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Our Walking

by Nuggehalli Pankaja
(Bangalore,Karnataka,India)

“We will start morning-walk”- He declared suddenly-“You are putting on weight”.


With great enthusiasm did I start; What fun accosting people in different types of dresses trotting, jogging!

Meeting friends-relatives after a fairly long time was a rejuvenating experience. Naturally, they too were pleased to see me, of course we had to exchange a few words of greetings, the social enquiries snowballing into spicy gossip. Indeed, it was an embarrassing situation for all the escorting spouses needless to mention ‘HE’ who showed the mounting displeasure in his own silent ways.

The climax came when he snapped this question-“Were you silly women discussing the ‘Idiot-serials’? About whether the foolish heroine really eloped with the no-good hero during the power-shutdown?

Oft would I lose myself viewing flourishing trees, burgeoning flowers, twittering birds, blooming sun., and stand in the middle of the road offering prayers to the sky-deity, with eyes closed……lo! an auto or motorcycle would swish past ,sparing me by a margin!! Immediately He would rush back with panic to verify whether I was alive, or dead, and if alive, bang me like anything! “Poor thing, some inspiration to scribble poetry must have overtaken her”- When some fan sympathized, he walked away with ‘Have all the accidents in the world,- I don’t care! ‘attitude!

Routes are also another problem. He can maneuver roads filled with litter, water,dogs, but for the life of me, I can’t. One day I really revolted; Stood in the middle of the road like a statue, refusing to follow him. A jogging girl stopped in her tracks to point me out. Very smartly, I pointed to the side road; Reluctant to give place to any scene, he took that road, while I jubilantly followed. Alas! My exhilaration received a terrible jolt, for there was water-water everywhere what with the car drivers bathing their cars! We had to really do circus-tricks to reach our destination. His mood? You can guess.

Having a penchant for temples, I would stand before it immersed in fervent prayer till his loud ‘ROAD-LECTURE’ arrests me...

Same restriction when I try to purchase some urgent provision for breakfast on the way home. “No shopping”. Invariable rejoinder to my argument-“Purse at home”

But He learnt his lesson this morning when the watchman grumbled-“Couldn’t you buy bread on the way back instead of sending me now?”


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