What do you do when woman don’t value themselves – Post 8

I was talking to a friend the other day and then I read this post by Roop. Let’s first talk about the friend.

I think I know her since we were in class 4 or 5. She is/was smart, intelligent and someone with a sense of purpose in life. I would also call her decently ambitious. Let’s just say she was like any other regular girl with a regular life and regular aspirations. And then she fell in love with this guy; a couple of years older to her, from an affluent business family and belonging to a different religion. She was all of 18-19 then.  With much resolve and after a lot of protest they got married. All this happened a decade back. She quit her studies and got settled in the life of a home maker. I don’t think she gave all this too much thought then for she was finally getting married to someone she loved and was more than thankful that the parents and in-laws who had first protested had then finally agreed.

Why I told you this story was to set some context. This girl went on to produce 3 children in that last 10 years. First 2 were daughters and therefore she had a third one too, which, much to her liking and to the joy of her mother in law and husband was a boy.

Cut to present – her husband is hardly ever home, is into alcohol to the extent of being called an alcoholic and doesn’t do much work (read: is living off the family money). Her MIL is sort of a tyrant, running and ruling the household. My friend has no social life. And is at times subjected to “a bit of physical abuse” (these are her own words). She hardly ever gets to meet her parents in spite of the fact that they stay in the same city.

Obviously all this hurts me, for I still remember the girl she was when we were still in school. But what pains me more is her total resignation to her situation. She justifies her MIL’s behavior by saying that the lady has accepted a girl from a different religion into the family and that she will always be thankful for that, come what may. When I asked her about the domestic violence bit, she justified that too saying that she calls such behavior upon herself by arguing and fighting with her husband. And lastly, she justified the need to have a son too – she feels she owed it to the family to give them an heir. If her 3^rd born was a daughter she would have gone for a 4^th one as well.

Here is a girl, perfectly normal, who is enduring all the pains and troubles, because she believes that she deserves it. She suffers at the hands of this belief that is deeply engraved in her mind. A good DIL is one who never answers back, asks permission, thinks more about her in-law than her own parents, has no opinion etc. The parents feel proud to have brought up a daughter who listens to everything her husband and in-laws say. They are happy that she, with her “obedient and polite” behavior, has washed off the stigma of marrying outside the cast and has been totally accepted by her in-laws family.

So who is at fault here? For me it is my friend as much as her family. It is a case of a woman who has subjected herself to such behavior by choice. She suffers but in silence. She thinks it’s wrong to complain. She is making the marriage work. She has been at it for 10 years and will continue doing it till she breathes her last. I have no words. I feel bad for her but I also know that this is the choice she has made. Maybe someday she will realize her worth and maybe someday she will stand for herself. Maybe…

And then the mighty fall – Post 6

What a day this has been. First I overslept and when I woke up, I did with so much difficulty. Monday was here and work was screaming at me. Given a choice I would have slept all day, that’s how tired I felt. But such choices aren’t there. So I dragged myself out of the bed to get ready for work. And to make things seem a bit better I dressed with care and wore one of my favorite top and skirt and paired them with the latest stilettos I had picked up last week.

And then it happened while returning to office post lunch. I missed a step and before I could realize I was on all fours sprawled on the pavement. The wallet had flown to one corner and blackberry was whimpering at another. Thankfully Aman was with me but even he couldn’t save my mighty fall. My stockings tore, my knee was bleeding and so was my elbow. My shoe broke and my skirt has a bad mark. It was embarrassing beyond words. I have told you about my penchant for falling before. And we did it again.  A dozen odd people gathered around and I couldn’t even cry properly.

Gosh, terrible. Post some quick first aid, Aman dumped me in a taxi and sent me home. I think I will be rendered immobile for a couple of days. Sigh. Well at least one good thing happened with this fall – I got some dope to write a random post!!

Tales from the wedding – 2

Click here for "Tale from the wedding - 1"

The timing of the trip back to in-laws place was a near perfect disaster recipe. Let’s just say, being married for almost 5 yrs and having no children to show off, isn’t exactly a very exciting combination, for I knew the kind of looks and sneers I would get.

So the 5^th wedding anniversary was precisely 2 days before the BILs wedding date, which meant that all relatives had safely landed and the celebrations had begun. The spouse made me cut a huge huge cake with a big “happy 5^th” written on top of it. So memories were refreshed for even those relatives who had forgotten about it.

