Our neighbour Dharma?

లక్ష్మీపతి నిరుపేద కావచ్చు. భిక్షపతి కుబేరుడు కావచ్చు. ఆనందరావు మొహంలో మచ్చుకైనా సంతోషం కనిపించకపోవచ్చు. పిచ్చయ్య మహా మేధావిగా పేరు తెచ్చుకోవచ్చు.

లక్ష్మీపతి నిరుపేద కావచ్చు. భిక్షపతి కుబేరుడు కావచ్చు. ఆనందరావు మొహంలో మచ్చుకైనా సంతోషం కనిపించకపోవచ్చు. పిచ్చయ్య మహా మేధావిగా పేరు తెచ్చుకోవచ్చు. పేరు మనిషికి ఒక గుర్తింపు మాత్రమే. ఆ నాలుగైదు అక్షరాల ఆధారంగా ఎవరి వ్యక్తిత్వాన్నీ అంచనా వేయలేం. ఈ సంభాషణ ఇతివృత్తమూ ఇదే.

Suma: The music teacher says she’s not cut out for a singer.
Saira: Let her learn some other art.

Suma: You alone can dispel my nagging doubt.
Saira: Thank you for reposing confidence in me. May I know your doubt?

Suma: You know I have a cousin by name Shanthi.
Saira: You’ve mentioned her many a time.

Suma: She has everything a woman could ask for. But I’ve never seen her happy and peaceful.
Saira: Any problems?

Suma: Do you remember my friend Lakshmi? She visited our place last year.
Saira: I do remember her.

Suma: Her husband is head over heels in debt. They are in dire straits. They can’t make both ends meet.
Saira: I’m sorry for them.

Suma: My sister’s daughter Saraswathi has failed again.
Saira: Flunked her exam again?

Suma: She couldn’t pass her tenth standard in seven attempts.
Saira: Let her try one more time.

Suma: My schoolmate Sangeetha has attended music classes for four years. She’s not learnt even the basics so far.
Saira: Classical or light music?

Suma: The music teacher says she’s not cut out for a singer.
Saira: Let her learn some other art.

Suma: Your cousin whom we visited at the hospital, what’s his name?
Saira: Anjaneyulu.

Suma: See how often he falls sick. He hasn’t the least power of resistance. Seems a perpetual patient!
Saira: I’ve told him several times to change his lifestyle.

Suma: Mr Dharmaji & A man of affluence. But does he ever help anybody with money?
Saira: Our neighbour Dharma?

Suma: And we have our Satyam. He’s perfected the art of lying. Can we tell lies so effortlessly as he?
Saira: His friends call him a born, chronic, innate, inveterate liar!

Suma: See Mr Anand. He has a villa, a luxury car, a flourishing business and what not. Yesterday he called me to say he wasn’t happy.
Saira: But what’s your pressing, pestering doubt?

Suma: None of these persons have grown into personalities associated with their names.
Saira: Do you think names given at birth are prophetic?

Suma: Why didn’t they grow upto expectations?
Saira: Whose expectations?

Suma: Parents’ expectations, of course.
Saira: Parents name their baby by looking at the face and its features.

Suma: Aren’t personalities predetermined by names given at birth?
Saira: No. Personality is a result of environment, socio-economic conditions, cultural background and many other factors.

Milton?

Teacher: What do you know about Milton?
Student: Milton is a famous company. It’s a household name. It’s products are lunch box, water bottle, vacuum flask, casserole &
Teacher: Stop!
Student: Anything wrong, sir?
Teacher: Tell me about Milton, the blind poet.

– సూర్యారావు ఎం.వి వివేకానంద ఇన్‌స్టిట్యూట్‌ ఆఫ్‌ లాంగ్వేజెస్‌, రామకృష్ణ మఠం.