My friend Lalitha Bai

Lalitha Bai was my first school friend. I did not have any friend before she joined. She joined my class (First grade) in the middle of the year. She was brought by her father. y teacher told her to sit beside me as there was place.She was crying silently as her father left the classroom. My teacher told us that she was a new admission and that her name was lalitha Bai. Some girls and boys were laughing because her name was not a Tamilian one. Her father came to pick her up in the evening. He made her sit on his bicycle. I was walking to my house and was surprised to see them in the same street. I came to know that she lived with her maternal uncles as her mother was bedridden. Her father was staying outside in another street.She was a Konkani and she could talk only halting tamil. Her father requested me to take care of her and help her with her lessons. Her house was a very big bungalow with a big garden. They were Konkanis and her grandfather was a rich businessman. She had 3 uncles living with their families. Her mother was the only daughter and she was bedridden. Her father was a clerk and he did not get along with his inlaws. So he was staying outside in room.He used to visit his wife and take Lalitha to school and bring her back. But since he found that I was her neighbour,  he told her to go with me.Both of us became quite good friends. I was in awe of her house as it was very big and nicely built. They lived a modern life and for the first time I saw dining table sofa sets etc. Their drawing room was in the shape of an Octagon. They had Parijatha flower tree and they allowed me and my cousins to pick those flowers for the puja in my house.