Have you heard the story about the two women who had a conversation from opposite banks of a pond in Burdwan district? One was the elder sister of the Bose brothers and the other was the elder sister of the Mittir brothers. Both women were slightly deaf.

Mrs. Mittir said, “Hello, Mrs. Bose, how are you? Quite well, I trust?”

“So you’ve heard the news too,” replied Mrs. Bose. “It’s a scandalous story, isn’t it? It’s hardly surprising the news reached you so quickly. I was making puffed rice when the wretched thief came and stole the papaya. Since then I’ve been crying my eyes out.”

“Very good! Very good!” said Mrs. Mittir. “That’s wonderful news. Did you hear the sad news that the second brother of the Chatterjee family passed away last night?”

“Excellent! Excellent!” exclaimed Mrs. Bose. “I’m glad to hear that. I was planning to offer the papaya to Lord Viśńu, but the damned thief has ruined everything. What a wretch!”

“Were you asking whom Mr. Chatterjee left behind?” asked Mrs. Mittir. “Well, he left behind a daughter. His son-in-law rushed from Chandannagar to his house as soon as he heard the news.”

“It’s quite natural for you to feel sad,” said Mrs. Bose. “Had I lost my pearl necklace I could have tolerated the grief, but the loss of the papaya is too much to bear.”

“Do you want to know what the son-in-law does?” asked Mrs. Mittir. “He’s quite a good chap… very well educated. He used to teach at Khandaghose school. Now he’s a professor at Uttarpara college.”

“It’s normal to feel so heartbroken,” consoled Mrs. Bose. “Anyone who heard this story in any part of the world would feel the same. It was such a huge, juicy papaya, and so sweet. It was tastier than Jessore palm and as sweet as a lump of molasses.”