TO THE UTTER EMBARRASSMENT OF MY HUSBAND

Another new place, another new settlement; the plight of being married to a Government employee with a transferable job,

I had to adjust with new rented house, new circumstances in various places as did my husband.

Almost a decade passed, since we were married. My husband being a serious person by nature would always remain in his solemn trait. It would be a rare treat to see him actually laugh.

Whenever at home, his favorite pastime would be to go through the pages of the daily news paper.  At times I would feel, as if he was swotting up every line, every possible word that the daily paper carried. Whenever I would want to talk to him, he always had the news paper in front him.

My inquiry into anything, be it “Should I serve the food now?” “Will you go to the market tomorrow?” etc would always be answered with a “Hmm (which meant he affirmed to my question)”, as usual keeping the news paper before him covering his face.

We completed one whole decade of our marriage and yet I could not change this habit of his. So I adjusted with it myself. It wasn’t very difficult though as I was also a person who is not very chatty. I was more the reserved type and so I was cool with this trait of his.

I being a housewife would hardly go out of the house. My world revolved within the vicinity of my home. My household duty and my task as mother to my son and his studies would keep me busy. But this time I saw an advertisement of a computer course and wanted to join the class in a nearby computer institute. So, I opened my desire to join the course to my husband, as my limited knowledge of Computers kept me outdated and blank in this new world  of technology. I badly needed to learn the subject, so that I could also help and teach my son with his school computer syllabus.

Though at first my husband was little doubtful about me joining the course, owing to the fact that I hardly went out alone, moreover, the place was unfamiliar to me, yet seeing my determination he later agreed and I took my admission in the institute. Soon I found some more ladies along with young boys and girls as my class mates there. One of the lady lived nearby to the area I resided, so at times, after the class was over, I would walk back home with her. 

At first though the classes were hard for me to understand and I wasn’t as much at ease as the young boys and girls would catch up, yet I soon got the hang of it and caught up with the course and even started enjoying the classes with my new friends. It was like I was again in the university days. All the students there were enthusiastic lot and we would help each other learn more.

Every day I would come back and let my husband know what had happened in the class and how and what I learned. He would give me a peep out of his news paper, eyeing from his pair of glasses, just to let me know that he is listening to my exited discourse about all the new experiences I had.  I would describe about the place, the course and even my class mates. Every time his response would be with an

 “Hmm okay”.

In this way about a week or so passed since I joined the institute. 
One day as I was coming back from the class, I and my local friend there (who usually wears her traditional Assamese dress) were crossing a market that falls on the way. 

Just then I saw my dear old husband on the way. He had parked his bike there and was buying a newspaper from a street vendor. 

Seeing him I was happy, and so I approached him. I thought if he was going back home then he could give me a ride, as my friend would soon be nearing her house so rest of the road I would have to walk alone under the scorching afternoon sun. But I wasn’t sure if he would be going home or go back to his office.

So I went near him and asked, “Will you be going to office now?…”

Before I could complete my sentence he without even looking straight at me, hurriedly muttered, “Hmm, Yes!” (In his usual serious tone).

Hearing his reply, I did not ask any further questions, for I did not want to disturb my husband with any untimely request like, “Could you please drop me back home on your bike first, then go to office?”

I thought, it would be an abrupt question at this hour, and since the distance isn’t much, I shall cover it by walking all the way, and so I walked on.

Reaching near the gate of our rented house which was our home now, I at first saw my husband’s bike parked there below the steps, and then I saw my dear husband right at the main door of our home, cementing a hole made by the termite.

Seeing him, I asked in utter surprise, “You came back home? Then why didn’t you give me a ride when I asked you at the market? We both could have come home together?”

My husband replied, “Oh! That lady on the road was you? I thought it was some Assamese lady who was inquiring about the way, so I said yes without much thought, moreover the sun fell on my glasses, so I couldn’t see the face”

Hearing his reply I was at first shocked, then laughed loud, saying, “It is more than 12 years we’ve been living together and now you couldn’t even recognize me on street? I directly approached you and asked and yet you couldn’t identify your own wife? Keep that newspaper more in front of your nose, and in few days time you shall not remember my face at all”

And I laughed and laughed as my laughter continued…..to the utter embarrassment of her husband.

*Jhimly*Jolly
Copyright: Jhimly