Talk To me

Every night after the kitchen work is over, standing in the balcony & enjoying the breeze is what I love doing. The kids tucked in bed and fast asleep what I enjoy most is my watchman and his wife conversing. They do this every night and I realize that maybe that is what has helped bond them better even after 32 years of marriage.

Asha had everything a girl could dream of. Just when she finished college she got married to Rajesh a tall, handsome & upcoming businessman. Nothing could go wrong for it was exactly what Asha wanted. To be a homemaker and have a good bank balance. Life was perfect.

Anshul was born a year later & then followed Shruthi. Rajesh's business too was growing. Asha was not complaining. Her hands were full with the kids. Soon it was school time. Getting up, getting the kids ready, then dropping them off at school. The maid would help around till Asha finished her cooking. Then Asha was free to rest for sometime before the kids would come back. Her world revolved around the kids & what they did.

What Asha never realized however was that she was having no time for Rajesh. Their lives were growing mechanical. There was absolutely no communication between the two other than the routine stuff. It was a long time since they had made love to each other. They were so busy that they never realized that this day would even come!

Rajesh had filed for a divorce! Asha was upset! She cried to me over the telephone & wanted to come over to ask me what she should do. I listened to her story. One thing was clear they had completely lost touch with each other! Rajesh was busy in building his business & Asha was lost with her kids. Rajesh would return home late & then would want to tell Asha what happened but she would be dozing off on the table all tired with the day's work and had to get up early in the morning to get the kids ready.

By the time she would drop the kids & get back, Rajesh would have left! Where was communication between the two? I pointed it to her and only then she realized how long it was since the two of them actually had a decent conversation. We had gone for a long walk after dinner discussing this and when we returned, the watchman and his wife were conversing. Asha stood there stunned! The watchman was dumb... but his wife was able to understand every finger movement and giving her opinion on some neighbour they were talking about.

Not an important topic but it made Asha realize how important communication with your partner was. She definitely did her duty as a mother. Full marks to her! But as a wife I asked how would she rate herself and that set her thinking. She remembered how many a time Rajesh would start something & she would immediately cut him short or ignore because she was tired. She understood now where the fault lay.

She went home a changed person - happy! A few days later she called to say that she and Rajesh are going for a business cum pleasure trip. " The kids", I asked surprised. "Mamma's going to take care of them for 15 days. I have a big baby to look after!" she giggled.

Another usual night I am in the balcony, watching the watchman and his wife and they do not know how they changed my friend's life.