Two ladies..
Fed up with the husbands...
Two different scenarios.
I still remember them sometimes after all these years because it gives me food for thought.
The first one.
She was living independently, working in a bank, much older to me but somehow became a sort of friend.
Most of the time I found her frowning and in sour mood.
More than the mood was her constant frowning look and a rough tone of speech.
Especially when she was talking to her relatives on husband's side or her very sweet daughter-in-law.
She always intrigued me with her choice of colors.
Always wore either black or white color.
Never any other color.
I asked her why she always wore black or white.
She replied, " These are the only true colors."
She never liked to talk about her husband who lived in another city and was a beaurocrat.
She just didn't like him.
He was not up to her expectations.
Although it was a love marriage. Two different cultures, from two different States.
He provided her with every material comfort. And she was a working woman herself.
In a big bungalow she stayed alone with a young man who was her servant and whom she had brought from some village in remote hill area.
He was so scared of her !
She always carried a revolver with her in the briefcase in the car.
"For self protection ", she said.
I happened to visit her place once.
What a display of possessions !
Some absurdity too.
I mean I saw in her bedroom baskets full of dry fruits. They were displayed like show pieces, spilling their contents. So many baskets laden with varieties of dry fruits!
Just to show off .
And the way she kept on ordering her servant rudely through out the lunch, spoiled the afternoon.
She wanted to show us how she had every one under control in her house.
I found it funny.
She looked like a superfluous fool.
Anyway once in one of her weak moments while talking to me I saw tears in her eyes.
Disappointment with her husband was finally trickling over.
He was not as she had expected.
She didn't divulge the details but the pain was visible on her face.
I felt sorry for her.
Behind the brave mask there was a lonely woman.
I had met her husband at a party at their place. Such a nice, decent, soft spoken man!
What might have gone wrong between them?
One never knows the origin of silent wars between the partners.....
Both parties are the losers...
Unless one tries to end the hostilities, remove the mental blocks, it just takes whole life to even know the person you are living with.
Second case :
She always came to the hospital, all smiling and cheerful, but of course some ailment once in a while.
Overall she was a smart, charming woman.
With time she became more friendly with me.
And more open and honest.
One day she popped up a question to me.
A strange one indeed.
She wanted her " tightening of the system".
I knew what she meant.
"Why? "I asked her.
" My husband never spares me even for a single day. He really likes it too much.
This has made my "system" loose. "
I just smiled.
Then she invited me to her place. I said definitely I would come.
But her smile had some sort of invitation I didn't understand but I made a mental promise to myself not to visit her place.
She met me many other times but I avoided any deep discussions with her.
Was she really fed up with her husband?
Or was she just bragging?...
Fed up with the husbands...
Two different scenarios.
I still remember them sometimes after all these years because it gives me food for thought.
The first one.
She was living independently, working in a bank, much older to me but somehow became a sort of friend.
Most of the time I found her frowning and in sour mood.
More than the mood was her constant frowning look and a rough tone of speech.
Especially when she was talking to her relatives on husband's side or her very sweet daughter-in-law.
She always intrigued me with her choice of colors.
Always wore either black or white color.
Never any other color.
I asked her why she always wore black or white.
She replied, " These are the only true colors."
She never liked to talk about her husband who lived in another city and was a beaurocrat.
She just didn't like him.
He was not up to her expectations.
Although it was a love marriage. Two different cultures, from two different States.
He provided her with every material comfort. And she was a working woman herself.
In a big bungalow she stayed alone with a young man who was her servant and whom she had brought from some village in remote hill area.
He was so scared of her !
She always carried a revolver with her in the briefcase in the car.
"For self protection ", she said.
I happened to visit her place once.
What a display of possessions !
Some absurdity too.
I mean I saw in her bedroom baskets full of dry fruits. They were displayed like show pieces, spilling their contents. So many baskets laden with varieties of dry fruits!
Just to show off .
And the way she kept on ordering her servant rudely through out the lunch, spoiled the afternoon.
She wanted to show us how she had every one under control in her house.
I found it funny.
She looked like a superfluous fool.
Anyway once in one of her weak moments while talking to me I saw tears in her eyes.
Disappointment with her husband was finally trickling over.
He was not as she had expected.
She didn't divulge the details but the pain was visible on her face.
I felt sorry for her.
Behind the brave mask there was a lonely woman.
I had met her husband at a party at their place. Such a nice, decent, soft spoken man!
What might have gone wrong between them?
One never knows the origin of silent wars between the partners.....
Both parties are the losers...
Unless one tries to end the hostilities, remove the mental blocks, it just takes whole life to even know the person you are living with.
Second case :
She always came to the hospital, all smiling and cheerful, but of course some ailment once in a while.
Overall she was a smart, charming woman.
With time she became more friendly with me.
And more open and honest.
One day she popped up a question to me.
A strange one indeed.
She wanted her " tightening of the system".
I knew what she meant.
"Why? "I asked her.
" My husband never spares me even for a single day. He really likes it too much.
This has made my "system" loose. "
I just smiled.
Then she invited me to her place. I said definitely I would come.
But her smile had some sort of invitation I didn't understand but I made a mental promise to myself not to visit her place.
She met me many other times but I avoided any deep discussions with her.
Was she really fed up with her husband?
Or was she just bragging?...
