Short Stories >> Murk te Manah >> Stubborn Aunt (Machhad Masi)
Written By: Smt.Sundri Uttamchandani
Uncle bought two eggs that day. He stylishly handed the money to his grandson and said, “Take this money and go get bread.” Aunt had taken out all the old clothes and was altering them. Pushing her spectacles upwards, she looked at uncle’s face and questioned, “Have you found your youth again that you’ve started eating eggs and bread?”
Uncle turned to his daughter-in-law, “Child, please just light the stove for me so that I can make eggs.”
“Can’t you hear me? Who am I barking at?”
Uncle was now a little agitated and said, “Yes, yes I know, you are barking at me. How will you tolerate others when you are a vegetarian?”
The daughter-in-law lit the stove, came back and sat down. Suddenly, aunt gave a jerk and went towards the kitchen where uncle had broken the eggs onto a plate. Aunt stood at the door with a finger on her lips and watched him for sometime. She then said angrily, “Should eggs be broken onto a plate? Huh? You chopped the onions too with those hands! Now even the knife has been touched by the eggs - have you used the spoon as well? Oh, you have ruined the salt too. I’m doomed! Now come out and let the daughter-in-law make the eggs for you.”
Uncle lathered the ghee on the tawa and poured the eggs .Aunt was now furious and said, “Now you have ruined the oil pot!”
The grandson who was fond of his grandfather pulled the grandmother’s pallu and said, “Come out of the kitchen and let Baba make the eggs.”
Aunt snatched her pallu and said, “What happens if I stand here?”
Uncle laughed and said, “She is standing here to watch how I’m making eggs.”
“Goddd Blesss.” aunt said in a long drawn out manner, smirked and went out.
The grandson whispered in her ears, “Amma! Baba is going to take you out today. I know it.”
At first aunt frowned and said, “Where will he take me?”And then she shouted, “Aye, where will you take me after eating eggs?”
Uncle answered from the kitchen, “To the movies.”
Aunt went back to the kitchen door. The grandson winked and jumped while saying, “See, I know everything.”
“Move away scoundrel” she said and went into the kitchen. Uncle was now eating the bread and eggs and said, “Your son has given me three tickets for the movie.”
“You haven’t given birth to a son then why are you saying son? Say nephew!”
“I didn’t give birth to a son or was it you? I did not ask you to give birth only to daughters. The way my nephew is treating you, your own son wouldn’t have.”
“Now enough…Okay, hurry up and get ready so I can take you to the movies.” Uncle said and touched aunt’s shoulder.
Aunt moved away, saying, “First of all, wash your hands with soap. You have polluted the whole house, don’t pollute me now.”
Uncle laughed and said, “I shouldn’t pollute you…Come on come on, hurry up or the movie will begin.”
“You can go. I don’t like these habits in this old age.”
“Oh! If at fifty you consider yourself old, you have a long way ahead.”
“You may have a long way ahead.”
“I most definitely do. A man can have children up to the age of eighty.”
“Now shut up, have some shame in front of children.”
“You crazy woman when the children do not have shame in front of us, why should we feel embarrassed before them? Your son bought these tickets and asked me to take you. You are bossing around all day long. There is no peace in the house when one returns…”
“Did he say that?”
“Why are you shouting? We are living as parents and children. What is wrong if he said so? Come on now. I’ll wash my hands with your fresh soap too.”
“Leave my soap!” aunt shouted. Uncle left the new soap and washed his hands with soap on the wash basin. He said, “Is that fine now?”
“What fine? Wash your mouth first. When you sit near me, you will smell of eggs.”
“I made a big mistake by marrying a Brahmin.”
“Why? Are you repenting? You can still send me back…”
The daughter-in-law entered, put down aunt’s clothes and said, “Ammi I just ironed them now.”
At first aunt just looked at the daughter-in-law and then smiled and took the sari and blouse from her.
When both the oldies were leaving the house, the daughter-in-law handed her child to the mother-in-law.
Closing the door aunt said, “This grandson of ours has been sent with us as a watchman. Sons and daughters-in-law are very clever these days!”
- Translated by Arun Babani
The End