‘Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedara asked, “what is Ronnie trying to do?”

“I think”, Percy, Bindu’s father said, “he’s trying to be the Finance Minister once again...”

“But thaaththa,” Bindu said, “I thought he said he wants the two major parties to agree on solving the problems in the North and East...”

“That’s what they all say...”

“But he has said he got the permission of his party leader to talk to the President...”

“I didn’t know you needed to get somebody’s permission to speak to her...”

“So, will he get the post of Finance Minister?” Bindu wanted to know.

“It will be good if Satellite keeps the post to herself and makes him the Deputy Minister...”

“If Anuruddha can be Deputy Defence Minister, why can’t Ronnie be Deputy Finance Minister?” Bindu argued.

“But he’s already been the Finance Minister for so many years...”

“And that was because he supported the UNP in 1977...”

“That’s about the only correct decision he ever took”, Percy observed.

“Why do you say that, thaaththa?”

“Why, on all the other occasions, the side he supported, lost...”

“So, if he joins the government, will the government also lose the next election?”

“I don’t know about that,” Percy said, “but somebody said that Ronnie could help the Zimbabwe cricket team...”

“How is that, thaaththa?” Bindu asked, puzzled, “Ronnie is not a cricketer...”

“No,” Percy said, “but they say that if Ronnie were to support our champion cricket team, even they would lose...”

Many would agree with that, Bindu thought.