Sunburnt Home - an Australian-Sri Lankan novel

Chapter 18 : Drifting skies

By Sunil GOVINNAGE

SUMMIT GOLD REALTY - JOONDALUP

No 7 A, Candlewood Boulevard Shopping Centre

Joondalup

WA 6027

Mr Jayadeva Gamage

32 Mountjoy Road

NEDLANDS

WA 6009

Dear Mr Gamage,

I am writing to advise you of further investment opportunities in the booming property market in Australia. Due to present volatile nature of the Australian economy and the conditions affecting bank interest rates, buyers can positively influence the market price. It is my pleasure to advise you of further investment opportunities in Joondalup, the fastest growing suburb in Australia...

As Jayadeva was about to read the letter for the second time, Sunitha entered the study.

“Dad, have you sent my enrolment form to MLC? Julie and Annie both got their confirmation letters yesterday for Year Eight. I want to go to MLC as most of my friends will be there next year. It’s great to be with your friends, isn’t it?” Jayadeva realised the sad tone in his daughter’s voice.

“I’m not sure. Maybe. Why don’t you go to Hollywood Senior High School? It’s a good school. The TEE results are amongst the best in Western Australia. I’ve never been to a private school in my whole life. My school was just an ordinary one. Nothing wrong with me! My education has given me the ability to live and work in a Western country!”

“No, Dad. It is a different time and we live in a different country,” Sunitha said sadly.

-- What does she know about these things?... Umm... Yes, it’s a different time and yes, we live in a different country...So what? I’ve never said a word against my father...Yes, it’s a different time and we live in a different country.

“We’ll see. It’s going to cost us a lot of money. Over ten thousand dollars a year! We could easily use that money to buy another house as an investment property. All we have will be for you and your brother, unless Amma wants to do something else with our properties!”

Sunitha didn’t utter a word, her face portrayed her sadness. She slowly walked out of Jayadeva’s study.

-- She’s like an angry cat when the master doesn’t give due affection, or food! We must be firm with children. They can’t have everything they want.

At the dinner table Sunitha had a long face and was unusually quiet. When Malini questioned about her mood, Sunitha replied:

“Mum, I don’t think that Dad wants me to go to MLC.”

“Why not? I sent the application today with a hundred dollar cheque! I think you’ll get a place, although ours is a late application. I saw that letter only today. It was in your father’s study for weeks. Your Dad sometimes doesn’t think and act on time.”

It was a quiet dinner. Jayadeva was reluctant to discuss his investment plans in the presence of children or his hesitation to submit Sunitha’s high school application form.

After washing the dishes and kitchen, Jayadeva entered their bedroom. Malini was quietly reading a medical journal and almost nodding off.

“Did you send that application to MLC, without even asking me?” Malini immediately heard the anger in Jayadeva’s voice.

“There wasn’t anything to ask about or seek your permission! It was one of those routine things. We nearly missed a place for Sunitha at MLC. All her good friends are going to that school.” Malini said firmly.

“We haven’t discussed that option. I mean, Sunitha going to a private school. Do you know how much money we’d have to pay? Almost ten thousand dollars per year!”

“Yes, we can pay the fees.”

“Yes, I know. But I had something else in mind. I was thinking of investing in another house! Today, I received a letter from Janet Foster. If we send Sunitha to Hollywood Senior High, then we can invest the money in another house and reduce our tax liabilities. What’s the use of paying half of what we earn to the Tax Department?”

“Well, that is the law of the land. You’d better obey the rules!”

“I think it’s a waste of money, spending over fifty thousand dollars or more for Sunitha’s education over the next five years. She studies well and there’s no need for Sunitha to go to a private school.”

“I really can’t understand you! I thought one of the reasons for coming to this country was to provide a good education for our children!” Malini growled.

“That’s not the point. Just think of that extra ten thousand dollars we’ve to spend each year. What about the cost of uniforms and all other expenses.”

“What a selfish person you are! What can I say? One should know the privilege of attending a private school to appreciate its value. It doesn’t matter where the school is. The country doesn’t come into the picture at all! I don’t want to remind you again and again that you only had a poor education in your village school.”

“Then how did I become an Engineer with a class from Peradeniya University?”

“That would have been an accident,” responded Malini and Jayadeva felt the rage in her face.

-- When Malini is angry she radiates her anger through her eyes

Jayadeva saw Malini’s eyes like a red traffic signal.

