Last night, I saw her again. she has begun to walk into my life again. I gasp at her grace - the seductress she is, squeezes the life out of the beholder even while looking askance at him. I am one of the very many (hard to count how many) that fell in love with her.
It all began on a clear day - night I should say!
I remember that night vividly. The day, as usual went without too much fuss ----- the last exam for that semester. With me it was always that way during the exams -slogging through the nights to get at least one glimpse of what was included in the syllabus and they usually ended up with solemn oaths of being regular with studies from that time forward.
The evenings usually belonged to akka (elder sister) who was our neighbor. Her house's verandah was usually filled with school children of all ages carrying all sizes of bags and books. Akka was their "teacher". Her mode of imparting education was simple ----she referred to the questions at the end of each chapter, marked a few paragraphs (which she thought were the best answers to the questions) and asked them to memorize those by reading them aloud. The din that followed may sound chaotic to the casual observer but if you were neighbors you will begin to fall in love with that raaga --- I am proud to say that I was a product of this orthodox school.
Okay, I have digressed considerably. At about 8 P.M., these children packed their bags and went home. My supper being over by the same time, I dragged a chair to our balcony, rested my chin on the balcony railings and began to make grand plans for the next semester.
It was then that she appeared without a warning.

---- To be continued