Indelible memories.

When Vidat was studying in 5th class and was 9 years of age , went out to play in nearby vacant plots one day. .After few hours he came back home laughing and said ''Ma whilst playing an older boy got angry at me and came near me and said I am going to slap you ,and I replied' I am waiting for it' and that boy was so shocked at my reply he didnt know what to do or say and I continued playing whilst that boy watched me helplessly!''

One year or so later , one day Vineet let out a piercing shriek and wailed out loudly'' Amma stop Vidat ,stop him '.'I ran out of the kitchen where I was preparing meals and saw Vidat carrying a water filled plastic bag with two fish ,accompanied by his wild pal Saravana running towards our well at the backyard .Vineet tugged at my saree and yelled ''Stop him, stop Vidat'' as he was scared that the fish would dirty the well our only source of water.At this Vidat shouted back and said ''Ma Adayar thatha [my father] said if a well has fish in, it will be clean as the fish will eat moss, dirt etc and give us clean water,I will throw them in our well '',and he did triumphantly with his friend cheering him. Vineet retreated to a corner crying whilst Vidat and his pal clambered over the grill covering the well spread themselves on it peering into the dark well hoping to catch a glimpse of their precious fish and on sighting them swimming ,laughed and let out loud cries of victory!
Two days later I was confronted by a howling Vidat who dragged me to the well and pointed at the fish that were dead and were floating on the surface ,whilst Vineet looked relieved.The previous day I had unwittingly thrown bleaching powder into the well,my weekly routine as the well was our only source of water in the suburban Porur house,forgetting the existence of the fish.
A ''green effort''to purify our well water was inaugurated with a shriek and concluded with a howl!