“Nina what are you planning to bring for the harvest festival?” Anju asked me
“When is the festival?”
“aiyya, Didn’t you listen to the announcement at the church today?”
I shook my head and said “No”.
I wanted to ask Anju what announcement? I normally don’t listen because it was often about the where the prayer meeting is going be held the next week or who got admission to do medicine or things like that.
“Next week on saturday. Morning there would be a market and games, afternoon is sports and evening is going to be a drama done by Uncle Alex and gang. You know something, Apparently they are going to dress up as women”
“aiyye How can they wear women’s cloths?”
“You know what? They are planning to place coconut shells inside the saree blouse as breast”
“yikes. They have no shame.” I squealed in disgust
“My mother is helping me to bake a cake for selling at the morning market. What about you?”
What about me? I thought. Apart from the coconut and the Rose Apples, there is nothing there in our house.
“I will ask Amma later today and bring something.”

On saturday morning Amma was getting ready to go out. I told her
“Amma, today is the church harvest festival celebration”
“So?”
“I need to take something for the sale”
Amma gave me ‘that’ look. I stared back at her.
“Wasting money, what is the church going to do with all the money they raise?”
“I don’t know” I replied
“Take some drumsticks with you”
I wanted to cry. Everyone will be bringing pickles and cakes and I will be bringing drumsticks. Anyway there is no point arguing with Amma. So I resigned to my fate.
“Amma can I have some money?”
“For what?”
“To buy something at the fair and play the games”
“hmmm. don’t waste the money unnecessarily” She gave me 1 Rs.
“I won’t”. I was happy that she gave me money.

I went out to pluck the drumsticks. We have 2 drumstick plant in our backyard. I found a long stick and tied another small piece of wood like a hook at one end. I used it to pull the drumsticks from the tree. I pulled 10 drumsticks and wrapped them in newspaper.

When I went to the parish hall, there were lots of people. I found Anju
“You know something? Biju and gang have a surprise for everyone”
“What surprise?”
“Don’t know, Apparently they are bringing it in any time now”
“Really?”
“Hmm” she nodded, Come lets go and stand near the gate and see what is the surprise all about.”
I walked with Anju and we stood near the gate.
A little while later I watched Biju and his gang pushing small pidivandi (hand pulled cart). There was something in the cart that was covered by bedsheets. I ran to the cart and asked Biju
“What is this?”
“Shhhhh, don’t make noise. You are disturbing the monkey”
“What monkey?”
“Uncle Alex went to Thekkady for a hunting trip yesterday and caught this unique monkey there.”
“Unique? How? In what way?” I asked him
“Shh, that is a secret. Anyone wants to see the monkey will have to pay 50 paise”
“Can I please have a look?” I pleaded
“Aiyyeda you want to watch the Unique monkey for free? High hopes you have”
Everyone was laughing. I quietly vanished from there. From the distance, I watched them carrying the unique monkey covered in bedsheets and placing it inside the room. There was a huge crowd waiting to see the unique monkey. I watched each person going inside the room to watch the unique monkey and coming out with a big grin on their face. I was too curious. I too stood in the queue. I was too eager to watch the unique monkey.
Biju was standing near the entrance. Just As I reached the door, he told me
“Close your eyes”
“Why?”
“because it is a surprise”
“Ok” I closed my eyes. “don’t peep”Biju warned me. He held my hands and guided me towards the middle of the room.
“Open your eyes”
I did and I watched my own reflexion in the 2 feet long mirror. I turned and looked at Biju
He was laughing.
“You tricked me”
“No I didn’t. Darwin say we are originated from monkeys”
I was angry and upset. I wasted my 50 paise to watch my own reflexion.
“Athey don’t tell anyone what you saw here. Keep it a secret”
I was so mad at him, I stuck my tongue at him and ran out. I could hear him telling, “further proof of Darwin’s theory”.

The biggest attraction at the festival was a cake donated by the Best bakery. It was beautiful cake, unlike the standard white royal icing, this cake had orange colour icing and pink and red rose flowers on top. Each person has to buy a ticket for 25 paise and guess the weight. The one who guessed it right will get the cake. I so very badly wanted to eat that cake, so I used up the remaining 50 paise and bought 2 coupons to participate in the contest. The rest of the evening I prayed that I would win the cake contest. I have not eaten a cake for such a long time.
In the evening, Before the drama started, the priest announced the winners for all the games. I waited to hear my name being announced as the winner for the cake contest. My heart was beating nonstop. I was wondering how I should tell thank you to the priest. Do I have to bow down and say thanks, or do I have to shake his hands? How will I carry the cake and walk all the way home? If I take the cake home, then I will have to share it with my sisters. They have been so mean to me lately. why should I share the cake I won with them? May be I will share one slice of cake with them and hide the rest for me.
I heard the priest Announcing
“this time we have 2 winners for the cake contest”
‘Oh God, I will have to share half the cake with somebody else?’
“The winners of the cake contest are..”
‘Are?’ I looked at the priest impatiently. He was shuffling the paper. I hoped he won’t make any mistakes.
Finally he announced the winners. Aunty Reena and Aunty Jessy. Not Nina Thomas. I prayed 5 hours and it was all in vain. But I was still gald that Aunty Reena won. After all she is my neighbour and she drank my pal payasam(sweet dessert) when she visited us with her husband.
That evening I walked with Aunty Reena back home. I could have walked back home on my own. But I thought if I walk with her, perhaps then she wouldn’t forget to share the cake with me. I prayed hard, ‘Lord please let Aunty Reena share some of her cake with me’. As we reached my home, Aunty Reena told me
“I will wait here till you reached the main door”
I looked at aunty Reena and the cake she was holding. I didn’t know how to tell her, I would love to have a slice of that cake. I walked home turning my head every few steps hoping that she would suddenly remember to share the cake with me. Anyway I am deaf. I didn’t want to lose an opportunity, by not hearing her call me.
When I reached the main door. I watched aunty Reena walking down the road holding half of the ornage iced cake with red roses on top.