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| Sunday, 15 May 2005 |
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Telling Tales : Alone "Catherine ..... come here girl", Estella shouted excitedly. But there was no reply.
"There, there, over there, my children, did you see them Catherine?' Estella was so excited that she could not talk any longer. Where ma'am, I can't see them, she said. "You young brute, you say you don't see them when they are coming over there". "Did you mean your children ma'am"? "There you got it Catherine. Now go and open the door and let them in.' Estella ordered. "But ma'am it's all your imagination. There is no one coming over there ma'am. May be you can go and see for yourself. If you are not so sure about me", said Catherine who was confused and did not know how to react. "No, No, are you blind you young lady? You should not say that they are not coming. My children love their mother very much. They will never forget her. Yes they won't forget me Catherine." "Of course ma'am they've not forgotten you, they will visit you soon." Only then did Estella find that it was all her imagination. Though Catherine's last few words made her feel happy, she was left all alone. Estella who is seventy years old is now so depressed and lonely. She had four children, two sons and two daughters. After graduating in Sri Lanka, they all went abroad years ago. David was Estella's late husband and she loved their children. Isolation They sent them to the best schools in the island and dreamt of four educated adults later on. However, their children were highly educated and made their parents' every dream come true, Estella and her husband always thought they were the most fortunate parents in the whole world, till all of them left the island, leaving them in total isolation. Having lived with the children for so many years, Estella and David could not cope with their children's departure. Being lonely and depressed David gradually became weak and died suddenly, leaving Estella alone with their servant Catherine. Doctors suggested it was a sudden heart attack. His death made Estella crazy. State Estella was now in a very bad state. Whenever she saw somebody walking along the road, through the living room window, she thought it was one of her children visiting her. Then she calls Catherine, very excitedly. This is the situation of poor Estella. Catherine only lived with her because she felt sorry for her mistress and as she too had no other place to go. Nobody from the village visited Estella, as they knew she had gone mad and was talking nonsense about her children all the time. "Catherine, come here young girl," Estella called Catherine in her usual way of mentioning 'young girl' although she was not young. "Yes, ma'am coming...." Catherine appeared in the living room in a minute. "Am I beautiful Catherine? Just let me know 'yes' or 'no'." Estella was wearing a beautiful party frock which was gifted to her by her youngest daughter Shalinion her last visit, which was when she come for their father's funeral, almost two years ago. "What on earth happening now", Catherine questioned herself. "Yes, ma'am you are beautiful." Catherine did not lie. Estella was beautiful in that frock. It reminded Catherine of young Estella who lived in the past, very happily. "But what is all this about ma'am". Catherine was half confused with the unusual scene. "It's my 81st birthday tomorrow and I'd rather wear this frock for the occasion." Birthday 'Occasion?' "Yes, occasion, why didn't you tell me that my children haven't forgotten me. So they are going to visit me tomorrow and I am going to have a big birthday party and surprise them." "Oh! Catherine I'm so eager to see them after many, many years", Estella started weeping. "Of course they haven't forgotten you ma'am. And they will visit you soon. But ma'am it doesn't mean tomorrow. Because as you know your children are very educated and they are busy. However, they will visit you ma'am; I mean as soon as possible." Catherine tried to calm her mistress. "No, no, they will definitely visit me tomorrow. And please Catherine make that nice cake you used to make," Estella demanded. The time was 10.30 p.m. there was thunder and lightning outside. Estella was wearing that party frock and sitting on the chair. It was her birthday and she had been expecting visitors since morning. Catherine seemed blank and sleepy. "ma'am" "Why Catherine? Why didn't come?' "No ma'am they will visit you tomorrow. Let's go and sleep now." They exchanged a few words, when suddenly Estella burst into tears. "Oh! I didn't want to hurt your feelings. But ma'am humans sleep at night." "Do you think I am such a fool, You don't know about my children. They even visit me at night". "But not now ma'am". "What did you say? Get out from here you young brute. Let me stay alone if you don't want to see my children, you selfish woman." Catherine knew that Estella became desperate when somebody said the opposite. And she went away quickly without uttering a single word, otherwise it would end in murdered. Catherine heard Estella weeping all night and as she could not hear any sound from the living room the next morning, she went to see what had happened to Estella. Oh! My lord! Catherine could not believe her eyes. Estella was lying on the floor dead! Catherine fainted and screamed! Kaushalya Premachandra |
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"Catherine
.. Catherine... Can't you hear me." It was Estella's voice again when
somebody replied, 'Yes, ma'am what's the matter?" 
