Meenakshi smiles!

I just could not take it. , wept from within listening to the scream. I felt as if someone had smacked me with an iron rod right on my head. Could sense blood oozing and draining out, as fast as a gushing stream of river. I’ve heard fearful bed time stories on evil, and always dreaded its illusionary voice. Has it happened in real, now? Did it descend to earth or have I started listening to nonexistent ‘objects’? Meanwhile I heard her shout yet again “Ayo, valikarthu…ahh…ahh...enna vitudungo” (means it pains please leave me).

What could have gone wrong? 4800 square feet of her land built into a big bungalow, retired son (Mani) and daughter in law (Latha), granddaughters married and settled in the gulf, 11k rent, pensions…yet…why such a horrible thing? I stay upstairs with my family and this has become an ordeal every day. I went down and she was there, raising her hand to me. Gosh, there she was, the 91 year old ‘baby’ beaten to agony. Bruises everywhere, forehead bleeding, Meenakshi spoke with her feeble voice. “enna adichuta” (she hit me)

Looking back, I got to know that she had victimized Latha many a time, playing a perfect ‘mother in law’. And as déjà vu as it sounds, she was getting back the ‘return on hatred’. Was Latha exploiting a flawed constitutional right to bath her in blood with such barbaric treatment? Or quietly giving the poor ‘paati’, a piece of her age old merciless medicine? Either ways, not happening. Meenakshi hopefully gets mercy killed, but I was not ‘yama’ to end her misery. Instead I decided to take on Latha, with my perennial naughtiness, which has by now, changed from a nascent potential to a competent weapon.

Twice, I scolded her on her face and warned that I will expose her to the media. Fortunately, my program on NDTV Hindu was aired recently. Another one followed in a few days. She saw me talking in one of those ‘Chennai Speaks’ and ‘U Special’ segments, and believed that I’m indeed a cult figure in media. I also showed her one of the TV editor’s business card to keep her on toes. Funny as it may sound, yet has brought a profound fear in Latha. She has started cooking frequently, and respectfully serving Meenakshi every day, unlike ‘Child’ labor earlier. No more whining or war…its peace treaty signed invariably against my stupid ‘soft threat’

I’ll keep up my drama meanwhile for times ahead. After all, Meenakshi has been spared of late… and yeah, I see her toothless smile every now and then.