My dear friends, I want to share with you an incident that was recounted to me by my husband.This incident took place when he was a bachelor.My husband was working for a private firm. He had a set og colleagues who worked together on a project.One among the group was Thangam the only lady in that group. Now,Thangam was a vivacious, jolly good person.She was talkative, talked loud and laughed loud,I believe.Her colleagues never minded ,she being a hard worker.One day my husband invited this group of his colleagues home for lunch.The colleagues arrived.They sat in the hall chatted,cracked jokes and laughted, Thangam's voice loud and clear. My in laws are an orthodox,conservative family.The girls of that family never came in front of unknown people, particularly,menfolk. My MIL came to the hall,looked at Thangam and smiled thinking that it was invitation enough for Thangam to go inside and talk to the ladies of the house.But,no,Thangam did not take the hint.She continued sitting in the hall chatting with her colleagues. Next,my SILS came out on the pretext of searching for something in the hall,smiled at Thangam.Thangam smiled back. But it did not occur to her that she should go inside and sit with the ladies. Lunch was served.After lunch was over,my husband's colleagues politely thanked my MIL and went out. Once they left,my MIL turned to my husband and asked him,"Kanna,this friend of yours,Thangam,why did she not come inside and talk to us?She was talking to you people only,all the time!" My husband told her,"Amma,she is a sociable person.Thats why she was talking to us,you know!" "Thats Ok,Kanna",said my MIL,"But your colleague will be sociable only with men and not with women.She could have been sociable with us also,no?" My husband tells me,"Mythili,I have no answer to my mother's question even today". Whenever I think of it this incident narrated to me by my husband ,it brings smile on my face.I marvel at my MIL's power of keen observation and her capacity to express her thoughts in words.