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When You Get What You Want

by Sheela Mysore Srinivasa Murthy
(Montreal, Canada)

'You are one lucky girl ya Tina…a smart hubby with a fat pay packet, a big house and all you do throughout the day is just cook some rajma-chawal-roti-dal and enjoy the rest of the day. Look at me, I need to wake up early, pack lunch box and catch the bus, reach office, work till late evening, rush back home, cook and then I just pass out. I wish I could live your life'

'But Neetu, at the end of the month you reap the benefit of your hard work, you have your own money, you buy what you want, you do what you want, you are so independent ya…I like to be that way.'

Guess GOD heard the conversation going on between the two young ladies on a lovely Saturday afternoon and he decided to switch roles and see what happens.

Neetu got pregnant and doctors advised her complete rest for the first 3 months as she was frail and those days were crucial for the baby.
She had to take a break from work and stay at home.

On the other hand, Bobby (Tina’s husband) got fired due to recession and had to sit at home. Tina was forced to take up a job at a financial consultancy till Bobby got back to work.

Neetu’s break from work started and she stayed at home. And so did Tina’s work start. They met each other and laughed at how they talked of being in each other’s shoes and how life actually gave them the chance.

Tina reported to work and met her manager. Since it was her first day, she did not have much work and everything went smooth. She came home happily.

Neetu enjoyed her first day at home. She listened to her

favourite songs, watched movies, called up friends and family and her day was done.

As days passed by, Tina started getting more work and responsibility at office. She would get up early in the morning, take care of the household chores, rush to work, be accountable at work and then come back home and cook. She started getting tired. She would imagine how beautiful her days were, when she stayed at home. She would do whatever she wanted to do and she had time for herself. Now, she was doing what she was supposed to do. It was frustrating for her.

Neetu, on the other hand, got bored of the song n dances or the saas-bahu saga’s she had started watching. For how long could she speak on phone or sleep during the day? She started missing office.

She missed the challenges her work offered and how she loved to tackle those challenges. She missed her colleagues, her deadlines, her team parties. She missed dressing up for office. She started feeling lonely.

May be GOD was happy that he conveyed what he wanted to. And so he decided to swap the ladies back to their original roles.

Neetu entered her second trimester and the doctor declared her fit to work.

Bobby got a call back from his office to join as soon as possible. With that, Tina quit her job.

And then when both of them met, ‘Tina, I wonder ya, how you girls waste so much of precious time at home doing nothing. I mean you gotta do something worthwhile in your life.’

‘Neetu, I wonder how you manage work and home both. It’s not my cup of tea. We live to enjoy, not to struggle each day of our life’

And so the conversation continues………
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