And thus began the lecture marathon from all and sundry and mostly those who matter little. From telling me how I was messing up with my body, to blaming me for coming in the nature’s desired path and then going on and saying how I was depriving the parent in-laws of a “grand son”. Phew. I did remain calm all through. Coz it was more important to ensure that the wedding happened properly. And frankly I was in no mood of altercation over this non issue. In these 5 years I have moved on from being bothered about this. It’s our life and our baby and we will have it when we want it. Nothing else matters.

This post is not about “others advising me on having children”. I am sure a lot of Indian married women have heard enough and more about this. What is rather intriguing is how consistent each of those uncles and aunties were in blessing me with a “SON”.  Absolutely no two ways about it. Each and every blessing that I received was for a son. I mean bless me with a healthy baby; won’t that be a wiser thing to do?

Finally I did retaliate, more from the intention to irritate this old neighbor. The moment she said “God bless you with a son very soon”, I did ask her “why son why not a daughter?” And I could see her visibly flushed. Pink in cheeks, she said, that a daughter can happen later but first born should be a son.  I glared at her against my better judgment, but she got the message, mumbled something and left. It was actually quite funny to see this effect my words had on this woman. I guess it was a first for her.

Now don’t confuse me with a pseudo feminist.  I am no man hater. But I have no preference when it comes to children. When we decide to go in for a baby, I will only hope and pray for a healthy child .  Nothing wrong in wishing those, right? 

How much do we know the people we think we know? Post 16

This incident took place a couple of years back while I was working in my first organization. There was this guy in the office who sat like 5 cubicles away. By virtue of being on the same floor and part of the same group I knew him pretty well. He seemed like a very professional, confident and normal person.

Till, we saw news about him in the leading newspapers of being arrested on the grounds of domestic violence. Shocking it was. Not just to me, but to a lot of other folks in office. I didn’t pass any judgment but all logic said that he might have been actually beating his wife, till she had enough and sought help. The report said that neighbors had intervened when her cries had become unbearable. She was bruised and not just physically but mentally and emotionally too.

That’s when I realized that the types who hit their wives were regular people. No they didn’t have horns, neither a sign which said “stay away or I could harm you”. They are educated and as regular as you and me. The monster within is safely hidden. During the day they walk the planet like any other person, getting through the daily chores and responsibilities. It’s only behind the locked doors that they get creepy and slimy. They do the unthinkable and without remorse. And the very next moment they are normal again. There is no give away. There is no guilt.

Yes, we really don’t know that people we think we know. The monster remains hidden.

What’s with parents these days? - Post 1

Disclaimer: I am not a parent, neither am I an expert, nor do I claim to be one. These observations are of a mature adult who is a little aghast by what is happening in the so called urban, upper middle class, households.

How can any one justify bringing kids to movie theaters? I see children of all age groups being subjected to movies. The most recent was spotting these little ones watching iron man and kites. Now please explain what a 4 year old will understand and take back from a movie like Kites and Ironman. Violence, sex, blood, gore and what not. Is it that the parents don’t fathom this or is it that they themselves are so desperate to watch movies that they just don’t care? Whatever be it, arrange for a baby sitter or take turns to come to a theater but please for heaven sake stop damaging your child’s mind.

I have also noticed a lot of parents employing young kids say 10 – 15 years of age to take care of their children? Now firstly, how can their conscience allow them to do so and secondly are they not worried about safety? I see this young house helper not more than 12 yrs take a toddler to play area of my building each day. And trust me it irks me no end.

Another trend that I largely see these days is that these mushrooming reality shows. Each channel has something or the other happening. Its either singing or dancing or comedy!! So stuff that was done solely for fun is now done for money. Kids are crying after being eliminated and so are these parents. Guys get a life. It’s really not worth it.

On the other end are parents who are adamant to make their child a scholar. A colleague of mine was teary eyed when her son got grade B. I guess life ends at that.

Expectations are sky rocketing. Why can’t parents  let these kids be kids and grow up on their own pace. Why the rush. Why do parents want their child to be a master of all trades? Sports, studies, extra curricular.

Are they not loosing their innocence somewhere? Are parents not rushing the eventuality too soon? Is this right?

Head Head Bang Bang..

Yup that’s the kinda constant feeling up there!! At least twice a week. And when enough was enough, Aman dragged me to the hospital. And when I say drag it actually was that. For the simple universal truth holds true for me as well. “I hate Hospitals”. Yes I do. Immensely. They are the most depressing places possible. The smell, the ambience, the faces, everything. It’s bad enough to even make a healthy person feel SICK.

