Amma's coconuts

[sarit11]

Parvathiamma sadly commented now, as if to herself, that the old man had surely failed to enjoy himself during his youth. And now, in his old age he was showing a wild interest in sex which, she said, was very unbecoming of him. She said again that she felt pity for the poor man because he had failed to see all the colors of life during his “best times”.
” What can I do?” she told my mother. “At my age I cannot satisfy his hunger. Moreover, he does no desire me at all. I feel sorry for him.”
Here she paused. Then she said to my mother, “But, Sunandini, you can help him.” There was another pause, during which I know that my mother must have looked at her in a puzzled manner.

Then she told my mother in very plain words that she could help the old man by having sex with him!
My heart was beating wildly when heard this. I waited with abated breath to see how my mother was going to react. She was undoubtedly shocked, just like me. There was silence for a few seconds from her part. Then she tried to laugh it of as a joke. But she realized quickly that the old woman was serious, and she grew silent.
“What do you say, Sunandini?” asked Parvathiamma in a gentle voice, when my mother remained silent for a long time.

“I… I don’t know what to say, Parvathiamma,” stammered my mother. She sounded utterly confused.
“Think about it,” said the old woman. “Think about it for a moment. What do you have to lose?”
A deep silence prevailed in the kitchen for a while. Then I heard my mother tell Parvathiamma in an apologetic manner that she could not even think of doing such a thing, that it was a sin and the gods would never forgive her.
To my amazement the old woman became quite angry. She reminded my mother of the many times that she had helped her. She called my mother a thankless woman and suddenly started to cry. She told my mother that she was ready to fall on her feet like a beggar.

“I can’t bear to see him suffer”, she said, weeping. “That’s why I’m begging you. He could never go with an outside woman, because then somehow people will know. You live in our house. You are not an outsider. So there is no danger of anybody finding out. Besides, at his age do you think that he will be very demanding? Just let him hold you once in a while. That’s all.” She kept on talking like this, obstinately, angrily, beseechingly.
“Don’t forget,” she told my mother. “One word from me and you and your son will be thrown out of this house in no moment.”

“Aiyo, Parvathiamma, don’t talk like that,” said my mother. “I and my son will be ever thankful to you and sar.”
“Then , this is how you show your gratitude?”
My mother began to cry. Maybe she was hurt when the old woman called her thankless.
“You will say yes to my request or not?” asked Parvathiamma, as if for the last time. The tone of her voice was very threatening.
A brief pause. Then with my own ears I heard my mother say a weak yes!