everything.
Ava, You Are Safe Here.

What Indian ads have taught me

1.Kareena has dandruff problems,Katrina has dry hair problems,shilpa shetty has hairfall problems.(So,best mottai podrathu)

2.If you have a beautiful wife,make sure your neighbour does not use a deodarant in your absence,and specially brands such as Fogg,Axe.( for your wife will cheat on you just to smell the neighbours armpits) Aiyo,appo enna thaan plan.

3.Your complexions is more important than your qualifications.( yes,if you are going to sleep your way to the top)

4.If there is no salt in your kitchen,then you can use your toothpaste.( Govinda,Govinda)

5.Every,second oral care brand is no.1 and recommended by the best dentists and every dentist in India.(yes,glasses,white coat and you can take the words to the bank.)

6.If your daughter is not ready to get married,then take her to a Jewellery or a famous textile shop and she will immediately agree to get married ( what?????)

7.Only reason why men use deodarant is to get girls or get laid ( engadda antha ponnunga)( i also tried all brands of axe and not even a dog comes behind me and the ones that do come are hell bent on biting my bum for the deo smells so bad.)

8.coke,pepsi,frooti,sprite will cure you of all phobias and make you into a superman and you can jump or fly off cliffs.( But not before your guts rot and get perforated)

9.The special effects in the shampoo ads are greater than the special effects in the film Avatar.

10.Fruit content in shampoos and soaps are more than fruit juices ( so,should i start eating soap and drinking shampoos.)

11.You can't eat Cadburys dairy milk silk brand chocolate without rubbing it all over your face(Why is that so? do only slobs eat chocolate?)

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want


The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.


These beautiful and comforting words are from Psalm 23,king james version and these very words began the funeral service of the late Dr.Sarojini Devanandan,in the chapel of CMC,Vellore.It was a beautiful service but more than that i felt beautiful and felt the presence of life around me as i sat in the wooden bench,near a window that overlooked a small garden filled with green grass and potted plants.

As the many young men and women raised their voice in a high pitch and the piano keys played sober,somber simple chords,the body of Saro as we called her lay in a small,ordinary coffin in the middle of the domed white chapel.

Many of saro's foster children and students and other colleagues paid rich,beautiful and moving tributes to her spirit that lay all around all of us and i closed my eyes and thought ' life and death are not important,it is what you have done and how you have touched others with your love and grace and made their lives better and yes,the spirit moved in me and through the tributes,through the foster children,i took in and inhaled deeply the essence of Saro,Dr.Sarojini devanandan.

I met krishna,Krishna devanandan in 1984 when i was in school and she joined Kalakshetra to learn dance and other fine arts and from there our friendship began and bloomed in 1986 and has continued with strong and deep bonds.

It is through krishna their eldest daughter,that i had the pleasure of meeting The late Dr.Marcus devanandan,Neurophysiologist 1975-1997,CMC,Vellore and recently passed on Dr.Sarojini devanandan, Anesthesiologist, Vellore,CMC and their younger daughter Dr.Malini devanandan and her extended family.

Marcus was a fantastic human being,a warm funny soul and i just loved him like the world did.It was a sad day when he passed away in 1997 November and my bad luck i was in Malaysia at that time of his death.Yet,i took comfort in the knowledge that i had met him a week or so before when me and Krishna had gone to Vellore in a bus,one rainy day.

Truly,a soul,a journey,a life's work,greatness cannot,should not and will not be contained and vanish with the death of the physical self.I saw that for myself as i sat through the beautiful service near the white walls of the Vellore,CMC chapel and as i threw a rose on top of her coffin and left.

Life,although such a beautiful experience is abruptly ended by death and yes abrupt even at an old age.So much to do and so little time to do it.

Yesterday,Saturday was a day of revelations for me and it also has made me more resolute in my goal to write more,give more through my words,thoughts and paint the world as i see it and at least make this world a better place,hopefully with my creativity that the creator had so deemed to create and bless me with.

