‘Do you like fish?’
Aditi asks Pradeep.
‘I don’t eat meat or
fish.’ Pradeep says with a slow, voice.
Aditi laughs. ‘The fish
are not to eat but they are lovely to
watch.’ She goes to the
pond and points to the fish. ‘See how
pretty they are when
they swim through the water. Look how
they open and shut
their mouths.We keep food for them. Do
you want to throw food
in the pond? Our visitors usually like
to feed the fish.’
‘No thanks. You feed
the fish.’ Pradeep sits down on the
bench near the pond.
Aditi drops tiny bits of food slowly into
the water and she
laughs when the fish jump to catch the
food. She sits down on
a stone near the pond.
‘Are you going to
college, Pradeep?’ Aditi asks.
‘No, Aditi. I am going
to work in my father’s business. My
mother says I must
marry before I start work.’
‘Do you want to marry?’
Aditi asks him.
He looks nervous. ‘I
think I do but…’
‘What’s the matter? I’m
not going to tell your mother.’
‘I’m sorry Aditi but I
don’t want to marry you… ’
‘Don’t worry Pradeep. I
don’t want to marry you.’ Aditi
says.
5
Pradeep smiles. ‘I’m
glad you don’t want to marry me. I
like a girl from school
but my mother doesn’t like her.’
‘She’s not our
religion?’ Aditi asks. She feels friendly now
because Pradeep doesn’t
want to marry her. She feels sorry
for Pradeep. ‘She is
not Hindu?’ Aditi asks again.
‘Oh yes. Damini is from
our community but she is very
modern. She says I
mustn’t listen to my mother so much and
if she marries me, she
wants to live in our own house and not
with mother and
father.’
Aditi thinks Damini is
sensible. She says. ‘Perhaps, your
father can help. Can
you talk to him?’ Pradeep’s father is a
gentle, quiet man and
he seems very kind. Pradeep smiles.
‘Yes, father says I
must meet all the girls mother wants me
to marry. He says I must
tell mother I do not want to marry
them. After I say ‘no’
to all the girls he thinks I can marry
Damini. Pradeep laughs.
‘Do you understand? My mother
wants me to marry. She
might think it is better for me to
marry Damini if I do
not like the other girls. She wants
grandchildren very
much.’
Aditi laughs. ‘I think
your father is right. You must tell your
mother you do not like
me and I will tell Aunty that I don’t
want to marry you.’
Pradeep smiles. ‘Thank
you. That’s a good idea.’
6
Aditi stands up. ‘Aunty
is calling us Pradeep. We can eat
now and we can enjoy
lots of the lovely food she is cooking.
You can watch football
with my father.’
Pradeep smiles, ‘Are
you sure I can watch the sport? I
love football.’
‘You can watch the
football Pradeep. My father likes
football too. I can say
I want to read a book.’
Aditi giggled. ‘When
you go home, tell your mother Aditi is
boring.’
7