Review of ‘Two Cousins’: A story about a ‘crime’ kept under cover

Eighty-nine-year-old Namel Weeramuni’s “Two Cousins” which he recently launched, is an attempt to focus on the dynamics of social forces impacted on those at their prime of life at a time around seven decades ago. Having been a young man at the time, Weeramuni is well aware of the scenario of the time which has enabled him to make a strong signal through his story. 
The 116-paged novella is to a great extent a dialogue between two trusted male cousins with one making a confession to the other. The “crime” committed is kept under cover to the last in the form of somewhat of a detective story enhancing reader- interest. 

Weeramuni, one year short of reaching the nonagenarian league, has shown his special skills as a narrator in the handling of delicate, sensitive issues in conflict-situations. “Two Cousins” is Weeramuni’s first English novel. But he is well known for his plays, translations, poetry and his autobiography which while giving evidence of his diverse literary talents, had brought him awards including a prestigious State Literary Award.

Based against an urban setting of the 1950s/1960s, the story in “Two Cousins” unfolds when there existed close ties between families overriding communal barriers. The story progresses with bonds braking and peaceful co-existence becoming a hollow dream. The narrator has kept out the respective families from the story which allows readers to come to their own conclusions of might be their reactions. The outcome of the crisis is conveyed to the reader through the weird behaviour of the protagonist, his display of fears, guilt and his strange conduct.

The settings of the story transport us back to the 1950s/1960s with the characters frequenting haunts which were popular at the time.  Flying by air had not yet commenced. Travelling overseas was by ship and the cousin who goes to the jetty to see his friend off to London finds him travelling on the ship’s deck without booking into a cabin. The passage on the deck had cost him only Rs. 1110 which gives an idea of the value of the rupee at the time!
Of the initial days of flying, the author mentions of his friend taking off from the Ratmalana Airport to London and friends and relatives arriving at the Airport to bid goodbye to the traveller.