“This fellow seems to be a mischievous one. Though his father and mother were such innocents, look how this donkey born to them has grown to be such a nuisance.” Even as Madathi said this with a great deal of anger, Muthurathnam went further, “The boys from that family are all like this. The others at least you can adjust to, but this Ammasi, no adjustment possible in his case. Such a headstrong fellow!”

“Who are you talking about, that grandson of that Irulayi? Emma… was he not born from the ribs?” Thayamma, who was sitting nearby and cleaning the green gram, asked.

Ammasi was all of twenty. He was an odd one, just as street gossip had it. The elders did not like him at all, but the youngsters worshipped him.

Ammasi was good-looking, with a body that matched his age, and sported a dark moustache. Good physique. When he smiled, his teeth glittered like a kenda fish thrashing about in the sun. Don’t know what he brushes his teeth with! Though he kept arguing all the time, there was some logic in his arguments. Seeing him wandering around aimlessly one would think he was good for nothing, but he was a knowledgeable boy.

There were complaints about him every day. I thought people were criticizing him like this only because they didn’t know him well. Even this latest incident, I felt what he had done was right. So I met him and asked him all about what had happened.

I saw him early in the morning on the way to the kamma-bank to shit. It was then that we spoke to each other. When I asked him what the matter was he gave me a big smile and, smiling, related the incident.

“Ei, machan, tell me what’s wrong about this? Yesterday I did the ridge-leveling work in that Parasuramu’s fields and came home early in the morning. Drinking some koozh as soon as I reached, I thought I would go to Nettiyakallu and come back, and so boarded a bus…”

“You had some work in Nettiyakallu?” I asked him.

“You just listen, machan. That shopkeeper’s kid told me there was some well-digging work there and I thought I would go and look for it. When I tried to board the bus at our village bus stand it was difficult, as there was a big crowd.”

“Did you pick a fight with someone while boarding the bus?”

“Now don’t be a spoilsport, machan! You just carry on yourself without hearing what I’m saying! Now, listen without interrupting.”

Since I knew him well I said, “Seri, you proceed. I won’t butt in,” and settled down to listen to what he had to say.

“Somehow I managed to squeeze my way through that crowd and found a seat in the bus. That Chandrasekhar also got into the same bus. Now, ask me who this Chandrasekhar is! The same upper caste landlord under whom my father does farm labor! What did he say as soon as he set eyes on me? Now, listen carefully. I will repeat the dialogue that took place between us.”

‘“Elai… Are you not the son of that Madasami?’“

‘“Sure, I am the son of Madasami.’“

‘“Elai… Haven’t you recognized me?’“

‘“I have, I know you very well. Are you not Chandrasekhar?’“

Saying this, the fellow lifted his dhoti and taking a beedi out of the pocket of his under-shorts, he lit it.

“You know why I lit this beedi? Didn’t I speak to him then after lighting up a beedi and exhaling? I wanted to have the same effect now, that’s why I lit it.”

“Seri, now carry on. Agreed, you are a good actor, but you’re testing my patience,” I said a bit impatiently.

“Okay, okay. Now look.”

“‘Still sitting, even after recognizing me? Get up, let me sit.’“

“It was with great difficulty that I had squeezed through the crowd and managed to grab this seat and sit down. I said, I will get down at Nettiyakallu and I will keep sitting till then. You can sit after that.”

‘“Elai… Nettiyakallu is right here, okay? Get up, da, and stand aside. While your Ayya is standing, is it right for you to keep sitting, not paying him due respect?’“

‘“You said Ayya? My Ayya is plowing your field at this very moment. When did you become my Ayya? I will not get up even if you stand on your head!’“

By this time his beedi had gone out. Throwing it aside he laughed out loud. Even I burst out laughing, seeing the wicked grin on his face.

“You didn’t get up till the end?” I asked, unable to suppress my curiosity.

“Adey, did you think I would get up? Let me tell you some more then.” Saying this he changed his voice.

‘“Elai… are you trying to act big in front of the landlord who measures out the grain to you? You don’t seem to have the smallest bit of your father’s loyalty. When the landlord comes, all the palla and paraya people stand up in respect. You youngsters don’t seem to know all this.’“

‘“Yo,’ I said, ‘I can’t get up and I will not. And saying any more will not add to your stature!”‘

“I got down as soon as we reached Nettiyakallu. He was still grumbling. That’s all I said, and this is what happened, machan. The fellows from our street must all be gossiping about me.”

“How did the news spread so fast to the village?” I asked.

“Don’t ask me that! By evening itself, Chandrasekhar had told my father about it and asked him to discipline me properly. All the shouting that my father did at home, now everyone on the entire street is discussing it.”

“The women in our village cannot keep their tongues from wagging. They’re saying, ‘When a landlord stands is it proper for a paraya boy to keep sitting? Why should he have such a swollen head? He’s so puffed-up his end must be near’.” When I said this, Ammasi laughed.