So death is not the end for as long as your words,actions and memories live on,you too live on.

Slowly but steadily,i plan to hone my writing skills and then plan to deliver from the womb of my soul,books,my children into this world and share with the other souls how and why i see what i see and when i see.

We are all unique,we are all truly beautiful beneath this thin veneer of skin with which sadly shallow souls segregate us and divide us and not stopping there they then jump into faith and god and sadly this had left the whole world burning and on the verge of destruction.

If only,humans could learn more from trees and plants and learn to live within the limits of what we have and learn to live and exist in harmony with our mother earth and our other fellow species,my,my this would truly be a heaven made on earth or rather we would be the envy of even the gods.

I wish all the members and the entire forum a very happy Onam.May all your lives and houses be filled with more peace,happiness and all that is good and beautiful in this world.Be well.

Jannal oram 71

Raman knocked and entered and Krishnaswamy iyer,his boss looked up and fixed him with a questioning look as to the nearly ten minute delay but raman did not offer an explanation and just sat down.

Krishnaswamy iyer leaned back into his chair and asked raman' what did rohini have to say?' and raman felt a bit of anger and anguish on hearing this question and then calm prevailed ' nothing sir,just stood while she smoked her cigarette.'

krishnaswamy iyer nodded but not accepting his words which showed in his rather abrupt leap into the matters at hand ' so,did you speak to shreekanth?' and raman ' yes sir and we have decided to meet in two days time and talk in detail as to what can be done and how it should be done.'

Krishnaswamy iyer looked at raman ' he is more or less your age raman and a very easy person to get along with not like some of your other clients like bakery babu.'

Raman only offered a polite smile for rohini's words that his boss,her dad was giving her the silent and rough treatment was because of her failed marriage somehow did not sit right or feel fair and this anger and irritation seemed to be leaping out of his soul and controlling it,he looked at his boss ' sir,there might be a break in the Ashok mehta case and i think there is a way out for both of them and it might just turn out to be good for both of them.'

Krishnaswamy iyer leaned forward and removing his gold framed glasses,placed them on his table ' but raman,the case has just passed two hearings and you yourself told me that it was ugly and was going to be bitterly contested by ashok mehta's wife.So,how this sudden twist in this matter?'

Raman's Titan choronograph beeped softly and looking at it,he saw it was 7.00 pm and realised that his parents must have reached home and the look he had given to his watch and the expression after seeing the time was not missed by his boss sitting across the table and Krishnaswamy iyer ' raman,something important and someplace you need to be.'

Raman ' it can wait sir.Just that my parents are arriving or rather must have already arrived.But it is okay sir,it can wait.'

Krishnaswamy iyer got up ' no,no raman.Parents cannot wait and specially not yours when you both meet up once in a blue moon.Family is very important my boy.Nurture those relationships and bonds for who knows when the man upstairs will call out our name and unlike in school,when we stood up and said boldly,present miss or present sir,we will have to get up and say absent boss or absent god.'

Just as Raman was about to leave the room,krishnaswamy iyer walked slowly towards raman ' ram,i don't know what rohini told you but i am not a bad dad,just a worried one and over protective one and i have stopped and set aside for i have realised that i have no control or say in what goes on other people's lives,even if it is my very own daughter.

The moment i laid eyes on her ex-husband,all those years ago,i told her that he was bad news and begged her to change her mind for she could do a lot better.But she threw a tantrum and refusing my advice,went ahead and married that bum and after just three years filled with fights and yelling matches finally ended in a divorce.'

Throwing an arm around raman's shoulders ' my boy,rohini is not angry with me but she is angry with herself for not having listened to my advice and feels i should have done more.It is her ego that is causing all these tensions between us and yes,i agree that i too make her climb the wall sometimes and do avoid her.But that is to protect mine and her sanity.'

And then looking at raman ' she gets bad when she drinks and really lets go of all her inhibitions and speaks her mind openly without a care in the world.'

