My father-in-law's difficult times.

The man with the strange initials - VO Nair (Vazhuvelil Oonnikrishnan Nair) - that was my first observation about my would be father-in-law in the run up to my marriage! He's passing through difficult times.

Lekha had called me up this evening to tell me about her father's impending surgery. His right leg is going to be amputated from a bit above the knee. A wound that he'd on one of his toes had festered over a period of time(he's badly diabetic), giving the doctors no other option but to remove the gangrenous portions without much ado. I believe he'd wept after hearing his doctor at the Kovai Medical Centre.

My father-in-law is a very strange person. He exhibits a tough exterior but has a soft interior. Since my marriage to his second daughter(he's three daughters and a son. Lekha's his favourite) in May 1991, I've had a love-hate relationship with him. He keeps himself aloof and this particular quality has been reinforced by his own family(he's a bother and sister elder to him and four brothers younger to him) in that, he was treated with a lot of respect, at home, as he'd joined the customs on his merit. They treated him like the customs officer that he was even while he was at home on annual leave!

Vendattu Velu Pillai was a firebrand criminal lawyer of his time and he'd become the cynosure of the eyes of the judiciary with his fiery arguments and ability to overturn the most difficult of cases in his favour. The then Kollam Sub Divisional Magistrate, Mr. Unnithan was so enamoured that he was keen to have one of his daughters - Ammini Amma- married into this lawyer's family and my father-in-law, Unnikrishnan Nair, the lawyer's second son was chosen for the match much against his wishes. Eventhough the marriage took place with a lot of pomp and show, the relationship between the couple was anything but smooth. They'd sired four children but the marriage broke down in the mid-eighties, while Lekha'd had just finished her class X. From what I've surmised from the narrations of the family, my father-in-law was a guy who'd always set the example for his younger siblings all through his life. He's had a clean life on the professional front, but in his personal life there were signs of rebellion. He'd chucked his first wife(Lekha's biological mother) out of his life and married a second time who, incidentally, was her 'mother' that I'd seen at the time of my marriage. I'd then promised myself to get Lekha's biological mother into our fold, in an amicable manner, sensing her agony. I believe her mother was among the hundreds of people who'd come to attend our wedding, that afternoon, without an invite!

Eventually, I did make my peace with Lekha's mother who used to, thereafter, visit us frequently, till she expired in Jan 1997. And Radhamani amma, Lekha's stepmother, died a couple of years ago. Both had endeared themselves to me by their differing temperaments and the love that they'd showered upon me during their lifetime!

My father-in-law has been leading a lonely existence at Palakkad, ever since. We visit him every year during our leave and it's Lekha's younger sister, who stays pretty close to him, who monitors his requirements closely and provides the needful. It's my fond hope that he's able to get over the psychological enormity of the present crisis and 05 Jan is his day of reckoning.

Being the simple guy that he actually is, I'm sure he'd be able to tide over this difficult situation too!!