“Hurry up.. Hurry up..”- said Madhan. “It’s getting late. Why are you so lethargic..?”
His wife and daughter were still dressing up. They were all getting ready to go to Madhan’s office to take part in celebrations planned for the International Women’s day. Madhan’s wife Sumathi works as a teacher in a local school. His daughter studies in eleventh standard in the same school.
A family get-together has been arranged by Madhan’s office on the eve of International Women’s day with the idea to get all the women-folk together and bond together.
“Madhan.. Madhan….” – There was a faint call from his Mother, from the bedroom. “Yes Ma..” – Madhan sent his voice inside, still buckling up his shoes, sitting in the living room.
“Paati wants medicines to be bought for her. She has been reminding us from yesterday” – said Dhivya. “Mom is not allowing me to go out and buy the medicines”.
“Uff… Ma..” – said Madhan “We will get it later. Not now. Sumathi, why are you not allowing Dhivya to buy it..?”
“No.. No.. I don’t want to allow Dhivya to go out after 6PM in the evening. How can I allow a girl to go out on her own after 6PM..?” – said Sumathi “And I am tied up with all the work at home with none to share”.
“What do you expect me to do..? Do you want me to share in your cooking, cleaning the washrooms, cleaning clothes etc..? No way” – said Madhan angrily.
“Why, you can help cut vegetables, wash the clothes in washing machine, iron them, dust our sofas and almirahs..? If you want you can do so many things... You don’t do them. In addition I need to take care of your mother” – said Sumathi “Why only me…? Your sisters are all home-makers only. They can take care of your Mother”
“So my mother has become an additional burden for you..” – said Madhan escalating the tone and tenor of their arguments. “She is also a woman like you. You will also get into old age”
“Yes, obviously” – said Sumathi “When you won’t take part in household chores you can’t expect me to take care of your mother”.
“Leave your job” – said Madhan “Taking care of my mother is more important than money for me. Leave your job, do all the household chores and take care of my mother like women in those days”.
“Why should not a women work..? I want to be independent” – said Sumathi.
“Just because you earn money can you become independent..?” – asked Madhan “Women are always dependent on men”
“MCP” – muttered Sumathi not wanting to elongate the arguments further, which is anyway a daily one. “I will ensure my daughter is married to a rich person or be totally rich herself by her career. Will not allow her to be married to a middle-class person like this”
Madhan’s mother kept silently crying on her disabled state in the bedroom.
“Madam.. This is my wife Sumathi” – Madhan introduced Sumathi to the MD of his company Malini. His tone, tenor and body language showed the reverence and subservience he held for Malini.
Madhan is several levels below Malini. Since Madhan is recognized as an excellent employee, he has been identified as one of the key people to be nurtured in the organization and hence Malini knows him well.
Malini and Sumathi shook hands.
“What do you do Mam..?” – asked Malini.
“I am a teacher in Vidyashram” – said Sumathi. Vidhyashram is a very famous school in the city.
“Oh.. “ – said Malini. “It is a prestigious school. How many of you are at home..?”.
“We are a small family, Mam.. His old mother also lives with us” – said Sumathi. “And this is our daughter Dhivya, studying in eleventh”
“Mine is also similar to yours” –exclaimed Malini. “My husband is already here. My daughter would anytime join us from her tuition classes. She is on her own hopping in cycle from place to place. My mother in law is at home”
“Really you are great Mam. How come you manage your family and also a business..?” –said Sumathi “You have so much of energy”
“Oh. No.. it is not as difficult as you think” – said Malini “The credit goes to my husband who shares with me every work I have from household chores to office work”.
Sumathi looked at Madhan with a deriding smile.
“Madhan also tries to help Mam..” – said Sumathi, not wanting to fully expose Madhan on this count. “When Madhan comes back from office he is so tired. And in general males don’t share all the household work right.? They have their own world.. isn’t it”
“Hey.. I remembered this suddenly. Madhan, what happened to ABC consultants file. I think it reached you pretty late in the evening..” – asked Malini.
“Yes Mam..” – Madhan said “I finished it off yesterday night itself.”
“Oh.. I thought you would find it tough and would still be on it as you would have been pretty tired by the time the file reached you” – said Malini.
“No Mam, I did it” – said Madhan “It is my work Mam. It is my responsibility. I look at such responsibilities as an investment for the future of my career. How can I leave it unfinished..?”.
“See what Madhan says …” – said Malini turning to Sumathi “If one realizes something as their responsibility and an investment for future, they will do it. Responsibilities are always investments for future. Am I right Madhan..?”
“Sure Mam” – said Madhan “100% agreed. That’s how I look at my office work. Responsibilities are always future investments and not expenditures in my office work”.
“I and my husband apply this office principle to our home responsibilities also” – said Malini . “Whether looking after elders, sharing our daily house-chores, we consider responsibilities as our joint investments for future family life, share them and do it. There is no responsibility in this world that is woman or man’s alone. Let’s remember. In family and career, man or woman whoever makes the investments only will have a good future. So both need to make it”.
Madhan and Sumathi looked at each other.
“Cmmon.. Cmmon, let’s celebrate the Women’s day. I am boring you people with my responsibility-investment lectures I think, as I do to my daughter” – said Malini.
“No.. No.” – said Dhivya “Women's day has started just now.." -she elongated it a bit. "For us" she muttered to herself. "Real women's day is when men and women both realize responsibilities are investments that need to be shared equally".
