“Hmm… you don’t even know what punctuality means… Every time everywhere late!!” — Mom started attacking me… Yet another topic where she finds me so poor in performing well..
“Umma, Give it a break… What if I was not punctual, I manage to get things done right?” — Today, I am in for defense..
“Hmm.. you will learn only from your own experience…” — That is the final nail to the coffin..
Anyway, I prodded on.. “In your eyes, I have only shortcomings. I may be late, I work too much, and spend so much time in office.. But you got to understand that I enjoy what I do, and I learned it from my father.. You know it well. So, you don’t have any right to tell it is wrong, when he does it too.. ” (Yea, cornered her :-))
“Yea, I agree. But I learned good work culture from MY father. He has even won awards for efficiency and punctuality!!”
I didn’t want to give up – “Don’t you know, I too have won awards in office for what I am..” (Referring to the Wall of Fame that Poornam awarded)…
“Yea, may be, but MY father is an award winner at HOME TOO (if there is any award given to the efficient and best family men)..”
Baang!! Did you hear a sound? Yea, its my ego crashing to the floor…
Grand pa was an excellent man, who looked after his siblings and his own wife and children dutifully without any issues. At the same time, he was very punctual to work, was efficient, good natured, pleasant and smiling, what not.. He was our (all grand children’s) favourite too, because he made sure that all our kiddish wishes are granted. If we geot any prize from school, he made sure that we were properly appreciated for that. If it is a cash prize, he takes the envelope and starts reading it, like, “Nasrajan MP, First Prize for….. ” and reads even the full address of the school, and then takes out the money even if it is Rs.10, and smiles widely…. That smile was the biggest award we all used to get… The same happens to all certificates we earn.. I missed him most, when I received the Wall of Fame award from stage…
I took my first Ramzan fasting at the age of 5. I was adamant that I was going to do it, though my mom tried to persuade me against it. I took to the fasting till the afternoon. Then the count down started, I was feeling so hungry and thirsty. Somehow, it aroused the otherwise very calm daemon inside me, and I started behaving odd and started pestering my mom. They all were scolding me, when grand pa came that way. I guess he smelt the real daemon, and he took my hand and went out. We went to a shop, he bought me some dates and we returned. I started eating on the way back itself, and thus ended my first day of fasting half-way. The daemon went back to its shell immediately too. He knew how to deal things with a smile.
That is where my ego crashed with a thud… Being good in office is much easier compared to the effort for being good at home :-) The former costs you only 8 hours a day (or max 12) , whereas the latter demands a life time…
What next? Its time for me to prove it and win an award at home too, right? Else what meaning is there for my life?
*****
The second attack started at the dinner table. Mom started again, at one of my comments – “How are you going to manage a house alone??? Do you know how to cook ANYTHING? You are good in your office only…!! and may be among friends…” Now, that is the last nail to my coffin.
Being pampered till Pre-Degree for concentrating in studies, then exported to hostel for Engineering course, and finally joining a company where food is free 24×7, totally spoiled!!
I kept quiet (mom’s cooking is always so tasty and I didn’t want to divert my attention from it) ….
Finally, the ice was broken by my fatherji, who started speaking in his usual calm voice… “Edee, there is a proverb in Arabic.. Its rough meaning is this: if you are good for something, you will be good for everything. If you are not good for anything, you are good for nothing. If she manages projects in office, eventually she will be able to manage a home if she tries…” — Wow, isn’t that something really comforting?
****
4 months later:
Finally, I have learned to manage our home and menu with two months’ experience of cooking all alone. (Believe me, our insurance is still in-tact, and we didn’t use it till now:-D)
Now, don’t stare at me when I explain how. This is my hypothesis.
1. I am used to memorizing a lot of subjects till 2003, when I passed my BTech.
2. I have done enough Chemistry experiments in college successfully and scored good marks.
Brushing up strengths 1 and 2, you prepare good chemical combinations in right proportion with the available ingredients in the kitchen shelf, smell it, taste it and we call it food…
Thats it..!! If you take care of today, tomorrow will definitely take care of you.. :-)
On a serious note, believe me, not even the simplest thing you learn in the world will be wasted in your life. You are bound to use it somewhere, even if it is an advertisement you read on the torn newspaper you got from the cobbler’s shop. (That is one lesson my father’s eminent teacher taught him, and which he passed onto me).
****
The tail end: Did anyone ask me why I took this much time for posting? Well, I was busy finding the right chemical combinations and after that, busy formulating this hypothesis…
Disclaimer: If you felt a tinge of bragging in any of the final paragraphs, it is purely intentional. It merely indicates that I am too happy for emerging unbruised from such a challenge.
Comments