And the doctor after all the checkup and tests confirmed what I always knew but kept pushing out of my mind. I suffer from migraine. Terrible one at that. So another feather to my unhealthy hat. Grrrr.

Looks like everything around me is getting the better of me. Doctor asked me to relax. Pray, explain how one does that? He asked me to take less stress. Again, who in the world takes stress. Isn’t that something that happens on its own?

Whatever, but I am seriously contemplating taking a month off from work. Going on a sabbatical. Going home to mum. Doing nothing. Maybe it will help, maybe it won’t. It’s not a solution for sure. But maybe its worth a try.

On another note - I am also suffering from the empty nest syndrome, although of a different kind. Younger sister has moved up north. After being together for the last year it’s very difficult to be in the house without her. We still address the room as “her room”. I really hope and pray that sooner than later we shift to the same part of the country where she is. People send in your good wishes.

Why be rude..

When smile can do? No really, why?

This is why I say so:

My return flight from Singapore to Bangalore was completely full. For obvious reasons I couldn’t do e check in, which meant that my getting a good seat was left to chance. And when one leaves things to chance, the worse usually happens. So I was given the center seat in the middle aisle. I was tired and all I could think of was reaching home on time.

So I boarded and settled down with a book. On one side was a middle aged gentleman. The other seat was empty but not for too long. After a few seconds, a huge middle aged woman walked in. When I say huge I mean really huge. I am not being judgmental here. Her size was really really big. Big enough to ensure that half her shoulder was on my seat, her legs were in-front of my foot rest, and the center arm rest was lifted up to accommodate her.

She looked visibly uncomfortable in settling in. And like any other person I too felt bad for her. So I decided to make as much space for her as I could. Just after we had taken off, she suddenly turned to me asking me to keep my hands to myself. I was shocked. I really couldn’t believe my ears. I smiled and said I was on my seat, to which she replied that my elbows were jamming into her. I was stunned enough to forgo a reply.

Now if you are so fat to be on half the seat of your co-passenger, how can you even complain? Here I was, mighty uncomfortable, but still sitting politely to ensure that she was all right. And that’s what I get. Grrrrr.

2 Sisters and no Brother, God be with your parents.

Among the innumerable happy and carefree memories I have of my childhood there is also one gloomy memory that is quite engraved into my mind.

Having been brought up in a small town like Ranchi has had its own share of discomforts. Most of it, I never experienced. Thanks to the warm and loving family I have, Neha and me have had a very protected, lighthearted, affectionate and independent upbringing.

Coming to the point of this post, the most common childhood question I have been asked by every adult I met for the first time is “How many brothers and sisters you have”, my reply would be “I have a younger sister”. My response had always been followed by a quick “what? No brother, oh no, poor parents, 2 girls to marry off”
The adult could be anyone – friend’s parents, new neighbors, some vague acquaintances and sometime some god forsaken relatives. But the line of questioning was always similar.
Not only me, even my younger sister Neha has faced a lot of these. This one question followed by a quick dismissal and then the pity has made me go through a gamut of emotions. From the initial confusion to irritation to anger to rage to the ultimate indifference. If anything this probing left me a little more determined to make a mark.

This was outside. At home it was a very different scene. Our little family was picture perfect. Neither mom nor dad ever seem perturbed that they had only 2 daughters and no sons. This fact never bothered them. In fact in more occasions than one I had seen them shut people up when they started the usual course of “Oh Mr/Mrs Bhatia, but why didn’t you try for a third child, didn’t you feel a need for a son?”

So when we weren’t bothered why were others? When my mom was happy with 2 girls, when my dad was proud of his 2 daughters, when neither Neha nor I felt the need of having a brother, why was the society so concerned?

Today, both of us are doing well. I am well educated, have a good career and am poised to do even better. I am financially independent and happy in life. Neha is all set to follow suit, having just completed her MBA. How is it any different from a family which had 2 sons? Now the same old folks come and congratulate my parents on the having the proverbial “well brought up children”.

Why I say this today is because I saw the familiar story unfold in front of my eyes. I thought the world had changed. But be in the 1989 or the 2009, be it Ranchi or Bangalore, something’s remain unchanged. In the play ground of my apartment, I saw a 5 year old subjected to the same line of questioning. The little one, who had an infant sister, was visibly unsure of what she had said that had made the aunty so abject, simply shrugged and went off. I smiled, because I saw yet another independent and confident lady in the making.

Of Swine Flu

How could I forget writing about this, damn me. It’s totally outdated now but like heck I need to write it. So please bear with me.

