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"How could you ?" my mother asked in her most agitated, " I-am -so disappointed-in-you" voice. " How could I, what mum"? I asked attempting to fathom what I had done that morning to be at the receiving end of such sarcasm. This from my normally easy-going, large hearted mother.

"Dump him, I mean. Just like that too," she continued, brows raised, voice dripping in disdain.

" Dump whom, mum ?" I asked. This time, quite perplexed.

After all, here I was, happily married for the past five years with no intention whatsoever (till death do us part, that is) of parting, or for that matter 'dumping' my dynamic man. There was also no old flame in line, or for that matter, in mind, so I gave her a baffled look.

" Now don't you give me that look missy, as if you don't know what I am talking about," mum continued, before I could utter a word.

"First you weren't interested. Then, you thought he was cute. And, you go as far as to tell me that you are willing to take the risks."

I was truly alarmed now. What would my husband think if he overheard this conversation ?

I didn't have a clue, either.

"In fact," mum was not done yet. " You never failed to talk to him, however late you were getting back home after work. And, haven't you yourself told me that the neighbours suspect that you're having some kind of an illegal liaison in the middle of the night.!

"I warned you to give him up if it was not the right thing to do but you were pretty sure that J would understand," she almost yelled in an outpour of words." (J meaning my husband).

"But mum," I blurted.

She hadn't finished yet.

"That's not all, how about all that nonsense about 'acquired tastes' and 'him' being different from the others."

I wraked my brain, trying to come out with an appropriate response to calm my now emotional mother.

"God knows how he'll handle things. He must be completely lost," she muttered.

"What makes you think that he's out of harm anyway?" she started at me again as I tried in vain to comprehend her line of thought.

"In fact," my mum went on wriggling a finger at me accusingly - "You even got your husband to change your little garden because 'he' fancied the idea of seeing you first thing in the morning. After all that hassle, you now tell me he needs his freedom. Pooh, what nonsense. You're just irresponsible and mean," she bellowed.

Alas, The grey cells in my sleepy brain clicked. I suddenly got it ! and then I burst out laughing.

"What's so funny ?," my mother glared.

"Oh, mum you were referring to 'him'."

"Who else ?," my mother retorted

"I haven't dumped him mum, it's just that it just didn't feel right any more."

"Right for him or for you ?," she snapped.

"It could cause problems, however good the intentions are. Laws are laws. I'm sure he's ok," I said suddenly overcome by a sense of sadness as I remembered his winsome ways.

I felt awful too, for not having told mum that we had parted the other day ; me quite teary eyed and he with all the joy he could muster at seeing the vast expansion of life and opportunity beckoning him.

"Well, I sure hope so," mum sighed aloud, seeing my apparent sadness.

"Listen mum, I couldn't harbour him like a fugitive for ever. After all it is a matter of survival of the fittest. He's got to live it out. Take the risks," I tried to explain, hoping against hope, both sadly and gladly that Tobby, my good natured, tortoise 'friend' for many years, who was rescued by my mother while he was being given the last rites, would find his way in his watery home again.

- Tharika

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