Varalotti Sir, you rock !

Dear all,
It is my privilege to report in this forum, not only on a weekly basis, but more frequently, that Sridhar’s story has appeared in Vikatan.
This is yet another ‘oru nimida kathai”.
When I started reading the story ( I first failed to note your name at the bottom), it looked very familiar to me like an instance which took place between my (auditor) husband and my daughter, years back. No doubt, you have written it, as an auditor-father !
Need I say, your snippet makes enjoyable reading? Well, it goes without saying, Sridhar.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Dear Chitra,

For the kind of help you do in publicising my stories, you know what I should have done? I should have posted in your forum about your recipes. But unfortunately I do not know enough about cooking to do so. And so I do not want to spoil the party there.
Thanks a ton.
But to all the ILites I owe answers for two questions.

a) Why have I not replied yet for the Diwali Malar story announcement thread posted by you? The reason is I am yet to see the story myself and Diwali Malar has not yet come to Madurai. Will try to get it today or tomorrow and post my reply.

b) So many stories are appearing, have I changed my profession? Not at all. I love my profession that I cannot sustain myself without 6 to 8 hours of hardcore professional work. I had to train myself more than 3 years for getting these professional skills and had to spend 20 years plus to hone them, even after passing the toughest professional examination in the country. The skills I have developed belong to the corporate society. So I can't even imagine of quitting the profession. Being in one of the most precision-demaning professions of the world, I ration my time among various activities. And the time rationed out for writing has virtually remained the same for the past 3, 4 years. It might have slightly declined of late.
But why so many stories coming out now? As I have told you all in another thread, I never reject my own stories. Even if the world's best editor rejects my stories I wont reject them. My stories are my children. Would any mother have the heart to shun her children simply because some distant uncle or some next door neighbour finds them ugly? So I retain all my rejections in my system. And keep on recycling them. For example this story which came in todays Vikatan was written in November 2005 and was rejected by a couple of magazines. The muthiraikkathai in Kumudam was written in 2003.
To sum up I have 3 prayers to God. That so long as I live I should be able to write, should be in the profession and above all should be in Madurai.
regards,
sridhar

You are born a man & could make the last wish come true !
The only woe in my being born a woman is that, I cannot wish for that. How sad !
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Dear Sridhar,

Yes, now there is no stopping you:) I am so very glad for you, our own Varalotti sir:)
I take a personal pride in your success.

L, Kamla

Dear Kamla,

thanks for those nice words.

And to Chitra and Kamla, I would have to confess something to you. Though this story is written by me the orginal author is my wife. The story is nothing but a conversation in my family. I gave an acceptable form to it; but the substance belongs to my wife.

Just to prove this point, I am attaching the scanned version of my story. Let me have your views.

regards,
sridhar

Appadiya kadhai?:)

So, when and if I ever meet you and we eat at a restraunt tasting the delicacies of India, I shall say heartfelt thanks to you for your kindness and company. As a friend, you may bear the bill, ha ha. I shall take care not to mention about the prices of the goodies on the table, lest the auditor in you wakes up and you extend the bill to me!!!

A nice little snippet Sridhar, I am sure it will be greatly enjoyed during this Diwali time. I remember the days when we use to fight in my house as to who would have the first look at the Deepawali special issue of Ananda Vikatan. My dad and myself somehow managed it between us, we had a secret pact!

I understand the travails of an auditor's wife. You may be the writer, but she has read you well and understood. Good for her!

Thanks for bringing the story to us.

L, Kamla

Kadhai Appadithan.

More than any one in the world, my wife knows it very well.
I think it is a manifestation of my untamed ego that if somebody demands something as a matter of right, the auditor in me wakes up and tries to find fault with that persons right. But when somebody appeals to my heart I give in.

When my wife wants to ask me something she takes a circuitous route. She will let out a sigh and say that a new saree has come and that she loves it but has already exhausted her allowance. I would shout, 'here's the money. first go and buy the saree before somebody else does it.'

Once one of my learned professional colleagues was working the complex tax returns of a common friend. He could have filed the returns himself. But somehow or other he wanted to show off his talents before the common friend.
So he told me, "sridhar, I have done all the work. Just give a glance to these figures. You can't find anything wrong in this. Just for the heck of it, have a look."
Naturally my ego was pricked. I took it upon myself to find some mistake in that neatly worked out return. I devoted a whole day to pour over the figures and did find out 2 significant mistakes he had committed.

And I cruelly told that to him in the presence of a common friend. I knew I was just taking a revenge. But when I saw his face I felt very bad for him.

Reading a thousand books, writing a thousand stories or praying for a million lives will not cure me of my arrogance. This was the lesson I learnt from that episode.
And my wife knows this weakness very well.
The story belongs to her and not to me.
regards,
sridhar

Dear Sridhar,
Appava..Auditoraa..? Pramaadham..Often I find myself with the same trait..Now I wonder if people with this attitude become Auditors or vice versa!!
Such a small day to day event (during the festive mood..) with such an impact..Sridhar..You have great writing skills.
Regards
USHA

Dear Sridhar Sir,

Wonderful story. Surprisingly, the same story happened many times between my Auditor appa and me.(He is not a CA but an Auditor turned Sub Registrar(CSR) in Co Operative department.)
I always grumble to my mom...and she used to give the same answer to me....Hmmm you rekindled those memories, this week again.
I called my dad just now and asked him to see the story. He is an avid reader and the one to introduce me the woderland of books.

Thanks for the inside info too.

Cheers
Vijee

Dear Sridhar,
I read both of your stories, in Vikatan and also in Deepavali Malar. Both are good. The first one was really superb, it brings out the human mind in different forms.
The second one in Malar was also good. But I found a small change- the title is Kalyana kaatchi and not Kalyanak kaatchi. Is it deliberate? My son is in the 10th and he studies of "santhippizhai". I just want to know.
Sorry I was not able to respond immediately, reason ill health. But, I enjoyed the stories.
Congrats to Mrs.Indu.