Peranbu (பேரன்பு)

PERANBU

I am writing this story based on a few select incidents from my life.

And I write this just so you realise how blessed your lives are.

Compassionately yours, Amudhavan.

Sir, look at your daughter.

Didn’t I tell you everything will be fine once you move here?

Paapa, Paapa!

Look over there.

Look that way!

That’s the house your daddy has bought for you!

Do you see it?

Arianna, I’ve told all your stories.

I'll be staying here for another 3 days. Is it okay?

Okay.

Just be careful. Real-estate guys are really keen on this property.

I gave this to you, just for your daughter.

She'll be better here.

Thanks.

Chapter One.

Nature is hateful.

What's this?

Mom.

Good night.

Paapa.

Paapa.

What happened?

I don’t know. She’s been like this for a while now.

Paapa.

Generally people who come across children like my Paapa empathise...

...and shower affection upon them.

But this children never know the reality that such affectionate people will be gone soon.

Like the last born kitten never knows it will soon be a meal of its mother.

Paapa.

Paapa.

Paapa.

I started writing this letter after the fifth minute you called me from Chennai airport.

I will not be at home by the time you reach Thindivanam.

You left on the pretext of work to Dubai and...

...in these 11 years you hardly came home for 100 days.

After you came to know that our child is spastic...

...you came less frequently and eventually stopped coming.

All these days, as a mother...

...I took good care of our child and trained her my best.

But your mother, your sister-in-law, this town and my mind...

...have tormented me and made me a bad mother as well.

All these years I have taken care of her. Now, it's your turn!

I am leaving.

I am leaving with a man who loves and respects me.

To put it loud and clear, "I am eloping with another man!".

Hello.

Thangam!

Reached home? - Yes!

Dear...Daddy.

Don't scream dear, I am your dad.

Daddy, here.

Don't scream dear! Daddy... - Hey Amudhavan, open the door.

Hey Amudhavan, open the door.

Shut her mouth, do it now.

Don't scream. Neighbor Aunty will loosen her dogs.

What happened Paapa? -Shut her mouth.

He's your daddy.

It's ok. Don't cry dear.

Listen to me dear.

Mom? -Mom... She will come soon.

Mom! That eloped one should have dragged this thing along with her.

Mother, stop the rubbish!

I have been asking you to banish this kid since her birth.

At least listen to your mother now.

Okay. You eat on your own.

I will get some water.

Paapa.

Paapa.

Paapa... - Uncle.

Do you know what you should do, to be friends with Paapa?

What should I do? -One second

You should keep this hand like this; other hand like this.

keep the mouth like this.

Keep the legs apart like this.

Then if you walk she will like you.

Hey, what are you doing? Go inside. -Mom!

You better bring your wife back and move to a separate house.

Your mom and your wife can never be in good terms.

My daughter keeps imitating your daughter. I fear, that one day she will turn like her.

Isn't it troublesome enough for me to be married to your brother?

All these years I was worried why Paapa is not like other children.

But when I tried walking like her, I realised...

...comparing one person with another is brutal.

What happend Paapa? Why are you crying?

What happened?

Shall daddy take this to doctor and make it fly?

Would you like to come with me?

Shall I leave, then?

Please wait, my son will come in sometime.

The residents' association members have come. Talk to them.

Hello. Welcome. Please sit.

Mom, get coffee for everybody.

Sir, we are not here to drink your coffee. Take a seat. We need to talk.

Tell me sir.

Mr.Krishnan, you tell him.

We have already spoken about this to your wife and mother many times.

Please vacate this house.

Don't mistake us.

We understand your situation. You should think about ours too, right?

We built homes with our lifetime savings to spend our retirement life peacefully.

We are sick as well.

Each time your daughter screams, we almost get killed.

We are house owners. You are a tenant. You're obliged to listen to us.

Where do we go? Wherever we go, the issue is the same.

How does that matter to us?

It's the fruit of your sins! You should bear it yourself.

Give us a solution! - Yes, I will!

Get lost!

This man doesn't seem to comply. No point in talking to him. Come, let's go.

Why do you need a house in an isolated place?

Sir, he is a nature lover.

He wishes to live his life in the green pastures.

That is not true, sir.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry in this town knows that my wife eloped.

It's embarrassing to walk on these streets.

My daughter is unwell.

Even my kith and kin don’t like my daughter.

What happened to your daughter?

In English language, it is called as 'spastic'.

What medicines do you give?

I am not giving any medicines.

Alopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda or Siddha.

None of them has a cure for it.

And this is not even a disease, that needs to be cured with medications.

This is how she was born. This is how she will be forever.

Sorry sir.

That house is owned by a foreigner.

She wants to sell it to someone who's genuine and good.

They are very eco-friendly people.

You should not get an electricity connection or commercialize it.

They have few conditions like that.

Any condition is fine with me.

I need a place where humans never intrude and sparrows never die.

Paapa.

Daddy is going out.

I’ll come back only in the evening.

Chapter two.

Nature is wondrous.

After that, she stayed outside when I was inside the home.

And I stayed outside when she was inside.

We started to live our life like the sun and the mist.

This horse is just for you, Paapa.

I named it Nail Polish. Come out, Paapa.

In the days that followed, lights of harmony began to shine.

One, two, three...

One, two, three...

Paapa.

After one, two, three, it’s four.

One, two, three...

Four.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

One, two, three...

Whether we know to count till three or three million, we can't count the stars!

What's the point in knowing the numbers that can't be counted!

My regrets that, Paapa didn't know many things...

...became tinier than the star that shone at the farthest horizon.

Paapa, won't you ever talk to daddy?

Am I too serious?

Shall I become more cheerful?

You like music, right?

Shall I sing? Shall I? Wait, wait.

You didn't like it, right?

I will sing a happy song.

Alright, you didn't like this one too, right?

I will sing a Hindi song.

No no...

Daddy knows only this much of Hindi.

Alright, Daddy will sing one special song!

Paapa.. Why are you being like this?

The foreigner danced that day, right?

Shall I dance like that?

Do you like it?

You like puppies a lot, right?

Shall I become your puppy?

See, it is wagging it's tail. See, tail....

I don't know what should I do beyond this?

What do you want daddy to do, Paapa?

Don't you like this house?

Don't you like daddy?

Should we move to some other place? Don't you like this place?

You tell me what do you want?

Daddy will get it for you.

Promise. Promise.

Tell me Paapa, tell me.

Mom.

Mom?

Close the door.

It flew away.

Everything, my six months wait didn't conspire,

Everything, my efforts didn't conspire,

A tiny bird from a faraway land with its tiny flaps,

Conspired, shying away the past.

O dear one! You are the epitome of love. O dear one! You are the apple of my eyes.

A tiny bird is enough and more to bind the sky and earth.

O small boat, you are the one who carried the sea.

O dear one! You are the epitome of love. O dear one! You are the apple of my eyes.