Every year, he’d take off for a day or two to another city for a sales conference, and return with a gift from the company. Our house’s alarm clock, iron box and suitcase all came this way. As the conference approached, he’d recount to Amma the speculation in the company about that year’s gift. We once went nearly a year without replacing our pressure cooker because of an unfounded rumour about what was to be given in the conference.
