Periscope:

Virtuous can beat anything...

Disciple was sniffing the fresh scent of the bundle. It's a big one.

"Why don't you open it?" Asked master.

"I don't feel like opening it. It has a nice print-scent." Said the disciple.

Master was losing his patience, he wanted to check the books. But disciple was contemplating about something else.

"So you think Piyadasa Sirisena is a literary genius?" Disciple asked.

"Your question has a long answer, because there's neither straight yes nor straight no."

Disciple was smiling.

"Before getting into that, you want this completely unpacked, right?"

"That's right. So better hurry up."

When they unpacked the whole package, they discovered five big volumes of Piyadasa Sirisena's novels. Disciple flipped through the first few pages of a volume. That was a compilation - compiler is Jayalatha Medawatta.

"What a cheat. This compiler has written only a few pages, and she can claim the whole profits." Disciple said with an expression of dismay.

"I think you are quite wrong there..." Disciple heard, but he knew it wasn't the familiar voice. Master looked baffled too, for someone had answered in his place.

"I'm here..." The voice said again. That left both master and disciple on tenterhooks. But then in a moment they saw Piyadasa Sirisena's face struggling to get out of the book cover. They held each other tightly, but later on they realized the apparition can do no harm.

"So, I'm Piyadasa Sirisena..." The little face said smilingly. He did not have a hand to offer.

"Hello there. We are a master and a disciple on a literary journey."

"Ok. Now where were we...? Ah you said the compiler had written only a few pages about me. I think she has done a great thing by combining all my novels. Do you think you can find my novels easily these days. Mind you I lived towards early last century."

"Yes yes... we know. Not that we underestimated the compiler's work. She has done a superb job by preserving all your novels to posterity." Master said apologetically.

"There you are..." Said the little face and looked around. It seemed tired.

"Would you like to have something? I mean tea or coffee, or even a soft drink? I know you are not in for alcohol." Disciple asked.

"No thank you. I'm ok here. Glad I met you both."

"Same here. So you are among the pioneers of Sinhala novel."

"You can say that no issue. But even in Sinhala novel I had a goal. If you say I was lacking creativity, I don't think you are wrong. I was more concerned about the moral."

"Yes I know." Disciple said.

"How do you know?" Master asked, making sure he had never taught Piyadasa Sirisena in classroom.

"I just read a note tucked into a volume by my friend who had sent this package."

"Would you mind reading it out to me?" Sirisena said.

"Sure." And then he took the leave out to read.

"Dear friend,

I am happy to send you this package. Although I haven't read all his books, the ones I have read mesmerized me no end. Piyadasa Sirisena did a singular struggle to condemn the foreign influence when our country was under heavy British clutches. He had criticized foreign influence in many points. Let me share some which I have discovered:

1. Avoidance of observing five precepts, especially using intoxicated drinks.

2. Wearing frocks instead of the saree.

3. Pursuing the dowry system

4. Honeymoon.

5. Cast discrimination

6. Ignorance of the great history of Ceylon.

7. Western drugs

We hardly discuss some of these issues today, though Piyadasa Sirisena dared bring them up then. Something for you to think over, perhaps with your master.

Yours,

Friend."

Piyadasa Sirisena smiled in his eyes under the specs. He was happy indeed.

"But don't you think you were somewhat overly extremist in some instances?" Master inquired.

"If you explain it a little, Mr." Piyadasa responded.

"I mean when it comes honeymoon and Western drugs?"

"See it's the syndrome that cannot be cured at all. You have become blind to the blasphemy of these White infections."

"I don't care whether it's western or eastern. I embrace whatever I feel good." Master responded sternly. Piyadasa felt as if he was slapped in his face.

"Who the hell are you to decide those things on your own? Do you think your good for nothing western literature search has made you qualified to that? Doesn't matter you can read English literature, but don't get glued to it. You are pretty blind."

"But you have read western literature too. You can't deny any influence."

"I read western literature because I wanted to condemn them. I didn't go behind them blindly just like you idiots do it now."

"Don't you dare call us idiots just because we read English literature."

Disciple could see argument hot up faster than he could imagine. It's high time disciple interfered, but he had suddenly gone out of any idea of something to distract them. "Oh... let me come up with something... fast..." he was praying. Then suddenly disciple chipped in.

"Now... now... we were talking about morals right?"

"Ah yes. My intention was to syringe morals more than creativity. I even studied Christianity and Bible to write rebuttals. That's how I wrote Jayatissa saha Roslin."

"I like your detection novels too." Said master trying to regain his composition.

"Thanks. I feel like writing another one. I liked writing detective novels. Even there I suggested that the virtuous can beat anything under sun."

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