Darling we aren't too old, though we pass the Jubilee Gold:

An old fashioned SMS

by Lakmal Welabada

Lilian looked in to the sitting room through the curtain. A good looking boy who seemed to have been of her age was sitting on the sofa. Kariyawasam Mama, the boy's father who was said to be a distant relative and a school headmaster was beside him.

They were from Badulla. The boy's name, if she had heard correct seemed like 'Jayasiri', a Dharmarajan who had come to stay at Lilian's place in Kandy during his school vacation to attend the extra free classes for the London Matriculation exam and the University entrance exam.

Mirisse Gamsaluhewage Lilian Dottie de Silva born on April 12 in 1924 was known as the most mischievous and active damsel among the three daughters and two sons of Mirisse Gamsaluhewage Solomon de Silva, Headmaster of Idamegama Boys' School in Kandy (Idamegama was 8 miles away from Kandy town) and Engalthina Wijesooriya, Headmistress of Hedeniya Girls' School.

The head master and head mistress who were always ready to help anyone's education were quite pleased to have their relative's son, Jayasiri at their place, which was also seen as 'Pin', a meritorious deed by them.

They also thought it was their duty to help out a bright son of another devoted school headmaster, a colleague from their own profession.

Jayasiri and Lilian were both 16 or 17.... The boys and girls of the same age group at de Silva's place made Jayasiri feel at home, and within one and half day's time he got adjusted to the arrangements of the new house.

The third one out of the five children of the house was Lilian. And more than her elder siblings, it was she who caught Jayasiri's attention. Why? Even he could not figure out.

Lilian, a bright student at St. Scholasticas Convent (now Hemamali Balika Vidyalaya), Kandy also felt some strange feeling which even she also could not analyse according to the Maths theories she was learning at school.

Whenever the breakfast, lunch, evening tea or dinner was ready it was Lilian who would rush to the 'Isthoppu Kamaraya' (the front room adjoining the verandah) to fetch Jayasiri.

She liked to peep through the room curtain to inform him 'Kema lesthiyi' (meals are ready)... But every time she peeped in she would talk something loud or hum a beautiful tune of a Sinhala or Hindi movie. Jayasiri who would either be at his reading table or on the bed, reading a book or writing a tute was waiting to hear her voice, her hum.

The hands of the wall clock and the time piece seemed not to move fast, he would think sometimes.... Even before she would make a noise for him to be alert, he knew she was on her way, as her foot steps-vibrated and warmed up his heart, and made it hammer fast...

Jayasiri Chandrasena Kariyawasam was born on February 1 in 1924 to Johannas Semmakuttiarachchige Kariyawasam, Head -master of Kahataruppa Senior School, off Galle. Jayasiri was the eldest to a sister and three brothers.

His father who was from Hikkaduwa, after many years of serving in the Galle area moved to Badulla and lived there with his family.

Jayasiri who studied at his father's Kahataruppa school at first, got through the grade 5 scholarship exam and entered the Dharmaraja College, Kandy. Since his house was in Badulla, Jayasiri stayed at the school hostel. During the vacation the boys went to their parents', and Jayasiri too had to attend the extra classes conducted at the school. That was why Jayasiri had to come to Lilian's place.

The active sporty Jayasiri did almost every sport - cricket, soccer and athletics at school. He even represented the school teams as well. Though he was in the Maths stream Jaya took part in the school stage dramas at Dharmaraja. The all rounded bright student was the Head Prefect of Dharmaraja College in 1943.

Now Jayasiri was studying for his London Matriculation staying on and off at Lilian's place. He felt he liked her. Whenever he woke up his eyes looked for her. Sometimes he could see her attending the rose flower beds in the garden through his room windows. Lilian too loved to water the plants beside Jayasiri's room as she knew he would peep out of the window to look at her.

He recognised the feelings that were rising up in his youthful soul and then trying to gush out from the gates in the heart was nothing else, but 'love'.... Finally he decided to declare open his heart to her. He penned down the very first love letter in his life.

