Short Story Family – Human Nature
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(Note: Image does not illustrate or has any resemblance with characters depicted in the story)
You must have thought that I hate my mother in law but that’s not true. I respect her a lot because she extracts best out of every situation which life offered to her. She is very darling woman and very fond of her house and ability of taking care of house. And this is the problem!
I don’t say that I hate clean house or I hate the household work but yes, I don’t really enjoy doing that. Even I thought I am good in these entire things until I got married. According to her, women must take care of house first. This should her top priority. She should take care of food, utensils, floor, bathroom, etc., and everything should sparking clean. For her, this comes naturally, but for me it took lots of effort. Sometimes I think there should a test before for checking all these skills or to check if she has ability to get perfect in this. I know, if there is any test, I would fail miserably.
Every person can’t take negative comments or improvement comment easily if you think you are perfect in that field. Even I can’t take it. Even my ex-boss was also like this. I tell you small incident about this. One evening, I was busy in preparing dinner in my kitchen, all normal stuff like rice, chapatis , daal , vegetable stew. My MIL (Mother in Law) came into the kitchen and told me
“Babu (My 21 month toddler) is hungry, Please prepare halwa for him”
“Give me 10 min, only 3 chapatis are remaining. After finishing them, I will make halwa” I said without looking up from stove.
“But he is hungry and after sometime, he will not eat. You just give me suji, I will make halwa for him” She said politely.
So I handed her suji, Gee(Homemade, prepared by MIL ) and sugar. I am also starving, so I got back to my work immediately. She started with putting some generous amount of gee in pan but gee reacted in different way. It started splitting like oil with water. I know the reason but I don’t dare tell her.
“Oh, My God. So much of water in gee. You have not washed it properly. I told you several times but you do it in your own way. I washed it so properly that not even a single drop of water remains in gee. Now see what happened!! We don’t have other gee also. What he would eat now.” She said angrily.
“But this time you extracted the gee” I said coldly. I Know, this is going to be backfired on me. If not today, tomorrow for sure. This is not my mistake but clear example of human nature. She is expert in making gee. She was doing this at least from last 30 years. And, I doubted on her!!
“How this is possible!! I never leave water in gee. I wash it properly and drain all water out. Even, people called me for advice in case some is having trouble in making gee.“ She said confidently. I can clearly see proud in her eyes. So, here comes the time for flash back.
“Remember, two days ago, I was preparing gobhi parathas and you said I will make gee this time as you take more time. And, you also showed me, how to wash it properly, as I am very bad in it. You also kept some for babu.” I am trying hard to make her remember otherwise I have to take blame of this. She got confused. She said nothing and prepared halwa quietly. Even during dinner, she was quite. As if she is thinking something. After dinner I cleaned up the kitchen and call it day at 11:30 PM.
Next day in the morning, I asked my MIL about her morning medicine so that I will prepare tea for her. She said nothing, still in deep thoughts. I came back. I thought she is meditating. Suddenly, She came after 5 min, Put her chair in front of kitchen and told me
“There is a scrubber (Wash cloth for washing utensils) lying on the floor of bathroom from last 3 days. First of all, what scrubber is doing in bathroom and you have kept water mug on the floor. You don’t even realise that, while washing you face, you splashed water on it and now it become dirty.” She said inquiringly.
“I don’t realise that scrubber is on floor. I must have kept it under wash basin. I am using scrubber for cleaning that. You only told me use scrubber and sorry, I didn’t realise that I should not put mug on floor” I defended.
“I told you to use ‘used’ scrubber not new one and don’t make me start on your cleaning habits. This is because of me your bathroom is clean otherwise no one can use it before. First you should learn these things. You are not just making food and washing cloth and that even you don’t do it properly. Then tell anyone anything about their work. Clean it before going to office. Now make tea for me.” She sounded like she has won some argument or war. During all this conversation I tried to hide my smile. Putting scrubber and water mug at their own place, hardly take 1 min. I know, this is not about scrubber or mug, this is about her expert area which I had questioned.
“Tea is good” MIL said this in relaxed mood as if a huge burden came down from her head.
I smiled silently inside the kitchen.
–END–
