Champaklal Speaks

Choice of Envelopes

Mother was always particular in choosing the right envelopes for her letters. The envelope had to be just the right size—neither too big nor too tight. The recipient should find it convenient to take out the letter easily—this was her requirement.

After the envelope was chosen, she would decide whether she would write the name of the person on the envelope or not. for some she would write it on the envelope itself; for others she would write the name on a small slip of paper and clip it to the envelop. For others she would write the name in pencil: for some it in a deeper shade, for others in a faint colour. She used to keep different kinds of pencils. For some she would write in big letters, for others in small letters.

After watching these things for some time, one day I asked, when she gave me the opportunity to do so, why she wrote to some in pencil. Mother's reply was interesting: “I write with pencil so that they can rub out the writing and use the envelope again.”

I said: “Mother, who would like it to be erased? People would like to preserve your writing. Do you really think anyone would rub it out?”

Mother did not answer. But she stopped clipping the slips to the envelopes. She would do it rarely, only for those whose names she did not want to write on the envelopes. At times I had to take away the pencil from her hand and place a pen in it instead. Of course I could do this because she allowed me the liberty.