Charity begins at home...

Tears trickled down Deepa's cheeks. She was really moved with the article on old age homes. It was sunday, and appa, Anand and she were relaxing in the living room sipping coffee while amma was busy cooking their favourite tiffin and giving instructions to the maid, Annamma. Appa was engrossed in the election news, while Anand was watching rangoli on Doordarshan. Deepa had managed to grab the supplement and this article had caught her eye. It was not the first time she was feeling emotional. It has happened lot of times while watching movies, news on accidents and fire, etc. There have been many instances like this when she had felt emotional and decided that she should do something for these people. Unfortunately her work kept her so busy that she barely managed to devote time for leisure activities. Infact Amma had been urging her to continue learning music and the music teacher had left her 3 messages about the new batch she was planning to start soon.

Hmm...Suddenly she found herself staring at the clock for a long time. Her fixed gaze at the clock caught her father's attention and he guessed that something was troubling her. He folded the newspaper and called out to her

"Deepa, inga vaa."(Deepa, come here)

She went and sat next to him. "Enna aacchu, yenna yosinchundrukkai"(What happened, what have you been thinking?)

"Nothing appa, naan andha article padichennai...kashthamaa irundhadhu."(Nothing dad, I was reading that article, and was feeling sorry for these old people)

She showed the article to her father who started reading it. Deepa heaved a sigh and left the room to wash the coffee mug. When she entered the living room again, appa asked her "hmm, thats a real touching article."

Deepa sprang to the seat next to her father on the sofa "Appa, can we do something about it, remember, amma was telling us sometime about a similar old age home in Sriperumbudhur, we could all donate for it!"

"Lets see Deepa, I cant promise anything now". "Come on appa, you always do this, is it not our duty to do something for our people?"

Anand was quick enough to say "Appa, adhu onnum illai, pona vaaram permission pottu RDB paarthuttu vandha illai...ellaam adhu impact dhaan" (Dad, remember she watched RDB last week taking a half a day off, its all the aftermath of that"

"Very funny, Anand, mind your own business. Btw, RDB does not have anything to do with old age homes etc" Deepa fumed.

Deepa's appa was like "What is this RDB you both seem to be talking about?"

Deepa and Anand in unison "Rang De Basanti"

Anand starts singing "lose control...lose control...i am a rebel"

Deepa snubs him "Aamaam, aamaam, nee seriyaana loosu dhaan" (yes, yes, you are a loose indeed)

By then amma announces that they can have their breakfast now. Deepa confronts her mom" See ma, i asked appa whether we can give some money to the sriperumbudhur charity, appa has not responded positively"

Amma was like "Come on Deepa, you cant be troubling appa for all that, he has so many other things to worry about!"

Before Deepa counterattacks her, she notices her father giving Annamma 2000 rupees "Annamma, unpaiyan padippukku rooba kettirundha pol irukku, indhaa idhai vechukko, nalla padikka sollu" (Annamma, you had asked money for your son's education right? here take this! Ask him to study well !!"

Deepa stood dumbstruck. She was overwhelmed with her father's deed. Amma whispered in her ears "Deepu, remember that we can always contribute like this to society, afterall charity begins at home!!!"

Deepa races to the service verandah and hugs her dad and says "Appa, I love you so much!"