My husband got his promotion recently as Managing Director of a prestigious public sector organisation. Life is rosy and exciting for me as wife of an M.D. in Mumbai.
Then one day Seema, my young niece came to spend a day with me. She was on her way to join her husband abroad. We haven’t met for quite some time. As she is my pet and favorite, I looked forward eagerly to have a great time with her.
She arrived by daybreak and after the customary greetings and welcomes, we settled down over a cup of coffee. Immediately the phone started ringing. It was a call for the M.D. and as he was out of station on one of his numerous tours, I was asked to take down some message. I obliged dutifully. The moment I put the instrument down, it rang again. Though the caller was different, the purpose was the same. After three or four replays of the same action, I finally sat down with her again.
She, who was all the while staring at me with wide eyes, gushed, “What is it, Aunty?” I just shrugged my shoulders. “Some guys wanted to convey something to Uncle.”
She was curious. “Does it happen frequently?”
I smiled at her ignorance. “Arre, Seema, what do you think? ‘Frequently’ is an understatement. It happens almost all the time. Whether Uncle is in Mumbai or elsewhere, the calls keep coming. When he is not there, I have to respond. Don’t I?”
She nodded her head.
“Do you know one funny thing? I was so accustomed to attending these calls that the other day, when your father rang up and said “Hello! How are you?” I replied mechanically, ‘The M.D. is out of station. Would you like to leave any message?’ You should hear the firing I received that day! It was the nastiest I got in my life”
She giggled heartily. “Yes, Daddy told us about that.”
Later in the day, she enquired. “Aunty, when will Uncle come back? Too bad that he is not here today. He doesn’t like to see me or what?” She pouted.
I sighed. Poor girl! She doesn’t know. Half of the days he is away on tours and the remaining half, he sits late either in the office in meetings or in the house with files. Sometimes I really wonder where and how and why all that paperwork generates and multiplies!
I tried to explain to her. “No, dear, it is not like that. His job and responsibilities are such that very frequently he has to be out. Not only just for today, it is almost always like that.”
She looked at me disbelievingly. “Then, Aunty, how do you spend your free time, which you seem to be having in plenty?”
“Yeah, more than enough. I just watch T.V. or read books or do something or other.” I added as an afterthought, “There is an additional duty also for me to do. As a result of his hectic schedule, Uncle does not have much free time of his own as such. So very frequently he passes the buck to me to go through such and such article in such and such journal and note down salient points. I used to feel very important initially and plunge into the task headlong. You know well how fond I am of reading. But slowly I got fed up with the tedious and monotonous and above all, unrewarding job and slowed down.”
I sighed. “Sometimes I feel very bored. I get to see less and less of him these days. But what to do? It’s all part of life as M.D.’s wife, I guess.”
She was thoughtful for a moment. Suddenly she said, “Wait, Aunty, I just remembered something I heard. I am sure you are unnecessarily blaming Uncle and his busy life, more as a matter of habit.”
I was surprised. “What, Seema, what are you saying? What do you mean?”
She gave a knowing wink. “Oh, come on, Aunty, are you not freaking out a lot these days? Poor Uncle! He is taking time off his hectic schedule and taking you all over the country. Is it not true? And here you are, cribbing that he is always busy with office work!”
Now I understood. “Oh, that one? One small correction, though. Not all over the country, as you said, dear, just to two or three places. That too, not on vacation as you think. Uncle was going on official duty and I just accompanied him.”
“Whatever it is, did he not take you along?” she argued.
“That is all thanks to ‘Flying Returns’.” I protested
“But you say, Uncle has gone on some official work. That means he must be busy there also. Then what do you do? How do you kill the time? Was it not boring?” She was curious to know.
“Oh, no, not at all! Wherever we went, the people were very courteous and hospitable. They really went to great lengths to make my stay comfortable and memorable. I can never forget the great time I had.” I replied. “Besides, there was some local sightseeing also.”
Some other thought crossed my mind and I chuckled. “You know what, Seema, these days my kitchen duty is also reduced drastically.” She looked puzzled. “How is that?”
“Because, most of the time he is out of station and even when he is here also, he is feasted with frequent lunches and occasional dinners.”
Her face brightened. She is as equally notorious for her strong reluctance to cooking, which almost borders on aversion, as myself. “Wow, what a good fortune! That must be an added bonus for being M.D.’s wife!” she exclaimed. “How I envy you!”
“Initially I too felt the same way. But my happiness was short-lived. Because since it is he alone that is having all those tours and feasts, it leaves poor old me to fend for myself. Isn’t it? And I tell you, to cook for only one, that too self, is really the most insipid and tasteless job.”
She clucked her tongue in sympathy.
We were enjoying our lunch when the telephone rang once again. I rushed to answer. It was again for the M.D. The caller was a senior government official from outside Mumbai. After ascertaining my identity, he requested me to note down his tour programme for the next week and make the necessary arrangements for his stay, travel and transport. Bewildered, I told him that this number belongs to the M.D.’s residence and as he is away on tour, he should contact the office to do the needful to ensure a smooth run.
