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.