Crisscross Lines

-Irenipuram Balrassaiah

Vijayan, the eldest son of Bhagyam had applied primer on the walls three months ago, and wanted to paint them next month.

When Bhagyam came from market, she saw the children had made crisscross lines on the walls with green leaves. They had disfigured the whole wall by writing their names. She was much angered!

‘Vagabonds! Good-for-nothing fellows! Didn’t they get any other place to write on? Disfigured the wall so badly!’, she fumed on neighbours’ urchins.

Hearing the shouting of Bhagyam, Ramsamy came out of his room.

‘Don’t shout like this! I myself made all these cartoons ! Younger son, his wife, and children are coming tomorrow from Chennai. If the walls are too clean, they’ll not dare writing anything on them. Now they’ll be happy to draw or doodle on them!’