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Short story:
A golden wish
Sripathy JAYAMAHA
Kumara was 28, the only child of Gamini and Sheila Tissera of a
middle-class family. Father was a retired Government officer. Mother a
trained teacher. They lived in their own house, on a sixty perch block
of land on the Negombo road. Emily was with them, when Kumara was born,
more or less a family member. Kumara was a Research Officer attached to
the Government Research Institute, Kumara had been a very lovable boy
from childhood and had graced many a wedding as a sweet page-boy.
Now, 5’9”, pleasant, always with a smile and a subtle sense of humour,
Kumara was very popular at his workplace, from the Director to the
humble manual worker. He was to leave for his postgraduate studies to
the UK in a short time. Parents were worried. Kumara loved his parents
and they were kept enchantingly happy with trips to places of religious
interest, tourist resorts, lunches and dinners. Emily was always there
with them. Kumara’s parents and Emily knew as to why he was postponing
his day with destiny. About his thoughts.
 “Will my future partner be an angel to me in the bedroom and a devil
to my parents? A vixen, who will keep his parents in tears?” Parents
wished that he fined a partner before he leaves for UK. Many proposals
during the past few years he declined politely. “There is time Amma” he
used to say. He had been saying it for the past two years. Reasons were
obvious. His colleagues too were concerned. Kumara had to find a partner
to be in the house.
It was Valentine’s Day. During the lunch break Kumara’s friend were
teasing him. “Yes,” he said: “I wish that cupid dips his arrows in
empathy, contentment and universal love before sending his arrows to me
and my would-be partner, so that my dear parents could say proudly ‘This
is Kumara putha’s - wife our daughter.’” Everyone congratulated him.
Clapped and wished him. “I do not want her to be a daughter-in-law but a
truly beloved daughter to my Amma and Thaththa.”
The Chief Accountant’s friend had a 23-year-old daughter. The family
was well-to-do and respected by neighbours. She was a brilliant pianist,
a music teacher in a convent. He shared his thoughts with his wife. She
was thrilled. Godwin de Saram and Sheila conspired. They were close
friends of both families. Godwin invited Kumara and parents to tea.
Sheila invited the Pereras to tea. The girl’s brother, a medical intern
was also invited. The de Sarams told them about the ‘Getting to know’
plan. All were amused by the formal proposal by Godwin. Quipped Tissera
“so our Chief Ganankaraya has become a Magul Kapuwa!”
“Yes,” said Godwin. “Both proposals dabble in assets and liabilities
and in this instance, my wife and I are striving to unite two lovely
assets. Anyway, the two assets will have to look after their adorable
liabilities that they are bound to encounter. It was a happy occasion.
An atmosphere of love and positive signs of a dawn of a beautiful
happening. Dates were tentatively fixed. The marriage will be before
Kumara’s departure.
Kumara sat with Gamini and Sheila. Emily was seated on a stool. They
were in Kumara’s bedroom.
“We will have to buy rings an expensive chain for the engagement, new
cloths for Amma, Thaththa, Emily and for me. Wedding cakes, home coming,
Going-away sarees, hotel bookings. Lots of expenses. How are we going to
find the money? Kumara was in tears. Godwin cried, Sheila cried, Emily
cried and stroked Kumara’s head. “Putha,” said Sheila. “We have been
discussing this.
”We do not want to borrow. Neither do we wish to mortgage the house
or sell any land. We have told Trevis Perera about what you will get.
You know, we never change our word. Putha, I am going to pawn the
Milwatte Jewels. You know they are more than 200 years old. Gold was
real gold those days. We never had an occasion to pawn them. “The jewels
were famous. All eyes were on me when I wore them as a young girl, as a
wife and as a proud mother. Our female relatives look at me with green
eyes.” All of them broke into tears as she stopped.
Gamini took the whole set to the pawn shop. A ring, a tie pin and two
bangles were kept. He took them to one of their neighbours. Mr. Rodney
Weerasinghe was a fabulously rich person. He was the owner of a
prestigious pawn shop. His wife Audrey owned a jewellery complex. The
Audrey A-U-Shop. Incidentally Au is the chemical symbol for Gold.”
Gamini told him the reason for pawning the jewels. “I have to be honest
with Kumara’s intended in laws. I have always told my son to be honest.
“We cannot mortgage our land or house and make the young couple to
pay interest the rest of their lives. We want our son to have a
memorable wedding.” Gamini cried. Rodney avoided his eyes. “I am so
happy about my friend Kumara. I will take the lot inside, get them
weighed. It’s a lot of gold. Let me know the amount you want. I will
take its equivalent in gold. You can have the rest.”
“No, please keep it. We need about six lakhs for the function,”
Gamini said. Rodney went in with the jewels and came back with a broad
smile. “Gamini Tissera,” he said. “Here are two cheques for Rs. 600,000
each on two percent interest. Please deposit one cheque. All this for
your son Kumara.”
Gamini went home with the cheques minus the family heirlooms. They
cried for the third time.
“Never mind,” said Sheila. All for our Putha and Damayanthi duwa.
“Amma, you said Damayanthi duwa. I knew that Thaththa and you lover
her,” Emily said.
“Amma,” said Gamini. “This calls for some of your Thambili wine. A
toast in advance for duwa and Putha. There was lots of joy and love in
that home that day”.
Kumara and Damayanthi discussed, before going to Audrey’s gold shop.
“Kumara,” she said: “Let us have a simple and elegant wedding. Who is
worried about jewellery. Let us not tax our parents. Let’s spend what we
have saved. I have a heavenly feeling that I am going to be blessed with
another kind Amma and Thaththa.” Kumara then knew that he had found a
divine partner.
“Yes,” he said “Also two Aachchies full of sugar and spice and two
jolly good Seeyas for as Mr. Godwin said when we met first for our
future adorable liabilities.” They laughed.
Next she took a small velvet sachet. There were 22 artistically cut
many faceted diamonds. “We had a South African girl called Janice with
us. She loved our country and the people. Her father was with De Beera,
the Diamond Kings of South Africa. She gave me these and said ‘Diamonds
are a girls best friend. But you and your family have been more to me.
Shine in these on your wedding day’. How prophetic! We must invited her
and send some wedding cake,” Damayanti said.
The engagement was lovely and the wedding was memorable. Janice and
her parents Roux Vander Geld and wife were the special guests.
After some months Rodney and Audrey was there when Sheila and Gamini
called on. “Mr. Gamini Tissera here are the Milwatte Jewels. All of
them. Gold wise it is worth nothing. Nothing. They are Thambakka bronze
but exquisitely carved and gilded. So now what about my money?,” Sheila
and Gamini broke into tears.
Audrey too. Rodney stood up. Put his arm around Gamini. “You can take
these jewels home. So that those green eyes will weep on them. They were
made by us. Had they been gold its value would have been Rs. 3,400,000.
The originals have been sold. Mr. Roux Vander Geld bought them. Here is
a cheque in dollars for 178,000. It is about Rs. 20,000,000. They are
South African antiques you can pay my Rs. 1,200,000 later.
”It was your son who taught me the true meaning of honesty. One day
he was wearing a beautiful pair of shoes. I admired them. He said :
“Uncle they belong to my Thaththa’s friend. My Thaththa has said, it is
better to be honest and be laughed at than to be dishonest and be spat
at.” “An exemplary son of wonderful parents,” said Rodney. “A wonderful
day for us and Kumara and Damayanthi. Love will be always like the
Diyamanthi of Damayanthi glittering. Glittering for all times”.
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