Raman tried hard and yet all he could come up with were ' i am sorry sir.I hope things get better between both of you.I will see you tomorrow sir.good night.'

Krishnaswamy iyer gently held raman's left arm ' ram,in all these years,i have never had the opportunity to meet your parents.Why don't you bring them over to my place for dinner tomorrow?'

Raman ' thank you sir.But they are attending a couple of weddings and so i am not sure about their plans or their availability.Can i confirm this tomorrow sir,if you don't mind.'

' of course raman.take care and i will see you tomorrow.good night.'

Raman got into his car and slowly slipped into the mount road traffic and heading home to saidapet his thoughts were all about the dinner invitation for him and his parents to Jeeva's house and he wondered how his parents might take it or react to this abrupt introduction to jeeva and her family.

His mobile rang and since he had his ear phones attached,he quickly took the call which was from jeeva and said hello and jeeva took a moment and then ' from the sounds,i know you are in your car but are you heading towards me or in some other direction.'

Raman with a happy smile ' baby,in your direction and soon into your house.Buuut...'

' Ram sweetheart,i know for the same thought went through my mind too just a few moments ago.But you know what,this has to be done sometime or another,this meeting of our parents and why not today in an informal but maybe semi formal manner through dinner.'

Raman nodded ' jeeva,i feel like the first time i stepped into court,all nerves and tension.' Jeeva did not respond and then ' did you win that case ram' and raman ' yes,i did and actually it went much easier than i thought it would.'

' There you go my man,you said it.Listen baby,what is important here is you and me and with that already decided and confirmed there is nothing more to talk or worry about.You have met my parents and from that one phone call from your dad,i know he must be a great man and a sweet and understanding one.And moreover,we have saved them the trouble of looking for a match for each other and the other headaches that comes with that.'

Raman nodded in agreement ' right you are and i will see you by 8.15 p.m or 8.30 at the most.okay.bye sweetheart.'

Jannal oram 72

"I may not always be with you
But when we're far apart
Remember you will be with me
Right inside my heart
Marc Wambolt


Raman turned into the samll lane at the end of which stood the place where raman resided and it was a outhouse portion that had its own gate and although the owners who lived in the larger three bedroom house on the same compound were some distant relatives of his,Raman lived his life quietly and came and went like the invisible man.

Saraswathi,the owners wife was his mothers distant cousin and she was the one who looked after his daily breakfast and dinner needs and did it not only for the generous money that raman handed over along with his rent but also because both she and her husband genuinely cared for raman and respected him for his calm and gentle ways.

Raman saw in the headlights of his ageing santro,his dad hurriedly opening the gate for him and raman felt irritated for he did not want his dad to do all that for him.

Raman drove slowly into the compound,flashing a smile of happiness and got out of his car and slowly came towards his dad who was locking the gate.

Father and son stood smiling at each other and then raman bent to touch his dad's feet and shaktivel gently held him and lifting him up stared intensely and searchingly at his only son's face and gently hugged him.

Raman fell into his fathers arms as if it was the most natural thing in the world and it was always like coming home and it always left him filled with a beautiful peaceful feeling.

Shaktivel drew back ' Iyaa,why are their dark circle under your eyes? work is important but health is more important.I have earned enough for you,your children and grand children and if this work is too much for you,then come back with us and spend a few months with us.'

Raman smiled and was about to reply,when his mother valliamma came running towards both of them and shaktivel observing her ' valliamma,careful.both of us know that you were an athlete in school and you don't have to prove it by still running at this age.'

Valliamma hugged raman ' ram,how are you? why are you looking so thin? don't you have enough money to buy food? can't you call us and we would have immediately sent enough cash?'

Raman ' amma,one question at a time amma.I am okay and i am the same 80 kilos that i was when you saw me a few months ago.'

Raman held each of them by in his arms ' okay,now listen without interrupting for i have something to tell you both.'