Some of you know that I went to Sydney this May. I was there for about a week. My return flight was via Bangkok and instead of coming straight to Bangalore I had to change my flight at Mumbai.

Now there have been confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Australia. Considering I was coming back from there I was sure there will be some major delay at Mumbai Airport in order to do a check up. Add to it the fact that I had a stop over at Bangkok too, which also had had a few cases.

Reality how ever was quite different. At Mumbai International airport I was given a form which had a few random questions like - have I been to a infected country, did I come across someone who has swine flu, do I have fever and cold etc. barring the 1st one I answered no to all.
After submitting the form the guard on duty scanned me up and down and then declared me healthy. Just like that. I was authorized safe to roam about the city. That took my goat. What if I really had the virus? Wasn’t a through check needed, what if I hadn’t said the truth? Was my saying so enough to let me go?

This was back in May; I hear that situation is better now. Not sure as my experience was quite vague. Anyone else who has had some similar experiences?

And I don’t know what to do..

(You might want to skip this post, its depressing)

I think I am loosing my mind. I haven’t been this angry and irritated in months. Someone very close and very important to me (and before you jump to conclusions, it’s not AMAN) is driving me up the wall. Reasoning and logic are not getting me anywhere with her. I have never seen her so adamant before. It’s like banging my head against a rock.
I have tried being soft, being conversationalist. I have tried talking to her. I have had zillion discussions. But nothing seems to work.

She is just not ready to understand. She is hearing but not listening. And she is not talking. She is speaking but not talking. There has to be a reason but she insists there is none. If she doesn’t have a reason why can she just agree to what I am saying.

I am unable to take my mind off all this. I tried thinking of the nicer stuff, getting immersed in work and then IPL. But this is like a constant thought knocking my head off. Last week has been so heavy. It’s like letting the wrong happen. And watching it.

What is wrong with Kiran Bedi?

A few days back I was interviewed by UTVi for a show which is yet to make its appearance. Among a series of questions that I was asked one was if I had any female role model.
Me being me said that I don’t have a role model but one woman I admire would be Kiran Bedi. Not that I ever wanted to become an IPS officer. But because she stood for what she believed and excelled in what she did in a largely male dominated field.

Now yesterday I saw this commercial where Ms Bedi was selling the god forsaken cosmetic cream called “No Marks" - I mean what the hell was that??
I haven’t ever seen such a miss-match between the brand and the brand ambassador.

For someone who has won enough and more accolades all her life, has stood as a symbol of women lib, has done the more than half the country proud, this “No Marks” endorsement doesn’t make any sense.

Fine so everyone has the right to earn money but even then how can anyone explain this disaster.

Ms Bedi – I had titanic regards for you and I am thoroughly saddened with this act of yours. You could have chosen something better.

I don’t feel happy this women’s day..

I was talking to a friend a while back and she told me that during a regular shopping trip to the nearby mall with her 3 year old daughter she caught herself unconsciously being conscious about her surroundings, taking note of who was around, who was watching her, and if anyone was following her?? And guess the reason – “She was dressed in jeans and T- shirt”

Is this how we have to live? In a perennial state of paranoia? Roop says we are physically weaker so no wonder women are being treated as second class citizens. She talks about being emotionally strong. But can emotional strength deter physically stronger men out there just to take advantage?
Monika has been talking about this too but will signing petitions help?

I don’t have a solution but for starters I feel a woman is as safe as she thinks she is. Carry a pepper spray and learn some self protection arts.
We all want to live in a world which will not raise eyebrow on seeing a single female walking on the road late in the night all by herself. We all want to wear what we want without the fear of some mishap happening.
I don’t want to drag Aman with me every time I go to pick up something from the nearby grocery store just because it’s dark.

But sadly we don’t live in such a world and maybe I am being pessimist but I don’t think I ever will.

So this woman’s day I just don’t feel like wishing you “happy women’s day”

Life is not fair…

And every dark cloud does not have a silver lining.
Who ever said that whatever happens happens for the good does not know a lot of things for sure.
In the end everything is not always right and bad does happen to perfectly kind and honest people who have never done anything dreadful.
And at times there is no justice.
And things don’t make any sense.
Some things should have never happened and sometimes there is no way to make things right.
All we can do is cry. But will that help?

Piya se nazarein milaoon kaise???

I can’t look into your eyes,
And you won’t come close to me

Now before you think I have committed a grave crime and that I am ashamed even to look into Aman’s eyes, such is not the case. I am still a good girl and I haven’t done anything wrong.

