Short Story

                It could happen you too

Student           : Venerable Peramandiye Indarathana

Level               : 200

Reg. No          : SIBA BABL 13-02

Course title    : English literature

Lecturer         : Ms Buddhi Ariyarathn

                             When the moon was arising all the people who gathered in the temple repeated the verses delivered by the novice monk. The temple where we come at least once a month was completely changed. When the moon light embraces the entire temple I felt that I was in a heaven which I had never seen. And that the sweet verses came out from the podi sadu pleased me. It was the day that I had never felt such feelings. My mother father sister and younger brother and almost all the people in the villages had come to temple on that day. Younger sister sitting near to me had felt on a sleep keeping her head on my shoulder. Even though I knew that she was not sleeping, but crying I did not disturb her. I think that she might have cried because it was the last day that I stayed with Malli and Nangi. When my A/L results got my mother started crying embracing and telling “our dreams came true” My father who had not expressed his feelings I saw a little tears rolling down. In spite of having tried he could not hide the feelings of happy.

                                After worshiping the Buddha, we came to meet the chief monk of the temple very close to us. My parents wanted me to tell him that I have been selected for university. Because it makes them happy and proud whenever they think and tell to someone. When my mother tells the story around me Loku sadu was so happy and told me “dear son you are a proud of us. After going to the university you should be careful when associating friends and always should think of your family I wish you and bless you to be a little doctor in our village.” he gave me valuable advices. After few days the day came to leave home and go to university. I had heard some of my friends’ say that Peradeniya University is a paradise of lovers, because it is such a beautiful and attractive place where graduate students learn. Not only that the song is sung by Amarasiri Piris tells a nice story in which “Hantanata payana hada lassanaida balanna” those things inspired me to realize the dream that I and my parents had.

                           Around 4.30 in the morning on Monday my mother had been preparing everything to talk for my journey, in which she had made a very delicious sweet called Pani Walalu to eat while I am free in the hostel. She knows that I am interested in them. I hurried up to wear cloths. While I was wearing, my sister sitting in the wood chair which was a little bit broken, looking at me suddenly started to cry telling that “do not leave us aiya” when she cry my mother also did the same thing. I had not any choices, but to leave home immediately. My village is Peramandiya surrounding with a range of hills and situated far way from Badulla district where almost all the villagers depending on cultivating vegetables. When I came to main road it was around 5.30 a.m. the flambeau made by using some coconut leaves was going out when the bus came.  After getting into the bus there was a single seat where I could sit, and got a ticket form my village to Kandy. Though I was a brave man to put up with all the emotional feelings in front of them I was crying in the bus thinking of my parent and family.  

                                   With the time goes I was familiar with the university and friends who was around me. We all studied hardly and also got fun going out. We mostly prepared to visit Kandy botanical garden where couples come and most of them embracing under bush of grasses and sitting hand in hand. We got fun telling something and looking at them how they love each other and sharing their emotional feelings. Sometimes I wished I had a girl friend to share our love. In spite of being in university I did not give priority to finding a girl who loves me. I know that whatever the things happens in our life according to destiny. We have to accept that reality.

                                I remember that there were my some friends always joking, smiling and telling something whatever comes to their mouth. From them Makka, jaka, Topiya, Kudalla are the most famous friend among the colleagues. Whenever there had a problem either in university or outside Kasun would be the main character of it. Though he is a nice person he could not control his anger or temper. He always engages in problems, therefore he was called as Makka. Topiya is also an unforgettable character in our batch. He had used to eat toffees in the class. When he comes to the campus he would not forget toffees for his friends. Then we had to have called him as Topiya. When I call him as Topiya he would get angry and run after me. While the life is flowing as a river sometimes I forgot my family as well.

                 One day I got a letter sending by my sister asking me to come home. It had mentioned

“Dear Brother how is the life of university. I do believe that you may live happily and friendly with you colleagues. We all are living well and younger brother also goes to school. Brother if those days were these days we all would have lived together now everything has been changed by the time. If you have free times don’t forget to visit us”

 In spite of having mentioned a lot of details about my family and so call things I would not get sadness. Because I had more friends and we lived together as a family.

          It was a Saturday; we decided to go a trip with the entire batch mates studying together. I did not think that it would be the trip which changed my life. We all got funs while the trip and it was the last trip we went during our degree course. When we came to the Dabulla it was around seven thirty in the morning. I had wanted go to a shop so that I can drink something to get rid of my all the physical pain that I had because of the journey. The all places where we go gave the memories, but in which Dabulla where we visited was an unforgettable place. When I was wondering here and there, I saw a girl so beautiful sitting in a wooden chair in front of a small shop where some sweets sell. That picture draw my mind make me curious to speak and ask something from her. When I speak her after few times she was so close to me and we were just like two friends who have been associating for very long time.

                          After few days I wanted to see her again and again, I knew that I have fall in love with her though she does not know. One day I went Dabulla with my one of friensds. Seeing the girl make me happy and inspired me to talk and love her. When I got to Dabulla I directly went to the Shop where she was. But the situation which I had to face cannot explain. She was sitting in a chair which was in front of the shop cuddling a child feeding milk which was in a soother. Seeing that picture I was shocked and rolling down tears in which my emotional feeling enshrined. I had not any choice by to go and speak with her a few minutes. When I speak with the girl whom I had long admire and deep love told me everything she had to face. During our conversation she put every details in her family and some things were heart touching. As she told me she has had a sister who was married with an army soldier. During the war time in 2009 he was died in the battle field. Because of this reason her sister was so shocked and was admitted to the mental hospital. After few days she had committed suicide in the mental hospital where she was admitted to take medicine. Because of these circumstances they have to look after and nourish this innocent child. I was a foolish not to understand why she fed milk to that child with a soother. When she told me I could understand that she was unmarried and single. Today I am really happy to live such a compassionately wife and being a husband of such a lovely wife. When I see her feeding breast milk to my child embracing her sister’s son I feel so happy and proud of myself.