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| Sunday, 27 February 2005 |
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Roots of different hues by Prasadini Nugawala Marie stepped down from the plane somewhat apprehensively. She was
coming back to Sri Lanka, after nearly twenty years. Now, she was twenty
plus and very pretty. She was very fair in complexion. A Swedish couple had taken her to their country, for adoption. She was very happy with them and loved them dearly. But, as she grew up though she was very fair, she felt different from them. new parents had not kept it a secret, that she was from Sri Lanka and that they had adopted her. When she was sixteen years, Marie began to wonder who her real parents were. It began to haunt her and she asked her adopted parents in Sweden, about her family. Then, they had told her, "Darling, a person helped us to get you, for adoption. It would have been difficult for your mother to bring you up, and she had got married again. May be your mother and step-father would have found it difficult to bring up a small baby, as their income would not have been sufficient." Sorry Marie felt sorry for her mother, in Sri Lanka because she knew how poor some folks in Sri Lanka were. She had met some other adopted children, who were living in Sweden, and they had shown her photos, of their real parents, brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. All of them, seemed very poor. In Photographs they looked so thin and slight, and their houses looked like small huts. Some of these friends visited their parents once in two years, and then they took sweets, chocolates and money to give their families. Marie thought to herself, that she too would go annually and try to help them financially. She also thought she would try to educate at least one sibling. Her parents in Sweden, had contacted the person who had helped them to find Marie. That person had at first refused to give her mother's address. Then he had said that he would contact Marie's mother and step-father, and get their permission and then give the address. Then after about two years Marie was given the address, she had been waiting for. But, she had not worried too much, as she knew that it would take time to trace these people. Some of her friends, who had been adopted, had to wait for nearly four to five years. With these thoughts she got down from the plane. She was used to travelling, so it was not difficult for her to get to the hotel. The roadside was picturesque with green vegetarian and quaint houses and boutiques. She found the climate very hot, but once inside the hotel, everything was very comfortable. The next morning she was ready to go in search of her mother. She felt excited and happy. She was at last meeting her beloved mother after nearly twenty years. She had brought bags of sweets, chocolates and little gifts for her brothers and sisters. She tried to imagine them - her mother maybe with looks akin to her, but maybe looking very thin and drawn as she may have gone through a lot of difficulties. Then her brothers and sisters might be - thin, scraggy boys and girls. The girls may be wearing scraps of dresses, and the boys maybe bare - bodies. She got into the vehicle and gave the driver the address. She looked out of the window and thought that Sri Lanka was more beautiful than she had ever imagined. But the roads she could see were not maintained properly. She could also see that there was no town planning. After about one hour of travelling, they reached an area with well-tarred roads, and beautiful large houses. You could only see the upper stories of these houses, as the walls were very high. Even the walls and the gates or entrances of these houses were done up beautifully. She thought that this must be an affluent area. She was wondering how long it would take to reach her mother's small dwelling. Massive The driver asked "Madam", what is the number of the house?" She answered him. Then after another three minutes of travelling he stopped the vehicle in front of a massive house with an enormous garden. He got down and went near the gate, where there was a security officer in a uniform. Then he came back and said "Madam, this is the house which you want to visit". Marie wondered whether, they had come to the correct place. But the driver assured her, that this was the correct house. The massive iron gates were opened, and the car slowly went up a beautifully paved road. It stopped under a wide portico, and Marrie slowly reached for her handbag and got down. She left the bags of sweets and gifts in the car. She wondered whether her mother worked in this mansion. But she got an uneasy feeling that her mother was different to most mothers of her friends. Meeting Before she could ring the bell, a young girl in skirt and blouse appeared. She told her in English "Miss, come this way, Madam is waiting for you". She went into a drawing room. It was fitted with rich furniture. A lady got up from an armchair and came towards her. She looked about forty years, and Marie felt that she was looking at a slightly older version of herself. She was dressed in a smart expensive dress and was wearing make-up. She came towards Marie and said, "I am your real mother. We are meeting after almost twenty years." Marie was in a daze, as things were not turning out to be how she had imagined. Where was her thin, poor mother, who had given her away as she had found it difficult to bring her up because she had no money? Marie wanted to turn back and run. But her feet seemed lifeless. She felt beads of sweat on her forehead. She did not want to even look at this smartly groomed person who was coming towards her. Why had she given her away, if she had this much money. Marie knew from this lady's looks and the way she carried herself, that she never would have been poor! Marie felt as if she wanted to scream. But she controlled herself. She did not go to the lady's outstretched arms. The lady came and hugged her. Marie showed no response. The lady knew as if by instinct what Marie was thinking. She made Marie sit down by her and then slowly spoke. She said she had to give her away as she was from a very rich and respectable family in Sri Lanka. As she had conceived Marie when she was only sixteen years, she had to give her away as her parents had insisted. She did not mention who Marie's real father was. Then she had been given in marriage to a man of their choosing. She had asked Marie to come to Sri Lanka this month to meet her, because her husband was away in London on business. Then she pulled out an album and showed a picture of a boy about eighteen years and said that he was studying in the States. He looked a very handsome, self-assured person. Then she showed a picture of a girl about fifteen years, whom she said has gone to school today and would be coming late as she had some piano lessons after school. The girl looked the spitting image of Marie, though she had a short crop of hair. Marie knew that her mother did not want her to meet any one of them, from the way her mother spoke. So she got up to go. Her mother asked her to wait to have lunch. But she excused herself and slowly made her way to the car. She felt as if her whole body was on fire. The driver was waiting. She got into the car and tried to smile at the lady who was waving goodbye to her. When she reached the hotel, she got down from the vehicle to go to her room with the forlorn bag of sweets and gifts. She just fell on the bed and cried her heart out, as she had never cried in her life before. |
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Her long hair was
raven black and cascaded down to her knees, and people in her adopted
country-Sweden, admired her hair. Most people, mistook her for an Indian,
because she looked like an Indian model from an Indian film magazine.
