Saturday 19 July 2014

Housewife's Agenda

One fine afternoon I was alone at home. Children were at school and my husband was at his office. Hence, the time was absolutely mine. So to kill time I took out a novel and started to read lying down in a relaxed posture. Hardly had I completed three pages, the door bell rang and I rushed to the door angrily. To my great surprise, my husband stood there grinning at me suspiciously. I was puzzled to see him home at this odd hour. When he stepped inside, I could figure out that he was in a good mood. He looked into my eyes lovingly and proposed, "Sweetheart, let's dine out tonight, just you and me." I suddenly remembered the day when he had turned down my proposal to go outside saying, "Oh honey, I'm sorry. I've a lot of work at my office." The pain was still fresh in my heart.

At the very moment an idea flashed into my mind. I knew that my husband needed my company more than anything else that evening. It was a perfect time to take revenge. I decided to teach him a lesson. I quickly made a blueprint of 10-point agenda in my mind. "If political leaders can prepare a road map to improve quality of the political system, educationists can come up with a road map to improve quality of education, then why can't housewives ready a road map to improve quality of the house keeping,?" I thought.

My man was impatient to hear my positive reply. I took the situation under my control and told him boldly that I would go with him if only he agreed on my 10-point agenda. He might have thought I had been kidding, so he blurted out dreamily, "Oh my darling, I can do anything for you; just tell me."

Seizing the moment I began to unfold the agendas. "From today onwards you will (1) clean your study, (2) arrange your books, (3) wash your clothes and arrange them in the cupboard after drying, ironing and folding, (4) polish your shoes, (5) fold the quilt every time after you use it, (6) take care of your shaving tools, (7) help me with the household chores on Saturdays, (8) stop making a mess with your belongings here and there, (9) avoid keeping stinking socks under the sofas and finally (10) pick up the plates after eating and put them in the sink.

His face was worth watching. He stammered, "But you stay home all day. Isn't it your duty to take care of all household chores?"

"Look, I know I'm doing my duty absolutely fine. I'm taking care of the whole house and children myself. All the things that I'm mentioning here are related to you. And it is your responsibility to do them, understand? I've asked you to help me only on Saturdays because it is your day off," I clarified.

My husband was in a complete dilemma. I asked him to either agree to my agendas or cancel the dinner program for I was dead sure that he had no choice other than agreeing with my conditions. Hours later, I could not stop myself from thanking my dear hubby for the wonderful dinner.


(Published in an English Daily The Kathmandu Post on Thursday, July 1, 2004) 


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I would appreciate any and all suggestions on making improvements (as long as they are viable).