He very nonchalantly dismissed my feeble suggestion with, “Oh, it is very difficult to get the office line, Madam. You do one thing. You contact such and such person from such and such department at such and such number in your office and just pass on this message. You need not do anything else.”
On hearing the details, Seema was furious why people should disturb me during office hours. I pacified her, saying that we should be understanding and helpful to others. After all, it is neither too inconvenient nor too difficult to answer the phone and take down some messages! But the only problem is that I am always at my wits’ end with the fear that I may mess up the things with my inexpertise.
But of course, there is no doubt that, of all the callers, that day’s caller took not only the cake but also the whole bakery in this regard! The girl burst out laughing. “Very great, Aunty, but what made him assume that you would succeed to get the line when he failed to do so?”
Very sensible doubt! It never occurred to dumb old me! I was lost in thought searching for a suitable explanation. After a moment, she herself came up with a brilliant answer. “Perhaps, he must have thought that being the M.D.’s wife, you must be having a telepathic contact with the whole staff!”
We had a hearty laugh at the idea.
In the evening when we were coolly watching some ridiculous daily soap on the T.V. we had visitors. One of my acquaintances came with a sprightly young girl.
“Look, Vidya, this is my neighbour’s daughter, Pragathi…”
“Pregs, Aunty, Pregs.” The girl waved her hand impatiently. The lady shrugged and left.
It seems the girl was working for one of the numerous T.V. channels and wanted to interview me! I was flabbergasted and rendered speechless. The chirpy girl told me that it was just an exploratory visit to get familiarised with me and for the ‘real thing’ I have to go to their studios somewhere. So that explained the absence of camera, microphone and other paraphernalia.
I relaxed a little. Otherwise, how can I give an interview all of a sudden? That requires some preparation. I, like a majority of women all around, have a mortal fear that my face is not camera-savvy, nor my voice microphone-friendly! But, informal chat is entirely different. I can manage that easily anytime.
I was a little curious to know how I figured in her scheme of things.
She tossed her head and finger-combed her hair for the umpteenth time. “Well, it is like this. I joined this channel around three months back and the boss fellow is nasty with me for not doing even a single quality story. I told myself, ‘Look, baby, it is time you do something to get that grumpy off your back. Go, man, go and interview somebody somewhere double quick.’ It is then that I got this great idea that instead of doing some big shot like every other fellow, I’ll do their wives just for the heck of it. Isn’t it fab? It is. Then I told that fatso in the next door, who came with me, to suggest some name. It is she who told me that you are the wife of an M.D. of something big….”
I tried to fill in the details, with a view to help.
She dismissed me with a wave of her hand impatiently. “Will do, will do, yaar. Just anything to silence that big mouth. Never heard the name till now, though. But no sweat. I’ll tell those lazy bums in the script and research wing to dig deep into this thing and come up with some cool intro for me. Okay?”
She took out a notepad and pen and snatching her fingers, called “Come on, come on, let’s get down to business. First I’ll ask you some fundas, just to get an idea how to shape up the real thing. Right?”
Without waiting for my reply, she started. “Now, tell me something about yourself. What are your goals? What are your ambitions?” She bit her tongue and beat her brow. “Oops! I forgot. You are a housewife, no? Sorry, I thought I am speaking to some big shot. Now, now, coming to the point, what are your likes and dislikes and hobbies?”
She grimaced at my blank face. “No hobbies? Okay, okay. At least tell me, how you spend your days? Do you go to the art galleries? Or fashion shows? Do you socialise a lot? What clubs you are a member of? What type of social circle you move in? Arre, tell me something, yaar!” She stopped to catch some breath.
I was quite amused with the long list she recited. At the same time, I also felt a little guilty for disappointing her. “I am not in the habit of doing any of those things. I prefer home and domestic activities.”
She stared at me for a while. Then with a shrug of shoulders, said, “Oh, I see. Doesn’t matter. Will do, will do. I’ll tell our people to come up with an easy questionnaire to blast at you, which you’ll be able to answer. Yeah, don’t worry, I’ll manage somehow.” She was thoughtful and said as if to herself, “Then, I think, instead of thirty minutes, I’ll have to do a five minute bit.” She shook her head. “But, no, then the grumpy will eat me. Okay, I’ll make it a fifteen minute piece somehow.”
After repeatedly assuring me that she’ll sure keep in touch and fix a date, she gathered her things and left.
We could not speak for a while, as if we were just hit by a terrible hurricane. Seema broke the silence with, “Oh, what a girl! I never saw such a brat in my life! Do you really want to go ahead with this?” she shuddered.
“Of course, why not? Oh, Seema, cool down. I really look forward to my maiden interview. I am sure it will be great fun and highly entertaining to work with the girl.” I smiled.
When it was finally the time for her to leave, she said, “I really enjoyed my brief stay, Aunty, I had a great time.” Then with an affected tone, she said teasingly, “It is indeed an honor to be able to spend a few hours with the great M.D.’s wife. Thanks a lot for taking time off your busy schedule to favor me with an audience.”
“You, naughty girl, are you making fun of your aunty?” I chided her. “But all said and done, I am really enjoying my life as M.D.’s wife” I said proudly with great satisfaction.