So the reason for my misery is – Aman has conjunctivitis. Sob sob. It is exceedingly painful to see the little boy in distress. Watery red eye, oh how I despise it.

Note for other Bangloreans : The epidemic is spreading fast in Bangalore, take care of yourself and family.

Where is the Recession??

The malls are still puking people, I still struggle to find parking on a weekend. All good restaurants are still over booked on Saturday and Sundays, multiplexes are still running house full, I still have to stand in long queues to pay my bills in Life Style and Shoppers Stop. There are still too many people in Spencer’s and More. So where is the recession?
How much more time will it take to start affecting the Junta?

Ps: I might be sounding cynical, but what the heck.

Updated on 19th Feb- Aman's Comment is really apt, I am adding it to the main post.

Aman - "Find reccession in the falling realty prices,, see it in every day reduction in interest rates,, observe it in sales numbers of all car makers,, feel it in the stimulus packages been doled out your government,, sense it in the announced lay offs...

Look at the ACs being switched off earlier than ever, hand tissues being preserved like gold, holes in the wadas becoming larger, coconut chutney becoming thinner... and at a lot more places!!!"

Too Much Mush

10 years back, when I was still in school, pre valentine day evenings were spent “hanging out” in Archie’s Gallery. This was along with a gang of girls who were all single. We went through each and every card and longed for the time when someone would serenade us with these. The soft toys, the cute miniature dancing couples, the heart shaped cushions, those musical key chains, the lockets that are broken in 2 pieces all made our heart skip a beat.

That was then, when I was still a teen, was in a girls convent, was an outright snob and read mills and boons.

Now yesterday, I went to this mall which has an Archie’s Gallery. I stood outside the store and stared hard. The whole place was done up in red and pink. All I could see were teddy bears and heart shaped pillows. The thought of going in and picking up a card struck me, after all it has been a while since I gave a card to Aman (for his first b’day after we got together I did some crazy stuff, well well that’s another post).

I took 2 steps towards the entrance and saw this huge crowd inside. All teens, apparently “hanging out” like we use to. Everything was either red or pink in color, everything either had a heart or a kiss printed on it. Everything just screamed of Valentines Day. Somehow the love was lost; rather what I saw was a very commercial, fabricated setup.
The mush was just too much for me to handle. I am anyways not very accommodating in nature and that whole atmosphere put me off completely. This on my face display of “love” left me with some kind of a queasy feel.

I am a highly romantic person, and I love all forms of expressions.
Now something I so enjoyed a few years back should have brought along sweet nostalgic feel. Rather I felt old and found all this display a tad bit silly.

Now before you take me for a refined version of Ram Sena, let me clarify that I have nothing against Val Day. I absolutely love celebrating all forms of Love. And why just this day in particular, I am lovey dovey most of the time.

The point I am making is about the extreme mush mush. Have I grown old? Why did I find the set up pretentious and blatant? I love going to the market during festive seasons solely because the place is done up and there is a happy feel around.

I think I am becoming old and things that were cute are now being categorized as silly. Is this also a part of growing up? I don’t like it then.

Phone Bina Chain Yahan Re..

Ladies and gentleman, I have yet again (mind it) misplaced my cell phone.
Yes this is true. I lost it 2 days back on a Sunday while parents, Aman and me were in Mysore. No clue where it went. It just vanished.

Well this post is not about the loosing part but about how I feel after loosing it.
Obviously I feel miserable. What with the sister-in-law’s wedding coming up all my energies were focused on shopping for the same and now I’ll have to spend money to buy a new handset.
Since it was a corporate connection I will get a new SIM card with the same number. The worse part is I lost all my contacts. And those who have ever lost a cell phone will know how difficult it is to rebuild the contact list. Looks like I will have to wait till my wedding anniversary to get all the personal numbers in place (the narcissist in me is so sure that all family and friends will call).

It’s been 2 days that I have been without a phone and I have started to like it.
The initial anger and frustration has passed away, and I have started to enjoy this part. It’s been peaceful. This is a pleasant break from the constant ringing. I call people when I want to. I don’t have to answer calls. I am so in love with this freedom. Work is surely getting affected but people desperate to reach me are dropping mails and I am calling them back on my own discretion.
As for family, they can reach me through Aman’s number.

I wish I could remain without a phone. I know that won’t work. But what I have decided instead is to be mobile phoneless (is that a word??) for a few more days.

Let’s see how this experiment turns out to be.

Little Hungry Gods

A poor child working to have a meal twice a day is surely child labor and none here will have an opinion otherwise.

