Chapter 4
It was a bungalow with a well maintained beautiful small garden; she opened the door and they both entered inside.

“Papa, Mamma, I have brought one guest”, she shouted and they waited in the hall. A man in his middle forties and his wife appeared. “They are my parents”, she said loudly, “This is Mr…” she stopped abruptly and asked him, “What is your name?” Her father laughed heartily and told that his daughter brought a guest without name.


Blood ran on Raman’s face and he introduced himself, “I am Raman from Chennai, sir”.
“I am Arunachalam”, her father said and they shook the hands, “I have here no Seetha but only Geetha”, and he pointed out his daughter.
“Now I also know her name”, was his answer. He said Vanakkam to her mother and they all sat in the sofas there.
“Do you want to drink coffee or tea or juice - mango, orange, pineapple and lemon - are available”, she said. Before he could answer Geetha told her mother that he is very hungry and she could make a South Indian meal with rice, sambar and vegetables. He protested only vaguely and wanted to drink only water.
“I will prepare something in 30 min”, said the mother, Geetha wanted to help her mother and they both disappeared from the hall.

“Now, tell me something about you”, asked her father, “it seems that you are a tourist here”. He narrated the purpose of his journey to Singapore. “I have finished my B.E., would like to work for one year and after that I want to do masters. My final aim is to get a doctorate later and do some applied research”.
“Not bad”, shouted Arunachalam, “We have come up in life without a doctorate, but now-a-days it is important to have one”.
“My uncle from Hamburg always says - well paid jobs are created only there, where research is done”, Raman said.
“It is a very wise statement”, was her father’s answer. “How was your college life; have you got many friends? You look tired but still you are very handsome. What about the girls running after you?” he grinned.
“Sir, I have friends in both sex and from my parents I have got very high moral values. According to that I am not prepared to seduce a girl or woman even in my mind”, he replied in a clear tone.
“It’s great”, muttered Arunachalam and thought who would be the lucky girl going to share his life. They were talking about Indian politics, finance crisis, the attractions in Singapore and many other things which men normally talk. Arunachalam wondered at the vast knowledge of this young man.

The meals were served and all sat together and ate. It was a wonderful South Indian food with rice, sambar, lady’s-finger, rasam and curd.
“Geetha helped me voluntarily today for the first time and we finished the cooking quickly”, said the mother. He saw for the first time the redness in her face but she had not uttered a word.

After the meals her father asked, “When are you flying back to Chennai?”
“I’m leaving on Sunday that means I have got another three days here in Singapore”, he answered.
“Geetha is leaving on Monday”, her father said.
“I’m going to show him Singapore and I have seen everything at least twice”, she said, “but with yours and mamma’s permission”, told Geetha.
“I have no objection, but my condition is come for the evening meals here”, said the mother.
“It’s Okay for me also”, confirmed her father.

Raman agreed to pick her up next morning at 9 a.m. and Mr. Arunachalam drove him to his hotel.