There was an interesting article on Oheraldo on May 29, titled “Arao’s Sons of the Soil.” I wanted clarification on two Konkani words. So I wrote to my friend Joel D’Souza from Asagao, whom I always consult whenever I am in doubt, as he is very knowledgeable in Konkani. This is what I wrote to him: “Hi Joel, Per my knowledge, the plural of Goan flower 'abolem' is 'abolim' but in today's article "Arao's Sons of the Soil" on OHeraldo, the plural is written as 'abboleos.' "His wife deals with flowers - abboleos and zayo - and makes a few dozen garlands a day." Here the word ‘abboleos’ (aboleo) should read as ‘abolim.’ Am I right? As I kept reading the article, I came across the following sentence: "We have patches of abboleos and zayo in the back of the house and we deal with kokum and cashew too." Here ‘abboleos’ (aboleo) mean abolim plants. Am I right? To the above queries, Joel sent me the following response, which does not only cover the two words but brings out Goa’s village life four decades ago. I thought I would share it with netters: Domnic bab, Amger aboleanchi khobor kelear cheallis vorsam torim zatelim. Mhoji maim abolim laitali ani tim kaddun amche Jakin xezarnink ditali. Jakin manam fulam gunt'talem ani jhele vhoron Mapxeam vikhtalem dor disa. He khobrek sumar cheallis vorsam zalim. Aboleche fantte, aboleche rompe... hoi oxem aikol'leacho atam matso tuvem ugddas haddloi. Punn hanv sarkem nokllom... orxim ukol'li jib, talleak laili... oxem ghoddta tem khorem. Chear torim dhakttulim aboleanchim foddam bainchea lagsar astalim. Abril-Maiachea mhoinean thondd, bainchem udok kaddun hanv tea zhaddam modhekat nhatalom. Ak'kea vaddeacho Hindu lok heam don mhoineank amche baincher udkak ietalo. Dadle ani chedde baincher ievn nhatale ani soglleam fulanchea zhaddank udok poddttalem. Toxinch, sogllim Kainsuvchim nistekaram amche baincher ievn aple kopdde dhutalim, ani nhan-dhuvun ghora vetalim. Tednam sumar att zannam tori nistekaram nistem ghevn ganvantlean Mhapxeam vetalim. Tarabai vho Targem choddxem barik nistem - tarle, bangdde, peddve, kormott - haddtalem, Ponnem fokot xevtalleanche komad; dogam ietalim tim sodanch khube haddtalim. Tarabai Mhapxeam thavn ghora portotannam, Mhapxencheo godd pollieo (panv), kellim ani her khavpacheo vostu haddtalem. Adim kednaim rupiak xembor bangdde melltale, ani khavn urlele sareak upkartale; te dis atam somplet, re baba! Atam nistem Mhapxeam thavn ganvant haddttat. Mhoje bhaxek osleam goxttincho rong ani avaz asa. Amchi sezarn Tullsi-bai ani tachi sogllim bhurgim amcheach bolkavant astalim. Hanv ani mhojeo bhoinnim tedna lhan asleot. Dhorunim choddxem, ghonttanim ani kednaim lobiamnim khellop astalem. Roddi khavop hea khellank ruch ani svad hattalem. Pavsant fokot bolkavant... tikktteanim, geddem-faddem ani tablam khellonk. Damani khellonk mhaka mhoje main xikoilolo. Diogo Felix uncle ani Santa Munel uncle tor damache champion aslet. Mhaka khoxi korunk Santa Munel uncle kednaim apunn hartalo. Ekdom zantto, xikunk naslolo, punn toklen ani ulovpan fin aslo. Mhunn'neo tonddakuch asleot... sarkho Kid Boxer-a baxen. Diogo Felix uncle kantar korunk, ghor nettovnk, fest-porbanche kherit prat randunk, te mezar sobhtat toxem manddunk, ani soiream-dhaireank man-respedan vagovnk ekdom huxar aslo. Mezar saud korpakui toch, saudichem kantarui gavpak toch.... Jakin manachi ani Diog Filis uncle-achi and Tulsi-baiechi, Vhoddlea-baiechi tust ani khobor korit titli thoddi. Dor eklo vaddeantlo mhunis mhojea jivitantlo avesor zavn urla, ani to kagdar boroilear kitleoch romanxi zateleot. Tanchich vagnnuk, ulovp puro zatelem, patram ani dialogue borovnk. Mhoje mamaink hanvem pollovnk na, fokot xapai thoddo temp aslo. Punn sogllim xezaream amchim ghorchinch aslim... modon-maim, mamaim, vhoddleabai, konn titiu, konn uncle, man Martha, man Rozi, Sublo dai, Chondru dada.... Xembulo, Porbulo... Lazu irmanv, Caitan irmanv... Kovddo Zhul'lo mama, Khapri Zhul'lo mama, pixem Kotrin... zai tem patr sodh... he kalle kuddin tem sam'poddttelem. Sumar cheallis lamb vorsam bollanddlim, ghodd iadi zun bhejeache khanchi-goinddeanim ozun xirkon urleat. Ani Domnic-a sarkhe ixtt mellttoch heo iadi paletat, poilo pavsacho xinvor poddtoch, zomnintlean tazo chutt'techo kor upzota te porim. Dev borem korum, re baba. Rekad. Joel