Shaktivel and valliamma both looked at each other ' please tell us you are returning to trichy to take up practicing law there.'

Raman ' no,sorry to disappoint you Appa but maybe i will do that in the future but right now there is something more important that i have to tell you.'

Looking at both his mum and dad,with a shy smile,raman softly whispered ' I have met somebody and i have fallen in love with her.'

Shaktivel wanted to scream and yell in happiness,but his self control would not allow it but valliamma his wife did not have any such problems and she screamed and squealed in happiness and pulling raman's face covered it with kisses and shaktivel gently hugged raman.

Raman excitedly ' wait,wait for there is something more that i need to tell and that is we have been invited to her place for dinner and they live just a few streets away from here.so,i will go have a bath and will be ready in a few minutes in which time you can prepare the question paper and i will answer them leisurely after dinner.'

Raman's mum,valliamma eagerly ' okay,okay but please tell us her name.'

Raman ' Jeeva.Her name is Jeeva' and saying the name hurried into the house and left his parents feeling like they had flapped their arms and flown to the stars.

Valliamma turning to her husband ' jeeva,what a beautiful name' and shaktivel ' yes,a beautiful name to go along with our beautiful son's name.Raman and Jeeva.'


"You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn't depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.
Trenton Lee Stewart,

Short story

" I think we should settle for rs.50 lakhs ( as dowry) said the bridegroom's mother.

" wow! Such a coincidence,i was going to ask for the same amount from you people." said the bride.

" what for ' asked the visibly confused bridegroom's mother as she looked at her family members around the table.

" Exactly my question",said the bride.

Jannal oram 73

"One day ask your daughter the kind of mother she wants to be! One day ask your son the kind of father he wants to be! One day ask yourself the kind of parent you have been! And one day, ask yourself how you have run the race of life through the good and the bad times with the baton of life in your hands!
Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

If finding the right person and falling in love with them was not hard enough in this already difficult world,then getting married to the same person is made more difficult by the egos of the parents of each partner.Sometimes love triumphs and both lovers wash their hands and walk away from the caste,religions and other riduculous hurdles.But in some sad cases,both or one of them commit suicide and in even more sadder cases,honor killings rule the day and love lies on the ground trampled by man's numerous evils.

Love needs only two souls and as has become common,the souls don't even have to be of different sexes.But coming back to love,all it needs is two loving hearts and nothing more.

Raman quickly showered and slipping his lean frame into a rather comfortable linen pant,slipped a tee over his head and came out of his bedroom and stood shocked taking in his dad and mum and then began to chuckle.

Both his mum and dad were dressed in silks and they looked brand new and raman shaking his head ' appa,amma,those clothes are obviously meant for tomorrow's wedding that you are attending' and shaktivel looked at his wife and valliamma excitedly ' ram,this is the first time that we will be meeting them and that too we are meeting them at their home and so we thought it will be nice to be formal and all that.'

Raman sat down on the arm of the sofa and picking up his mobile to check for any unread messages ' children,please behave like adults and go change into appropriate clothes like i am wearing.I am sure jeeva and her parents will have second thoughts if they see you both dressed like you are going for your wedding,when it is my girl you are going to meet.'

Both his parents slinked away and minutes later,both came casually dressed with his mother valli in a a casual cotton saree and his dad in his usual uniform of a well worn dhoti and a simple half hand shirt.

Locking the doors all three slowly walked out of the compound and towards jeeva's house and they stopped at the amman temple and all three stood in prayer.Father prayed for son,mother prayed for son,son prayed for both his parents and then as they moved away,valliamma gently holding raman's left arm ' when did this friendship start?' and when raman looked sideways ' his mother hurriedly ' okay,no problem,if you don't want to share with us,then don't.'

Raman threw his arm around his mother ' sorry to disappoint both of you but this is nothing like what you see in films and serials.I have been seeing Jeeva for nearly three years' and before he could complete,shaktivel slightly upset ' you mean to say that you kept this from us for nearly three years.'