-TBT
His wife and daughter were still dressing up. They were all getting ready to go to Madhan’s office to take part in celebrations planned for the International Women’s day. Madhan’s wife Sumathi works as a teacher in a local school. His daughter studies in eleventh standard in the same school.
A family get-together has been arranged by Madhan’s office on the eve of International Women’s day with the idea to get all the women-folk together and bond together.
“Madhan.. Madhan….” – There was a faint call from his Mother, from the bedroom. “Yes Ma..” – Madhan sent his voice inside, still buckling up his shoes, sitting in the living room.
“Paati wants medicines to be bought for her. She has been reminding us from yesterday” – said Dhivya. “Mom is not allowing me to go out and buy the medicines”.
“Uff… Ma..” – said Madhan “We will get it later. Not now. Sumathi, why are you not allowing Dhivya to buy it..?”
“No.. No.. I don’t want to allow Dhivya to go out after 6PM in the evening. How can I allow a girl to go out on her own after 6PM..?” – said Sumathi “And I am tied up with all the work at home with none to share”.
“What do you expect me to do..? Do you want me to share in your cooking, cleaning the washrooms, cleaning clothes etc..? No way” – said Madhan angrily.
“Why, you can help cut vegetables, wash the clothes in washing machine, iron them, dust our sofas and almirahs..? If you want you can do so many things... You don’t do them. In addition I need to take care of your mother” – said Sumathi “Why only me…? Your sisters are all home-makers only. They can take care of your Mother”
“So my mother has become an additional burden for you..” – said Madhan escalating the tone and tenor of their arguments. “She is also a woman like you. You will also get into old age”
“Yes, obviously” – said Sumathi “When you won’t take part in household chores you can’t expect me to take care of your mother”.
“Leave your job” – said Madhan “Taking care of my mother is more important than money for me. Leave your job, do all the household chores and take care of my mother like women in those days”.
“Why should not a women work..? I want to be independent” – said Sumathi.
“Just because you earn money can you become independent..?” – asked Madhan “Women are always dependent on men”
“MCP” – muttered Sumathi not wanting to elongate the arguments further, which is anyway a daily one. “I will ensure my daughter is married to a rich person or be totally rich herself by her career. Will not allow her to be married to a middle-class person like this”
Madhan’s mother kept silently crying on her disabled state in the bedroom.
“Madam.. This is my wife Sumathi” – Madhan introduced Sumathi to the MD of his company Malini. His tone, tenor and body language showed the reverence and subservience he held for Malini.
Madhan is several levels below Malini. Since Madhan is recognized as an excellent employee, he has been identified as one of the key people to be nurtured in the organization and hence Malini knows him well.
Malini and Sumathi shook hands.
“What do you do Mam..?” – asked Malini.
“I am a teacher in Vidyashram” – said Sumathi. Vidhyashram is a very famous school in the city.
“Oh.. “ – said Malini. “It is a prestigious school. How many of you are at home..?”.
“We are a small family, Mam.. His old mother also lives with us” – said Sumathi. “And this is our daughter Dhivya, studying in eleventh”
“Mine is also similar to yours” –exclaimed Malini. “My husband is already here. My daughter would anytime join us from her tuition classes. She is on her own hopping in cycle from place to place. My mother in law is at home”
“Really you are great Mam. How come you manage your family and also a business..?” –said Sumathi “You have so much of energy”
“Oh. No.. it is not as difficult as you think” – said Malini “The credit goes to my husband who shares with me every work I have from household chores to office work”.
Sumathi looked at Madhan with a deriding smile.
“Madhan also tries to help Mam..” – said Sumathi, not wanting to fully expose Madhan on this count. “When Madhan comes back from office he is so tired. And in general males don’t share all the household work right.? They have their own world.. isn’t it”
“Hey.. I remembered this suddenly. Madhan, what happened to ABC consultants file. I think it reached you pretty late in the evening..” – asked Malini.
“Yes Mam..” – Madhan said “I finished it off yesterday night itself.”
“Oh.. I thought you would find it tough and would still be on it as you would have been pretty tired by the time the file reached you” – said Malini.
“No Mam, I did it” – said Madhan “It is my work Mam. It is my responsibility. I look at such responsibilities as an investment for the future of my career. How can I leave it unfinished..?”.
“See what Madhan says …” – said Malini turning to Sumathi “If one realizes something as their responsibility and an investment for future, they will do it. Responsibilities are always investments for future. Am I right Madhan..?”
“Sure Mam” – said Madhan “100% agreed. That’s how I look at my office work. Responsibilities are always future investments and not expenditures in my office work”.
“I and my husband apply this office principle to our home responsibilities also” – said Malini . “Whether looking after elders, sharing our daily house-chores, we consider responsibilities as our joint investments for future family life, share them and do it. There is no responsibility in this world that is woman or man’s alone. Let’s remember. In family and career, man or woman whoever makes the investments only will have a good future. So both need to make it”.
Madhan and Sumathi looked at each other.
“Cmmon.. Cmmon, let’s celebrate the Women’s day. I am boring you people with my responsibility-investment lectures I think, as I do to my daughter” – said Malini.
“No.. No.” – said Dhivya “Women's day has started just now.." -she elongated it a bit. "For us" she muttered to herself. "Real women's day is when men and women both realize responsibilities are investments that need to be shared equally".
-TBT
