Sumi's Retort

She walked to you noiselessly and sat with her tail curled beneath her. It was lunch time for the family and grand mother’s cat would join in. No matter what the weather was, she would come and sit with the family twice a day at meal times.

We lovingly called her Sumi. She was the favorite of all at home. More than being a cat she was the member of the family. No one knew where Sumi was born but everyone knew she had been around for long. She was grandmother’s pet and so had a special status. She could roam anywhere she like din the household but the wooden log mud stove that was put off each night was her favorite place. She would lie close to the stove (Chulaah) after the fire was put off, the wooden logs removed and the ash and embers, were left to die away.

There was one unique character of Sumi. Though she was a cat, she never lapped milk or milk products unless offered by someone. At best she meowed for food when hungry or rubbed against Grandmother’s legs. Once when the pot of curd had fallen down and it was spilled all over the floor, she brought the whole house down with her persistent meowing until aunt came by and realizing that the curd would go waste and put it in her plate. Then Sumi had lapped up every last bit. She was not the cat, She was Queen Sumi. She did not wait to be served, she demanded service.

Like all acts she wandered about in the neighborhood. And no one bothered for her. That was until now. Today she had not come to the dinner and all were worried.

Then Grandmother spoke, ”From today no one will ever scold Sumi. I am sure she took offence to the words that she had grown old and was not catching mice anymore. I will not say who spoke these words,, but not only that person but no one else shall ever speak harshly to her."

“But I was only joking and she surely does not understand our language," my youngest uncle replied.

Immediately there was a chorus of giggles.

“Do you know more than I do?’ grandmother looked at him.

He nodded in the negative.

“OK, if Sumi does not come today, there will be no dinner.” Grandmother’s words were always written in stone. She headed a huge family. There was no other way otherwise to manage the household.

"I am sorry. But should everyone else be punished?’ Uncle asked.

“No arguments,” grandma roared.

Then all fell silent again.

Uncle was about to walk away. All head turned to the door when a meow was heard. Sumi was at the threshold, a dead mouse near her foot.

“Okay, now eat the mice”, Grandmother chucked.

Sumi walked to the table and uncle walked out. The dead mouse lay on the threshold.