Raman ' if only both of you let me finish what i have to say,then all your doubts will be cleared and your questions answered' and looking at both of them ' i meant i was aware of jeeva for three years because we travel in the same bus to parrys corner everyday and sometimes come back in the same bus in the evening.So, both of us knew each other by sight but it took three years for us to make contact.'

Shaktivel sensing something ' Iyya,why did you take three years to talk to her if you knew she was the woman for you?'

Raman looked at both of them and then just as they crossed the small tea kadai,two streets away from jeeva's house,two constables sitting there sipping tea,stood up and wished raman who wished them back and both shaktivel and valliamma smiled in pride.

' I think jeeva was going through some personal issues and i did not want to approach her at the wrong moment and lose the opportunity to tell her my feelings.That is why i waited for so long and in the end,she made contact and we began talking and that is how it all started and that is why we are here.'

Raman stopped hearing a familiar voice calling or rather yelling his name and turning saw it was Christy aka christopher,one of the felllow bar council members and as was christy's nature,he yelled ' ram' not bothered that they were in the middle of the road and ran up to him.

Raman ' hi christy' and then turning to his parents ' appa,amma,this is christopher,advocate and bar council member' and christy immediately folded his hands in namaskaram ' Vanakkam iyya,vanakkam amma' and then hurriedly looking at Raman ' ram,an important matter' and remembering his manners,he looked sheepishly at raman's parents ' sorry,but is it okay if i just borrow raman for a minute' and they nodded with a smile but not before valliamma asked raman ' how much further ram' and raman ' not far amma,the next left lane and it is the only two storeyed building with blue paint and the gate is covered with jasmine vines' and then hurriedly ' wait for me and don't wander off.'

Raman looking at christopher ' enna christy,what is so important? anything i can help you with' and christopher ' good thing that your folks are not close by for i wouldnt want them to hear our topic of discussion.'

Hesitantly ' I heard some rumors going around about some ethical issues and that some complaint might be lodged against you and govind regarding some divorce case for which both of you are appearing.'

Raman sighed and breathing deeply ' christy, govind sent summons after filing a case for pramila ashok and my client mr.ashok engaged our services on his behalf and so there in the beginning itself it is obvious that there is no preplanned conspiracy.The only problem here is that both me and govind are close friends but is that illegal or an unethical thing.'

Christopher ' i know raman for it sounded so silly that even some of the members who hate your guts laughed it off and said ' raman and unethical,just not possible'.Anyway, i just wanted to have a talk and see what the whole silly issue is about.'

Raman slightly miffed and upset ' christopher,any idea who spread this rumor because only today afternoon,govind spoke to me about this problem and now it appears the whole universe is aware about it.'

Christopher laughing off raman's worries ' listen,these things are all common tactics of the clients when they feel their case is going against them and in the end,justice will prevail and will be served.See you tomorrow for it is getting late and my wife has given me a big list of vegetables and groceries to be purchased and i will get beaten up if i don't go back in time.Bye and see you tomorrow in the court.'

Raman nodded and stood staring at christopher's back and then the pieces began to fall into place and he knew who was behind this and he also remembered Mr.Devarajan's words and thought ' yes,it is time to payback and in full and there is no point in messing around anymore' and then turned to see what his parents were up to and couldn't find them anywhere and realising that they must have gone off to see jeeva's house,hurriedly began to run before anything silly could happen and all the while thinking ' god,these old folks can sometimes behave worse than children.'

"We're taught to expect unconditional love from our parents, but I think it is more the gift our children give us. It's they who love us helplessly, no matter what or who we are. Kathryn Harrison

Writing Jannal oram is easy but writing for Redemption is complicated for so much material has to be researched and authenticated and hence the delay,a rather abnormal i confess.

Since,i was in the flow of this part of jannal oram i just went with the story and once this is done,then it is full steam ahead with redemption.

I wish you all a great day.Be well.