I love September for many reasons. So much to look forward to! Birthdays, festivals, celebrations!
However, I dread it also for a few reasons. Especially when my poor refrigerator has to suffer so much around this time. Yes, it is that time of the year when my son’s birthday falls and when not only his birthday but birthday eve, pre eve, post eve, basically all the eves are celebrated!! The house is full of Adams and Eves and celebrations are never-ending! Exaggeration… Ummm … may be a bit what you see in my refrigerator is no exaggeration. It’s for real and it gives me all sorts of blood pressures. My blood pressure fluctuates from low at the night to high during the day. My body feels like how it feels when you sit on a camel. You go up and you sink. You again go up and you again sink! You keep going up and you keep sinking. Ohoo! While I am writing this, I am only sinking!
“Bête! Yeh mere refrigerator ka Kya haal bana rakha he? Kuch hatate kyun nahin?” I ask son.
“Mom, I have thirty friends coming over. I need all this!” He responds.
“But beta yeh itna bojha (burden) nahi seh payega! Isko adat nahi hai! You have seen how empty my fridge usually is!” I say.
“Yes, it is because you don’t cook and keep anything interesting in it!” He says.
“Jyada na bol! It is because I don’t like leftovers in the fridge. They are not good for our health. I like to finish off everything on the same day and cook fresh the next day. Huh!” I react although I am guilty as charged.
“Whatever mom! But I need all this!” He says.
“BEte, but I believe you have stuffed your refrigerator and dadi’s refrigerator too. Do you intend to party for the next six months or the next two days only? Also, do you have thirty friends or three hundred friends coming over my bête?” I am sarcastic.
“Thirty mom!”He rolls his eyes and says.
“Bête then thirty beer bottles and few soda ones are more than enough na! Tumne kaun sa “doobey haan doobey” gaana shoot karna hai mere laal?” I say while I turn laal peela neela.
“Mom Ek Banda aaram se do beer to le lega plus uske baad bhi kuch na kuch chalta rahega! Leave it now and please let me work! I am managing everything on my own and not giving you anything to do na! Be happy about it!” He reacts.
“Arey! Who says you are not giving me anything? You are giving me anxiety na! I am very worried about my poor refrigerator. Taras kha us bechare par! Kuch bol nahi paata to iska matlab yeh nahi, tu uspe jyaati karega! Aese karega to uska compressor hee bol jaayega!” I request.
“Mom! Please stop your melodrama! Itna chota refrigerator laane ko kisne kaha tha!” He says.
I am shocked beyond words. Nobody insults my refrigerator.
“Chota! Chotaaaa! Nalayak yeh full-size ka refrigerator hai!!!! Is mein banda tak ghus ke aaram se so sakta hai! And What melodrama bête. Humare birthdays mein to ek do (2) litre coke ki bottle khulti thee aur dus (10) bachon mein bantati thee! It was like, kaddu katega to sab mein batega.” Ab to yeh haal hai ki ek hee dus dus bottle gatakne ko ready betha hai!”
I respond and go back to console my lifeline. My refrigerator!!
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