Dubious Moves

“Enduke, pichchi, he is so paapam no ?”

There was a laugh in Gowri’s voice. Lakshmi snorted. “If that much sorry, you go and talk to him”, she said. “I could murder him so easily”.

“But what did he do ? And I’ll have just one more gulab jamun. I tell you, my diet goes to hell each time I come over to your place”. Vijaysri aka Visiri, talking with her mouth full in the precise fashion she so discouraged in her kids.

“See, he asked to come on cam no ? And you have sent him pics before, so what big deal ? He did not ask for something crass, no ? Poor man, edho koncham diet cheyya oddu annadu. And you blocked him out for it.” Gowri, heaping another hot mound of rice.

“ See, I sent him pics before no ? And now I come on cam. 32 pounds, I tell you, that haircut. 32 freaking pounds, maa oorlo saloon itself you can buy with that money. Does he notice ? Does he say, hi, nice haircut ? Or even you look different today ? No, he just goes ummm and hmmm, says brb and disappears. Vedhava what went to do god knows, comes back and then says I don’t look fat. Men, I tell you!”