New Year at My Mother's Office
Today I went to my mother's office (Coordinating Secretariat for Science Technology and Innovation - COSTI) with her, as it is still school holidays for me. At 10.00 a.m., my mother, other officers and I sat down in a room where a table stood, flourishing with food. Milk rice, Pani Walalu , Kavum , and many more. Two cakes, one strawberry the other chocolate. An oil lamp was set at the edge of the table, decorated with betel leaves and a wax candle kept on the side. Once every single seat was occupied, Professor Ajith de Alwis, Project Director of COSTI, stood up to convey a message to the others about their procedure. Then he asked Professor Sirimali Fernando, CEO of COSTI, also to encourage the others by a few words. After that, he invited some of the officers and me to light the oil lamp. After it was lit, he asked us to help ourselves with the food. So, everyone helped themselves as he asked to. Some, including me, went for a second helping, until we were stuffed....
