“Koluwo….Kollanae”
“Biriso….Paalayo…”
“Ammo…ammo….koluwane …bring me some water…”
Silibiris woke up hearing Margaret Nona shouting in the room below. It was way past midnight. What the hell is wrong with the old hag…he muttered. Sivapalan had already clambered down, standing outside the old woman’s room.
Enna daa achchie…..whaaat is da problem”
“Aney Paalayo …give me some water…. Aiyyo my chest hurting..”
Sivapalan and Silibiris forced open the door to find the old woman lying on the mat breathing heavily.
Sivapalan quickly fetched a tin cup of water. Silibiris held the old woman’s head up on his lap pouring a trickle of water into her mouth. The old woman was in a very feeble state. Sivapalan recognised the same signs his grandmother was undergoing just before she died. Silbirise stroked the old woman’s head.
“Margaret achchiye….lets go to the hospital.”
“ Siva go quickly. Find Taxi Abey and get his Taxi” Silibiris urged his friend
Sivapalan ran up the lane without hesitating.
“Koluwo…Biriso…gods are calling me….”
“I see them….they have come to take me. Amma is here ….I want to go with her”
“Achchiye achchiye what are you saying…..Abey’s Taxi will be here soon. We will take you to the hospital…..hang on…achchiye hang on…”
“No…son…. my time is up…you take my house…. and look after it…”stammered the old woman and with that act of one final giving she exhaled her last breath.
Silibiris sat there with the old woman’s head in his lap.
Stunned.
Unable to speak.
Abey’s taxi screeched to a halt outside the old woman’s house….too late.
Sivapalan and Silibiris organised Margaret Nona’s funeral with the help of the Pelihouse inhabitants. The neighbours brought in whatever the rickety old chairs they could muster and lined them up outside Margaret Nona’s house.
Kelanipura Funeral House undertook the funeral activities.
Over three days, hundreds of the Pelihouse inhabitants came in to pay their last respects for one of the original residents of Kolonnawe Pelihouses.
Kanthi took a leading role organising the women folks to supply food. Vije’s friends supplied soft drinks which they exhorted from the shops nearby.
Men played Booruwa card game all day and night in the pretence of guarding the body to keep the evil spirits away. The only spirit present however was freely flowing Kasiya.
All attempts to find the where abouts of Margaret Nona’s son and his “whore of a wife” failed. Since the time they won the lottery and moved out of Kolonnawe Pelihouse area they did not bother to find out if she was dead or alive.They were a notable absence at their mother’s funeral.
Even Pachcha Sira, Vije and others managed to convince the prison official to let them attend the funeral. They were escorted to the funeral by the prison guards, handcuffed and dressed in white shorts and shirts.
It was later revealed that some secret messages had passed between Sira and his gang still operating in the area.
The resulting drama was to unfold soon after.
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