Coitus Interupptus and Other Stories (2017)
Author: Malachi Edwin Vethamani
We all have seen these characters in our lives. Many of them lived amongst us or with us. Some of their actions may seem quirky, but we accept them anyway. We know that variety is the spice of life. Just because their point of view is different from ours and they unusually perceive specific values, it does not mean that they are evil. Who are we to judge, anyway?
Born an Indian in Malaysia and living through the time when some of the short stories were set, I can so relate to some of the characters found in this book.
Going against the grain of what is expected of a marriageable girl in a conservative society of us, there are those who want to have the cake and eat it. They do not want to play second fiddle to some man but want to lead instead. The fear of losing one's religion is ingrained in the psyche of every Indian boy in their childhood. Oh, how many times have we seen ladies cursing their husbands for their misdeeds only to wail openly at their husband's funerals? And we know of so many of them who lead a double life just to paint a perfect picture of themselves in the public eye for their family's sake.
We are living in a new Malaysia after the recently concluded 14th General Elections. After being suppressed for so long under the previous ruling party, people are beaming in joy the freedom of their ability to say what they want.
It seems like everyone has something to say. Let us just hope that the average Malaysian is mature enough to understand that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Just as much as one can say his peace, so can the other. He cannot impose his views on the other. Hopefully, they are adult enough to fathom that there may be many more ways than one to skin a cat.
The leaders amongst us ought to set the example. Humans are fickle. They follow the herd, are sometimes easily swayed and can be unreliable. It is one day at a time.
Author: Malachi Edwin Vethamani
We all have seen these characters in our lives. Many of them lived amongst us or with us. Some of their actions may seem quirky, but we accept them anyway. We know that variety is the spice of life. Just because their point of view is different from ours and they unusually perceive specific values, it does not mean that they are evil. Who are we to judge, anyway?Born an Indian in Malaysia and living through the time when some of the short stories were set, I can so relate to some of the characters found in this book.
Going against the grain of what is expected of a marriageable girl in a conservative society of us, there are those who want to have the cake and eat it. They do not want to play second fiddle to some man but want to lead instead. The fear of losing one's religion is ingrained in the psyche of every Indian boy in their childhood. Oh, how many times have we seen ladies cursing their husbands for their misdeeds only to wail openly at their husband's funerals? And we know of so many of them who lead a double life just to paint a perfect picture of themselves in the public eye for their family's sake.
We are living in a new Malaysia after the recently concluded 14th General Elections. After being suppressed for so long under the previous ruling party, people are beaming in joy the freedom of their ability to say what they want.
It seems like everyone has something to say. Let us just hope that the average Malaysian is mature enough to understand that what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Just as much as one can say his peace, so can the other. He cannot impose his views on the other. Hopefully, they are adult enough to fathom that there may be many more ways than one to skin a cat.
The leaders amongst us ought to set the example. Humans are fickle. They follow the herd, are sometimes easily swayed and can be unreliable. It is one day at a time.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
