do you have matches

I am reminded of the experience of a boyhood friend, years ago. I am quoting from period almost fifty years ago...

As a boy it was his passion to visit the cinema theatres for the very first show a new picture was shown..

Of course the money for this, and perhaps a few extra coins for a packet of peanut, he would manage by pilfering his dad's pocket..

His novel secret indulgence was to have a puff from a beedi, in the darkness of the theatre, in the thara തറ region..

Once, he has seated himself in the theatre, the lights were off and the film started rolling. Carefully, he placed a beedi in his lips and remembered that he had no matches..

He saw a man sitting just before him in the row ahead, and nudged his back and asked ," theeppetti undo.തീപ്പെട്ടി ഉണ്ടോ?. do you have matches."

The man had covered his head in a bath towel.. thorthu തോര്‍ത്ത്‌, and looked back.. and my friend was shocked to see that it was his father..

The youngster bolted..

In retrospect, it was plain that father, the local primary school teacher was also in the habit of patronizing every film, first day first show and that too, in great secrecy

Usually people deny doing certain funny things, and if you find that they are making very loud and puritan criticism against identical action by others, their culpability is in direct proportion with the loudness of their denials..