Gradations.

She always greeted me with a wide smile and fawned upon me when I was in the frenzy ,constant cycle of buying the latest type of sarees ,use them for 6 months and then throw them.

The sweepress at the park ,the place of my early morning exertions ,came home twice ,to gladly take my cast aways. I had succumbed to her persistent yet pleasant requests and stored them for her use instead of bundling them off to orphanages or old age homes.

For the past few years her smile dwindled in exact proportion to that of my diminishing interest in the shopping sprees.

Today when i saw her after a long time the smile was totally wiped out, a frown had replaced it as she acknowledged my greetings indifferently as she swept the leaves off the path mechanically. She had staked out my sari's worth from afar and her attention was engaged elsewhere.. Two middle aged women , permanent residents,in maroon and mauve Kanchipuram sarees with elaborate zari borders and butta's were walking towards a nearby marriage hall.

I too was wearing a pattu sari ,the style, a decade or more earlier and not the latest that those marriage goers were wearing.

Her face lighted up and there was a gleam in her eyes . She had found a new quarry!