Meena is a good friend of mine. She is an LIC officer earning a good salary. But there was always something strange about her. She was forever unhappy. Whenever I met her, I would start to feel depressed. It was as though her gloom and cynicism had a way of spreading to others. She never had anything positive to say on any subject or about any person.
For instance, I might say to her, 'Meena, did you know Rakesh has come first in his school ?'
Meena's immediate response would be to belittle the achievement. 'Naturally, his father is a school teacher', she would say.
If I said, 'Meena, Shwetha is a very beautiful girl, isn't she ?' Meena would be pessimistic. 'When a pony is young, he looks handsome. It is age that matters. Wait for some time. Shwetha will be uglier than anyone you know.'
'Meena, it's a beautiful day. Let's go for a walk.'
'No, the sun is too hot and I get tired if I walk too much. Besides, who says walking is good for health ? There's no proof.'
That was Meena. She stayed alone in an apartment as her parents lived in Delhi. She was an only child and had the habit of complaining about anything and everything.
Complete the following table :
| Utterance | Who said | To whom |
(i) Meena, did you know
Rakesh has come first
in his school? | | |
(ii) Naturally, his father is
a school teacher. | | |
