'A CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF " -'INDECISIVENESS '.

In the month of July, the Sun shines bright in U.S., probably more so in Rocky Mountains in Colorado. You can hardly believe the time is 8p.m. in the night as it looks like 3.30p.m in Bangalore or 3p.m. in Chennai. The time pleasant for walking is sometime between 7.15 to 8.00 p.m. When I returned yesterday night from a brisk schedule of walk, my wife and daughter announced that dinner was ready. Aparna wore the gloves and took out from the oven hot-hot Pizza which she had prepared with lot of enthusiasm and attention. Three, four toppings made the Pizza very delicious, also colorful. We all had good share. Ice cream Delight was then served in in a large cup, perhaps this is a speciality in U.S. which the native Americans enjoy.

After food, I continued reading the last two chapters of Victoria Holt's " THE PRIDE OF THE PEACOCK ". ' Lakshmi ' serial was on show in TV when Vignesh, our grand son, called from the first floor " Patti, Patti ", It had become 9p.m.and it was story time ". As my wife was busy in loading the dish washer, she asked me to take turns to oblige my grand son. I closed the book and went up.

The Pride of Peacock was about a " Green flash at sun-set " - THE PRECIOUS OPAL which had been stolen by the house maid after the death of the Master. This prompted me to remember the story , my grand mother used to say about a thief. She used to say " MAY BE A THIEF FOR MANY, MANY DAYS , BUT SURE TO BE GOT ONE DAY " :-- The story went in this way .....

" A thief by name ' Black ' used to make survey in the day time to decide which house he could rob in the night. He became quite an adopt in his job and made his booty quite sufficient and safe. Black planned to visit the adjacent village that day and decided the spot in the morning where he would strike late in the night. He chose the local Zamindar's house, as it appeared to him to be a large treasure house. He spent the evening in the temple choultry and when it became pitch dark, he reached his target. He climbed through the pipe line and got inside the veranda. He was shocked to notice guards posted at strategic locations and decided that it would not be wise to attempt in that house. He retreated stealthily when his leg hit at a sack. He saw the sack full of onions. Being a thief, he was tempted to steal some portion of the onion and shoved the same in his bag. He was able to come out of the house and he looked at both left and right sides and finding none, he was about to run. But he was halted by a hand from behind and to Black's horror, it was the security guard who caught him. The guard tied Black so that he could be produced before the Zamindar in the day time, the next day.

Black admitted before the Zamindar that he stole the onions. He begged forgiveness. Zamindar was willing to forgive him but at the same time, he thought he should not be left scot-free. Zamindar gave three options to Black and left it to him which punishment he would choose. (1) Pay a fine of Rs.100/- ;(2) Accept 25 beatings by a whip; (3) Eat the entire onions 'Black' had stolen.

Black thought sl.no(3) wouldn't cause anything. He started eating the onions before him. He found his eyes burning, nose sneezing, face sweating and mouth coughing. He accepted to Zamindar he could not bear any more and preferred to take sl.no(2) instead. Zamindar ordered his servant to start beating him with the whip. Two, three beatings went on and Black fell on the ground and confessed that he could not bear any more beating. Finally Black agreed and paid the fine of Rs.100/- and thanked God that he could go away.

Vignesh, my grand son, went to sleep within minutes after I finished narrating the story.

The highlight of the story that Black suffered all the three punishments. If only, he were able to decide correctly or calculatedly or with some judgment, he could have accepted the option sl.no(1) and could have walked paying a fine of Rs.100/-

Black's sufferings proved that he was like a cat on a hot tin roof or simply a cat on the wall. A cat on a wall is indecisive which side jump'. The cat is sure to be caught if it remained in the wall for more time.

Incidentally, Tennessee William's Book " A CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF " was a best seller. The theme of the novel centers around human experience in a Society. The Society dictates to people how they should live. Lack of human communication at the time of the story drives the principal characters invariably lonely. Man's dramatic loneliness or helplessness render him inactive or to do anything else but be human. He is not able to decide anything and he becomes like a cat on a hot in roof or just a cat on the wall simply.

The movie " A Cat on a hot tin roof " released in 1958 with Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman in the lead role was nominated for Oscar, though it did not win any Oscar.

Some of the lessons that occur to me after reading the novel'A Cat on hot tin roof':-

-(1) Deliberate with caution, but act with decision, yield with graciousness or oppose with firmness "

-(2) No matter how late it is , it is never as late as it will be, later on.

-(3) Failure to plan is planning to fail

- (4)Action is eloquence

-(5)Going slowly does not stop any one from arriving

-(6) Chance favours only the prepared

-(7 Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.