It’s pink for roses – and for sin

(Excerpted from Life is a Frolic by Goolbai Gunasekera)

Pink is associated with babies, cute and cuddly woollies for girls, soft blankets to tuck around a baby, roses, elephants and gin! It is my favourite colour – inappropriate for me I suppose, given my age and weight, but nonetheless I love it. There is no accounting for taste and so I wear pink whenever possible. I labour under the delusion that it suits me.

Just recently, clad in a pink cotton sari that did nothing for my figure, I sashayed forth to a society luncheon where 5C ladies plus two well-known men about town (Master chef and Fashion guru, Koluu and Kirthi) chattered happily and generally had a wonderful time. The sari belonged to granddaughter KitKat, who does not wear it because she considers it, ‘A little schoolgirlish.’

“May I borrow it?”

“To wear?” she asked incredulously.

“Certainly. I wasn’t planning on just transferring it from your cupboard to mine.”

KitKat has learnt tact – but not with her near and dear. “Won’t it puff out a little?”

“So?” I eyed her coldly.

“Nothing, nothing Achchi.” I heard her smothered giggle.

She handed me the sari.

At the lunch, ladies got into the act. “You look like a pink rose,” said one.

“A cool ice cream,” said another. I preened happily making a mental note to tell KitKat all this the minute I got home.

“I am reminded of a powder puff,” said a third smiling kindly. I wasn’t too thrilled by that one and decided KitKat need not get to hear everything.

“Anney, you remind me of a juicy strawberry,” said a fourth after which I stopped listening. I could have done without that word ‘juicy’ and let’s face it, telling the difference between sarcasm and a genuine compliment is not always easy.

Obviously, there is much to be said about auras and astral colours and of late there seems to be great interest in phenomena such as these. Soft colours around one’s aura indicate calmness and well-being, but I am not one who goes around trying to assess auras. I would imagine, however, that an aura emitting danger rays of red amongst certain competitive ladies would frighten an unsuspecting psychic out of his skin.

“What would pink in an aura indicate I wonder,” I said idly to KitKat.

“Probably inanity,” she said acidly. She had yet not got over my foray in pink.

Inasmuch as colours can help in affecting one’s personality and health on a daily basis (wearing white in hot weather for instance) gemstones and crystals are also being touted as essentials to our well-being and prosperity. Of course, this is not anything new. We all know the effect of gems on personal wellbeing. Hence the wearing of the navaratne by our ancestors, but now you can apparently learn EXACTLY what crystal is best for you.

I am a curious being as my husband, grandchildren and former long-suffering staff and pupils will attest to. I am willing to try any fad, specially one as attractive as that dealing in beautiful artefacts. Accordingly, I visited ‘Saris’ the highly popular venue for suitable crystals that aim at boosting vim, vigour and vitality of the wearers. And if those under stress find relaxing a problem, the right crystal will promote sleep.

Wouldn’t you know it. The very crystal chosen for MY sleep enhancement was in PINK. I can attest to the efficacy of this. I sleep like a baby with a rough-hewn block of Rose Quartz under my bed.

“That’s because you either have a highly convenient conscience or a very bad memory,” Dearly Beloved said nastily.

Not so! “There is no getting away from the fact that pink is my colour,” I told KitKat smugly. “After all I have it on a higher authority than that of mere mortals like you.

She has washed her hands of my fashion tastes ever since.