‘Every day I have to listen- ‘you have done this, you have done that, you’re irresponsible, wasting time. And on top of it, this stupid work has no end,’ grumbling loudly in the kitchen room, I slammed the cupboard door. Before I turned around, the already cracked translucent glass made a great sound and scattered all through the platform.
‘Oh God! I dig my graveyard! Another extra work!’ I grunted. Tiny salty droplets dripped from my forehead while cleaning.
‘If I die, he would pull me out from my graveyard and would say ‘do his’!’I grumbled.
At that time, my husband- Abhay screamed from his office room, ‘Archana, why so late? It is already half past eleven, I didn't get my coffee yet! What are you doing?’
In a loud voice, I responded, ‘Just two minutes. Coming.’
Keeping aside that napkin, I prepared the coffee first and quickly served him his hot coffee on his desk. I knew if I were late means- complaint after complaint would be heaped up.
‘The work from home has made me 24/7, I think,’ I passed a comment and hurriedly left the room before he would pass his angry words.
When his office work is over, he usually comes out of the room and relaxes on the couch in the living room. He has installed a fifty-inch Samsung TV to enjoy his favorite cricket match or the awarded movies on Netflix. Five minutes to eight, he came out from the office room. Suddenly, he raised his voice while surfing the TV, ‘Hey Archana, where are you?’
‘In the kitchen room.'
‘What the hell are you doing all the time in the kitchen room?!’
‘Nothing? Dancing in the kitchen room.’ I retorted cynically. I was so disgusted with his
yelling, the same words every day.
He is jovial but very short-tempered. Every day, he is grumbling the same words- I hate most: ‘Hey, the maids have done their work. What else are you doing? You have no work, still, it seems as if all the time you are busy! What’s up?’
Hundred times, I have explained to him that ‘maids have specific works’ but he never understood! And the same complaint the next day, ‘Archana what are you doing? You have no work!’
I used to ignore his running commentary but that day I decided to find a solution. My brain, my mind, everything was saturated with his pinching words, which haunted me most- ‘You have no work’ and ‘What are you doing’!
The next day morning, in the drawing room, I held my tea in one hand and scrolled the mobile in the other hand. After finishing my tea, I hunched a little and seriously surfed my mobile. Abhay was about to go to his office room but suddenly stopped there.
‘Maids are absent today?’ he asked in a deep voice.
‘No, they came, have already finished their work,’ I answered him without looking at him.
‘What? "Have gone without finishing their work? Archana, what rubbish? See- come, come to this kitchen room,’ again he yelled aloud from the kitchen room.
‘What? I’ll see it later. You- better go, do your work. I’ll check it.’
Grunting in a little high-pitch, Abhay slammed his office door. I chuckled behind his back.
Again next day, I kept busy with my mobile. Abhay was ready to settle down in his office work and had glanced all over the drawing room, bedroom, and other two rooms too. He started screaming, ‘Archana, the clothes are scattered, the TV table, shelves covered up with dust. Seems as if dusting has never been done. What's going on here? Why didn't the maid finish dusting? I think, you must be busy surfing your mobile and they had left without doing their work.’
I then smiled at him and said, ‘Abhaya, every time you are commenting - you have no work, only surfing your mobile like so many things. Just remember dear, maids are kept for specific work like- sweeping the floor, cleaning dishes, and cooking. We have not kept anyone for dusting. And these maids will not do any extra work if are not paid for! Every day I do the rest of the work because I couldn't give you enough time. When you have time to have a glance at rooms, by that time everything is finished and the house looks tidy. Just to let you know, I didn't do anything for two or three days. Do you understand now whether I do any work or not?’
‘What? What did you say? Do you do this dusting every day? Why? Have you not kept anyone for dusting?’ he asked with a great surprise.
‘Yeah, Abhay! I do it daily. Every time you passed a comment- ‘you have no work’, ‘always surfing mobile’ that's why I stopped doing anything and kept busy myself with my mobile. If after doing so much work I would be blamed then why not I’ll enjoy my own time? Why are you upset now looking at the messy room? Enjoy it!’ I retorted with sarcasm.
I think he realized his mistake! Believe it or not, from that day onwards there was no more running commentary on my work! A few days later, he came to me in a very jolly mood and said, ‘Archana, sorry, ok! I am so involved in my office work that I never noticed that you are the one who keeps this house beautiful! Don't mind my words, forget the past, ok!’
I smiled at him with full acceptance! Very softly I said, 'Abhaya, never accuse anyone without knowing, please!'