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A lot of AI men in Royapuram worked in the customs and the harbour, so if you had the money to back up your inclination, things like ---lady's Perfume, make-up, and nylon stockings, and Scotch, and French Brandy, and Swiss watches, and a whole lot of other goodies were always available. After all the SS Rajulla sailed up and down to Singapore (a free port) from Madras.

Sorry, I have this habit of going off at a tangent. Back to Perumal. After a hard days work on Friday, Perumal was sitting in what could be loosely termed as his room. Simply because all his worldly goods (a tin box and a sleeping mat and rug) were kept there and he slept there.  In fact it was the pantry. It was nearly 11 PM, and he was having a last fag before turning in. There was a light knock on the front door. Perumal smiled, he knew it was Janice missy, forgotten her key again. Henderson dorai was in the living room reading before he went to bed. "Don’t worry Perumal, I'll get it." He said, so Perumal put off the light, closed his door and settled down to sleep.

After a while he heard raised voices, so he got up and quietly opened the door a crack and heard Janice missy crying. Dorai was saying. "Jan I know, you and Rudy are just good friends, but there are people out there, who love to knock you down, who can’t bear to see people happy." "I don’t care what people think she said. What do you want me to do? Sit at home all the while Michael is away? I tell him everything in my letters dad" she said. "I know you do, but that’s not what I'm concerned about. We all need people Jan, so find a balance. You and Rudy are always together, and people will talk." She got up and stomped to her room." I don’t care" she said and slammed her door. Perumal was sad, he liked Janice missy, she was always kind to him and he hated to see her so unhappy. Why did Michael dorai go away?

Early Saturday morning, Perumal got up and got ready to go to the market. On his way there he stopped at Mrs (nosey) Parker's house to have a chat with Kamala, Mrs Parker's servant. They were in the pantry and didn’t know that Mrs Parker was listening. Perumal was telling Kamala about Janice crying the night before. Suddenly Perumal! come here". "Yes Parker missy, coming Parker missy" said Perumal and went into the dining room.  "What’s all this about Janice missy crying?" She said. "Nuteen Parker missy, he protested, I no say nuteen". She gave him that raised eyebrow look that said 'you little worm, don’t lie to me', He looked at her then quickly looked at his feet.  She thought. 'Ok, you little worm, you want to play games aye'.

He watched her, as she got up and went to the cupboard,--opened the lock with a key from her jangling bunch, --took out a bottle of "Dorset and Browne" rum, --and put it on the table.” Please Parker missy, I no say"-- Shut up! She said quietly as she pushed the bottle, a bit, towards him. "Have a drink and tell me what happened". She said, smiling sweetly. This was a sort of ritual between them. She knew that Perumal was very popular with all the ayahs in Royapuram. Favours were granted and favours were received no more) and he gossiped with all of them. In fact she had to admit that Perumal was her only source, of what happens in most houses, "behind closed doors" in Royapuram. The main reason she was so notoriously, popular. She owed him --- Big Time! Have another wet boy" she said.

That evening she couldn’t wait for Novena to finish, she charged out and waited by the church gate for the rest to join her. Funny thing you know, where gossip is concerned, there is always someone who is not supposed to hear it, that hears it. (Does that make sense?) Michael's cousin Joyce heard Janice's name mentioned and hung about, to hear Mrs Parker in full flow. "Her own father waited up to give her a telling-off, last night, when Rudy dropped her off, after the pictures." "Guess what they saw? “Pride and Passion” that one with Sophia Loren, showing everything off." Everyone giggled.  "They were shouting at each other I believe, and then she ran off to her room crying. I tell you, between you, me and the lamp post --- Something’s going on". "Who told you Joan? Asked one of the ladies.  "That’s for me to know and you to find out" she said. ---------- hugging herself with a huge grin, she thought, 'Perumal you are priceless'.

Michael's cousin Joyce couldn’t stay there a moment longer. She hurried off, tears streaming down her cheeks she went home and locked herself in the bathroom. She needed time to think. She adored her favourite cousin Michael and she couldn’t believe that either Janice or Rudy were capable of such, er-- er-- she couldn’t find the word. But the more she thought about what Mrs Parker said, the more her resolve hardened, that she should act. And act she did.