But isn’t this Child Labor too?? Only because these children are well fed for and belong to affluent families, doesn’t their working to earn money qualify as child labor??

Agreed that the second set is doing this more out of choice rather than out of compulsion but does that make things any different.

Why do I talk about this today – because it hurts me no end when this young boy barely 10 comes to my home every Sunday morning and asks me if I want something to be cleaned. He insists I make him do anything, just anything. He knows very well I won’t, but he still tries. He knows the pattern, he asks for work and we give him food. This has been a ritual for the past one year.

I tried asking him where he stays and where his parents were, but he doesn’t understand either Hindi or English. He doesn’t go to school and does these random errands to earn some money.
I see him take the food and happily walk to the next house. I see him either washing cars or cutting grass. Yes this pains me no end.

Of all the vices we have as a society nothing precedes this, nothing at all.
Here we have such a huge problem in hand, and people are busy talking about religion and fighting for God we aren’t even sure exists when these little gods are sleeping hungry each day.

My giving food to a boy will not change anything. We need a social awakening, imagine if all the money that is being spent on strengthening the security, in weapons and on arms could be utilized in creating a robust system which would ensure that each and every child is well fed, healthy and gets education, won’t our world be a better place?

At the Changi Airport

A rather strange incident happened with me on my way back to Bangalore from Singapore.
I was standing at the counter to get my boarding pass. Suddenly out of no where this tall well built guy comes to me and says “I have extra baggage and I see that you are traveling light, please take some of it on your name” and with that he placed a huge suitcase on the conveyor belt and immediately stepped back. No introduction, no identity proof, just a statement and there he goes. I called out to him asking what his suitcase had to which he gave some gibberish reply which I couldn’t decipher and with that he retreated a bit more.
I am not a suspicious person by nature but this person sure made me uncomfortable.
The entire act was mistrustful. And he wasn’t looking me in the eye either. There was no time to think so I quickly turned to the lady processing my ticket and asked her if I was allowed to help a passenger, knowing very well that I wasn’t.
This time both of us called out to this guy who was now standing a good 15 feet away and was giving me stealing glances. He finally came up and spoke to me in Hindi saying that I could tell the ticket lady that I was his friend. I refused point blank. I was sure I wasn’t getting into any such mess especially in a foreign country. At this point the ticket lady very sternly told him to remove his bag from the conveyor belt otherwise she will summon the security.
Having done that I took my boarding pass and walked away briskly.

I am not sure what happened to that guy. Was he able to convince some other passenger to help him? Or did he pay extra money for extra baggage or did he throw away stuff?

I don’t know what I did was right or not. Was I over skeptical and behaved like a paranoid? Should I have helped a fellow Indian in that foreign land? Maybe this was a harmless situation and I over reacted.

Maybe yes maybe no. This is what omnipresent violence and terrorism was done to our psyche. Being careful can save a lot of trouble but did I go a little overboard?

Should kids be allowed in movie theaters?

Why, oh why, parents - why do you do this? Why do you get your oh so sweet kids to the movie halls? When you know the kind of energy your child has, when you are aware that your child is incapable of sitting quietly for 2.5 to 3 hours?

I am mighty agitated. Yesterday Aman and I went to watch a movie at the neighborhood multiplex. Fashion to be precise. If you have seen the movie, you would know that it has its share of serious moments.

In the same row as mine there was this family seated and with them they had a small boy not more than 3 years old. This kid was oblivious the fact that one needs to sit quietly in a theater. He was continuously loud and screechy.

My anger is certainly not on the kid. He was obviously unaware of how one behaves in a movie theater. But what were his parents doing? I mean why do parents get small kids to movie halls and if they do why cant they teach them to sit quietly. I mean we all will understand a couple of disturbances here and there but if the kid is on a joy ride through out the duration of the movie then isn’t it the onus of the parents to keep a check?

Let alone keeping a check, the parents yesterday seemed too happy to let the kid have his own share of fun while they watched the movie.

When I couldn’t take it any longer I decided to go talk to the boy’s mom during the interval. With utmost politeness I told her that it would be great if she could ask her son to be a little quieter as it was spoiling the movie for others. And I swear I was polite. She measured me up and down and with a frown said she’ll try. I could sense how much she despised my touching on this topic.

Anyways my request didn’t have much impact. The kid continued his jabber till we exited.

Is it right on part of these parents to spoil the entire movie watching experience for so many people? Shouldn’t parents be more conscious of the surroundings?

Is putting a ban the only way out? Or can parents behave in a more matured manner and keep a check on their little angels?