'My love for you is crystal clear and pure... You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen'... Shakespeare or W. A. Silva (famous Sinhala novelist) seemed to have failed to express what was in his heart. So he wrote it in his own words, without quoting anybody..

The nicely folded love note was sent to her chucked in the tute book he promised her to hand over. 'Please let me have a straight word, my love'.... He reminisced the last line he noted down in his letter.

Lilian was going through the tute book Jayasiri handed over to her that evening. She felt strange. Jayasiri was a bit different that evening. He looked to and fro before handing it over to her, unlike the other days - as it was not the first time they exchanged the books - either tutes or novels... "Go through it carefully.

Do not drop or misplace the book, Ok?" he said. "My! what's so special in this book?" she played the fool. "Very special," he winked and disappeared. His wink sent a SMS to her, so that she did as he advised.

It was in the night that she went through the book. And found the neatly folded piece of white paper; the paper which was going to decide her whole future! She had already received the very first love letter from a boy. She read it over and over. She could hear the lub-dub sound of her own heart which was increasing by every line of the letter.

Lilian was excited and at the same time was frightened. If her home people got to know about it - 'finish!'..... And that could be the end of Jayasiri's staying at her place as well. However Lilian too got the courage to pen down her feelings as well. She didn't want to eradicate his love at the very first step. 'I too love you..' The neatly folded letter was chucked back in Jayasiri's tute book.

The following morning the Kussi Amma was bewildered what Punchi Nona was buring at the fire place in the kitchen. "Monada Punchi Nona othana koranne (what are you doing there miss?)," she asked. "Mokuth ne Kussi Amme (nothing)," replied Lilian while flying away from the kitchen.

It was like burning her own heart. But the little Juliet had to burn the love note she received as a safety precaution, before anybody caught it... Many love notes were exchanged after that, all through books. Unlike today's lovers yesterday lovers didn't have SMS facilities, and the only access was 'exchanging books'.... However the 'love and cought' are the two things which one could not hide from the world.

Lilian's mother who had many years experience handling girls as a school head mistress smelt the unusual friendly behaviour between her second daughter and the 'Kolla' staying in the 'Isthoppu Kamare'... "You wait here, and let Aiya call Jayasiri" she told LIlian.

Among the blessing of the two family members and a limited crowd of guests Jayasiri took Lilian's hand on February 24 in 1949. They had their wedding picture at Plate, Bambalapitiya and spent their honeymoon at Hanwella Rest House.

Their nest was filled with peace and happiness. Lilian joined the Education Ministry as the first female Physical Education Inspectress in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile Jayasiri got a one year scholarship to London to further his studies in Meteorology. "Can't leave you for one year, darling.

Please give up the job and join me," he pleaded. Lilian loved her job, but her hubby was her whole world. So she went to the Secretary of Education with the resignation letter. But a miracle happened! Instead of accepting the resignation the Secretary granted her full pay leave for one year and asked her to further her studies in physical education in London.

She excitedly joined her hubby. While having a wonderful time in married life, Lilian followed the physical education course at Reading University, London. "It was unforgettable," she recalls.

Jayasiri Kariyawasam retired as the Director of Meteorology Department in 1984 after 48 years of devoted service. And Lilian too retired in the same year after serving for 50 years. After the retirement Lilian has been involved in Sarvodaya Women's Movement. "I'm quite enticed by their unique principles.

Selfless people are working for the well being of others," she says. The two has been rendering their brains and time for the social and religious activities in the area. "He has been a lovely husband and a special father of three sons who captained the top school cricket teams," she says.

"She was a rare wife. She always thought about her family - her children, her husband and the others in the house, and would think about herself last," Jayasiri says.

"Thank you for your beautiful compliment, darling," Lilian wipes off tears.

"At our 50th Wedding Anniversary, our eldest son at his speech said that he had never heard us (his parents) shouting or arguing or fighting with each other," recalls Lilian.

"If she was not there I would have been dead and gone long ago," he whispers.

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