Like a soldier defeated in a battle, he walked slowly out of the room.

Through the deep silence that has gulped down the house after the conversation, Jayadeva heard the sound of rain, and he calmly and softly approached the window and looked out.

The rain was still falling faintly. With the aid of the street lights, he could see the raindrops falling onto the ground and disintegrating into tiny droplets.

Jayadeva rested his eyes on the world outside and watched the rain falling faintly and slowly to the earth below. He wasn’t sure how long he stood looking at the world outside his home. The raindrops falling from the sky were getting heavier. The drizzle turned into a heavy shower.

-- Winter is over. You don’t get heavy showers in late September. Why this unusual rain tonight?

He felt as if the coldness from outside crawling into the house. Jayadeva saw the lights in their bedroom, and also in Sunitha’s room.

-- Malini must still be awake. What’s Sunitha doing? It’s almost 9.20.

Although Jayadeva felt sleepy, he didn’t want to go to bed.

-- When Malini is angry, there is no end to it…and she can be cruel and insensitive.

Jayadeva was saddened by Malini’s comment on his school and his education.

-- Is it a sin to be brought up in a villager, and going to a village school? Education is education anywhere in the world. My parents didn’t have rubber estates in Mathugama to send me to a boarding school in Colombo.

He sat down and reflected on the argument he had with Malini a few minutes ago about Sunitha’s schooling next year.

-- Yes, Malini is right. We came to Australia not to earn money but to provide a good education for our children. Is that why we came to Australia?

Asela was fast asleep and he heard him snoring. Jayadeva got up and walked slowly to Sunitha’s room.

Sunitha was at her desk, reading. Her wall clock read 9.20pm. He didn’t know what she was reading. She was surrounded by two large dictionaries, and another thick book was on the table.

-- Books, books, and more books, everywhere! She is just like me. What a good thing... At least, she is reading...!

“What are you thinking, Dad?”

Jayadeva gazed at Sunitha. The darkness had invaded the room except for where she was sitting. A reading lamp was glowing, radiating light into her face. He could see her eyes shining in the darkness.

“Duwa, what are you reading and why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I’m reading The Hound of the Baskerville, the book you bought me last week. I’ll just finish this page and then go to sleep.”

I want to speak to you.”

“Is it about the school, Dad? It’s okay; I’ll go to Hollywood, Dad.”

As Sunitha spoke, Jayadeva saw tears gleaming in her eyes.

“No, Duwa…” He felt a lump in his throat. The sadness buried deeper into his heart.

“You’ll go to MLC with your friends next year. I talked with Amma. We can pay the school fees. It’s not a problem. We’ve money for your education. That’s why we came to Australia!”Jayadeva realised that he was stammering and his voice had changed.

Sunitha jumped up from her chair like a spring doll. Hugging her father tightly, she said:

“Thanks Dad. I’ll be very happy at MLC with my friends. Good night, Dad. Thanks again. I love you.”

-- What a good thing that we still talk. No secrets. My father was never friendly. He didn’t allow me to read a single novel when I was in grade six.

As he exit Sunitha’s room, he tried to recall the time he had read, a Sinhala version of the same novel, maybe when he was Sunitha’s age. It was a long time ago! He could still remember placing a brown paper cover with an innocent title—Geometry by Jayasuriya—on every non-assigned book he read, so that his father would think that it was a text book!

-- Well, at least I’m giving them the opportunity to read whatever they want to read.

Jayadeva was somewhat relieved after his talk with Sunitha. He saw the light in his bedroom. Though Jayadeva felt sleepy, he didn’t want to go in.

-- Malini must still be awake!

He went to the lounge room.

-- Ummm. It’s almost 9.30. I wonder what’s on the news tonight

Jayadeva switched on the TV. The major news item on evening news was about bank interest rates. An expert from the housing industry encouraged those in high income groups to invest in the booming property market. He supported his point by showing how much a person paying maximum personal income tax could gain by investing in a house as negative gearing.

-- What a good thing to get a good refund cheque next year

Outside, the rain was still falling. He sat helplessly as large raindrops splashed against the window panes. The wind blew rain in all directions. When rain hit the house, Jayadeva saw each single drop explode into thousands of tiny droplets and fall onto the earth, again and again, silently and slowly.

The earth lay silently absorbing all the water from the sky.

[Foot notes]

MLC – Methodist Ladies College; a private girl’s school in Claremont District.

TEE –Tertiary Entrance Examination.

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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.