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the folk custom of apologizing to relatives on their deathbed and figured it would be better to save her apology until then. Two years later, in 1921, father was weakened by old-age. For a further year, the children took turn in nursing him. On the morning of the last day of father’s life, Chandra was spoon-feeding her sick father when suddenly he shuddered, his eyes rolling back in their sockets. Because she was young, she didn’t know what it meant, so she just called her mother to look after him instead. When she arrived on the scene, Chandra went to eat something in the kitchen still oblivious and then took a boat, punting out into the fields alone to check the November crops according to her normal duties. However, something happened beyond her worst expectation. She returned to find the rest of the family weeping around her father’s bed. All her brothers and sisters had had the chance to apologize to him . . . except her. She had missed her last chance. Chandra didn’t weep with them. She saw death as to be expected for all mortals. Life went on, but the fear of deafness in her next life lingered like a scar in her mind. “Now, where can I find father in order to offer my apologies?” she asked herself. She had no idea where to look and no friend she could turn to for this sort of advice. She sat down and resolved to recompense her debt — then she went to lay out father’s corpse as was the tradition. Chandra prayed and implored father to come to her in her dreams, so she might have the chance to apologize to him . . . but he never came. Her elder cousin advised her instead to make as much merit as possible and transfer it for her father’s benefit. He explained that