A Memory For GENERATIONS

An incident can be a legend.

- Prabha Kumar

As always, Prabha came in yelling at 1:30 pm saying, "Amma" and in her usual style, playing volleyball with her shoes... She heard Amma's voice -"See that your shoes are put back in the shoe rack, you are not playing a game of ball."

After a quick wash, I sat for lunch. Amma was serving the food and asking me about my homework.

Excited, Prabha, said to Amma, "Today, I learned to bake a cake, Amma, can I try making one?"

It was a big No!!

Prabha knew that once her request is turned down, there is no way of pursuing the exercise again on the same day.

The next day, her classmate Usha said that she tried making the cake and that it came out good. Whether she really baked the cake or not, Prabha always believed whatever is said upfront. Among her classmates, someone or the other said that they baked the cake at home!!

I too felt the need to experiment, but the question was how to convince Amma.

Prabha kept on nagging her day in and day out…

“Amma please…” … finally she said, “Yes”- but with two conditions:

• The kitchen must be spick and span
• I would get time to bake the cake only during Amma’s afternoon siesta of two hours.

The day finally came to bake the cake.

“Amma, I need an egg…” It was a straight “No, we are vegetarians.”