“Cut it out, machan. Do you know what that old man Paniyaramuthu is saying? Landlords are like gods to us. Can we survive without them? These young lads – foolish fellows. They say a dog never bites the hand that feeds it, but this dog insists on leaping on the body, fangs and all. If landlords want to, they can easily knock all his teeth out.

“When the old man said this, I could not help laughing. Seeing this, the old man started chewing me out a bit more,” Ammasi laughed as he said this. I also laughed with him, and then left.

Hardly a week had gone by after this news about Ammasi, when there was a flurry of talk again in the village about another misdeed of his. But he went about his business as usual, as if nothing had happened.

So I called and asked, “Eppa, now what have you gone and done?”

He immediately turned to me and said, “Machan, tonight there is a village court gathering. They are going to try and then hang a great murderer.”

“Never mind the village court, tell me what you did.”

“It’s me they are going to try, machan, make sure you’re there,” said Ammasi.

“What’s the complaint against you now? Tell me, let me hear,” I pleaded.

“Machan, what happened was, that chinnayya Muthukaruppan, he called and asked me to go and divert water to that Jayashankar landlord’s fields.”

“Yes, I saw you, all dressed in white, carrying your spade. The way you were dressed, I thought you were going to have the spade repaired,” I told him.

“Machan, no need to make fun of me! Ei… can’t I go to work wearing white? And I was wearing the shirt that was ironed by that Muthirulan, I paid him one rupee for it.”

“Yes, yes. The shirt wasn’t wrinkled at all. Now, get back to the topic.”

“When I got to Jayashankar’s fields he was standing near the pump-set. I went towards him with the spade and he started talking.” The fellow suddenly changed his voice, mimicking the way Jayashankar spoke.

‘“Elai… l told Muthukaruppan from your street to find me a man to divert water to the field. No one has shown up and it’s getting late.’“

“‘Muthukaruppan chinnayya asked me to come — that’s why I’m here.’“

“‘Do you look like someone who has come to work? You look like you’re going to some office! Dolt! Didn’t that idiot find anyone else, did he have to send you?’“

“‘What’s it to you? You only want to divert the water, don’t you? What do you care about how I’m dressed?’”

‘“Elai, do you know what the time is? Look at this fellow showing up now, like some big shot going somewhere far away!’”

“‘Annachi, only you have a wrist-watch, I don’t. Only you can tell the time, annachi. I will try and buy a watch soon, annachi, after that I will be able to tell the time.’”

I burst out laughing seeing the look on his face, but Ammasi said, “Wait, machan, keep listening. You should have seen his face when I called him annachi, it was black with rage.”

“‘What did you say? Annachi? You keep saying annachi? Who is annachi, da? To whom am I annachi, da? A paraya mother-fucker dares to call me annachi?’”

“‘Don’t say whatever comes to your mouth because then I will also start talking, only your reputation will get soiled. If you don’t want me, tell me to leave, that’s all.’” And I turned and left, but not before I called him a swine. I don’t know what he came and reported in the village, but now these people have called for a village panchayat.”

“Well, you’re sure to get punished today. Didn’t you call the landlord a swine?”

“You’re something else, machan! You thought they were going to try me for that! No, no, it’s my calling him annachi that has become a big crime. The court is assembling for that.”

As Ammasi said, the village court assembled at night. The Nattamai asked Ammasi, “Elai, Ammasi, what is our caste and what is the landlord’s caste? Who can address whom as annachi? Are you not guilty of being unreasonable?”

Ammasi replied, “We are parayas, they are naickers. It was I who called him annachi. Are you having a meeting for this?” And he scratched his head, looking confused.

All the youngsters laughed loudly at this.

The Nattamai controlled his anger and said, “Seri, why should I waste time asking you all this? I need a straight reply. Why did you call the landlord annachi?”

Ammasi’s reply was instant. “He is elder to me, that’s why I called him annachi. If he was younger, I would have called him thambi.”

At this, the young boys laughed even more uproariously. “This fellow is completely wild, just listen to him! Obstinate fool,” the second Nattamai said.

The headman began again, his tone grave. “Elai, we are not assembled here to laugh at your jokes. Till today, among pallars and parayas, has anyone ever addressed naickers as blood relatives? Born yesterday, and you come up with some damn fool argument? Wasn’t it wrong to address him as annachi?”

Ammasi, too, responded gravely, “There’s nothing wrong with what I said. Did I call him mama or machan, trying to create a relationship and asking for the hand of a girl? I only called him annachi politely, respectfully, and you raise hell? What did you people do when I addressed Irulappan, the drain-cleaner, as annachi last week? Didn’t you reproach me for addressing a korava as annachi? Now you ask me why I called a naicker annachi? It’s just what the old woman, Poovathi, says, ‘When a donkey shits is there a difference between what it shits first and what it shits last?’ Shit is shit. All men are just men.” So saying, Ammasi walked away.

And everyone watched him leave, awestruck.