FOOLISH SHRUTI

Anushka heads a marketing division of one of the top companies. After a conference, she was going back home. She was tired and wanted to catch up with some sleep in the fight. To do so she started reading a magazine...

This picture caught her attention and she started reading…

Passing out with flying colors, she got a campus placement in one of India’s leading Software firm. She was doing well in her job; everyone had lot of appreciation for Shruti’s intelligence and dedication. She was seen as a future leader in the organization.

Working long hours together, Arun and Shruti fell in love. They wanted to marry and stay together. Parents had no objection as they both were from same cultural background. Both Shruti & Arun were Happy and the date for Marriage was after 4 month.

Both the families started preparations and they were happy as both were single kids of their family. News spread in the company as well and everybody was happy for them.

As a formal invitation went to the HR department, the lady out there called and congratulated them. Also informed the company policy which doesn't allow spouse to work together. 

Both felt unhappy but Arun started looking for another job. He was very bright but was getting opportunities outside Mysore. Moreover Date was coming close and he had no offers in hand. He was getting worried. They have not informed to their parents about the new development.

Few days before the wedding Arun got an offer from a Start Up for a little lesser salary but profile was good...Shruti suggest him to accept the offer. Therefore he accepted it but with a condition that he would join post 30 days as they had planned holiday for 15 days.

Marriage and Holiday went on very well. Their Facebook was flooded with their wedding and Holiday photographs and with lots of comments as well. They spent a lot of time reading and enjoying it.

In the meantime, Shruthi's parents bought a 2BHK house on lease and set the house for the new couple to start their new innings.

Life was like bed of roses to both the love birds. 

Next day they had to go to the office and they were in no mood to get back to work but they had to....

Its 9 am and they both were still sleeping. Arun gets a call from his mother...he answers the call. Excitedly she wishes Arun "All the Best" for his New Job. Also reminds him to reach office on time on the first day of his Job and suggests him to visit temple before going to the office. While talking to his mother, he looks at the watch and Jumps out the bed saying "Mom, keep the phone, I am getting Late". In a hurry, he wakes up Shruti and asks her to get ready as they are already late.

Asking each other to have breakfast and lunch at office, they take respective cab and reach office, Late!!!

Shruti had to catch with lot of pending work due to her One month leave...Arun returns home early as he had nothing much to do in office. He was eagerly waiting for Shruti, occasionally watching TV and at times chatting on mobile.

When Shruti is back, she says,"Come, let’s have dinner, what have you made?

Arun: Hey! I have not made any dinner. I am not even sure how to make tea. Are you expecting me to prepare the dinner?

Shruti: What?? But you had said you & your friends used to make chicken curry while sharing room with them, now what happened?

Arun: I never said I used to make, Satish used to make, I used to help him in cutting and chopping.

Shruti, not happy!!

Started to look for things to make dinner....  

Arun came up with an idea. Says it is late, why can't we just walk down to the street end restaurants and have a quick grab and be back. 

Idea seems good for Shruti as well....while walking holding each others hand, Shruti said " Arun!!, I also don't know to cook."

Arun Shocked....Looks at her and asks “you tried making dinner just now”, Shruthi.. ‘I thought of making omelets....”

There was an awkward silence between them...

Arun says, eating out every day may not be viable; you should try doing something...

While walking back, Shruti suggests buying some milk, bread and eggs, for breakfast....

Sadly, the First Reality has stuck them. 

Shruti reminds Arun to keep the alarm, so that they are not late for office tomorrow....As both settles on the bed they are thinking how to solve this issue.......

Next morning, they have their Bread Toast with butter and Egg...

At office during lunch, Shruti is thinking about what should be done for Dinner (She had never worried all these issues). She thinks, if I stay back late, I can have dinner at office, but what about Arun??? 

Meantime Arun calls and says, I will be late today, I have meeting to catch up with.

Shruti was totally cool about it....

Few days passed by and this became a routine, but both knew this can't be for long...

One Sunday morning, Shruti is calling someone desperately and the person on the other end side is not answering picking up the call. She is very upset... 

Arun asks," what is the matter?"

Shruti replies, I don't have cloths to wear for tomorrow to the office so had requested the dhobi from my previous service apartment to come and collect my clothes.  For the last four days, he had been postponing and now not picking up the call.....Arun curiously looks at her and asked don't you know to wash clothes????

Shruti: No, No way!!

Arun: Me too, my clothes are also piled up in cupboard.

Arun and Shruti looked at each other and almost together said, "We have to plan something or we will end up paying for most of the things."  Great.....they sat down to plan.....

Arun got a white paper and pen. To start a convincing discussion, first they wanted to make a priority list and how to tackle the issue. Arun asked, "how come you don't know this...entire cooking, cleaning, etc?? It’s been many days since we had done sweeping of our house and washing. Did your mother not teach you anything?"

What was next...? Hell broke down. This was their first major argument...Both didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day. The next day Shruti was dull in office, one of her colleague noticed it and asked, “What happened, did you have your first argument?”

Shruti was totally taken by surprise and enquired, "how did you know?! Suddenly realizing her wrong reaction, she said...," No, No, Just not feeling well....

Her colleague was married for 6 years.... and so understood Shruti's reaction very well. Slowly she said, “don’t worry, we have all gone through this....tell me what is the matter, maybe I will be able to help...!!"

Shruti opens up.... I don't know to cook, wash and other household works. I had spent all my time with book while I was at school. Later when I joined engineering, stayed in hostel. Then got recruited through campus selection to join here and now married. Where was the time to learn all this? Now he says my parents have not taught me, how dare he say that?

Shruti's friend smiles and asks, “that all...??"

Shruti: He is complaining on me. Does HE know??? He also doesn't know any work...

Shruti"s friend replies: This is not a big issue, don't make it big. I'll give you some suggestions. 

Here it goes from a senior married to a junior married....

1. Get a maid for yourself who will take care of your house
2. Buy yourself a washing Machine
3. Cooking now days is very easy. You may either have ready-to-cook packets or check on YouTube. A few days, it may be difficult but you will learn in a month or so.

The same day Arun comes home early and cleans up the house.

Shruti reaches home and is surprised to see a big bunch of flowers waiting for her. Dinner table lit with candle and nice dinner, forgetting her fight she jumps into the arms of Arun and says sorry....

Arun gave her a new dress of her favorite color lemon yellow. She was bowled over!!!

While having their first romantic dinner at home. She says I have thought of a solution for our problems and repeated what Rita (Her Friend in office) had told her.

Arun liked the idea. Let’s order the washing machine now and they went online to buy. With so many models available in the market, they were confused which one to select. Helplessly Shruti suggested to call Rita and ask...she is married for some time, she might me knowing. In the meantime Shruti's mother calls....while talking to her Shruti enquires her mother's choice for washing machine.

Taking her suggestion, they decide to make the purchase. It is the first purchase for the house....both checked their bank account to find the meager balance left in their account. They realize that they had spend most of their savings in their holiday and eating out last month...Arun says not to worry, I will buy with by credit card and we can pay it back in EMI.

And the purchase was made and their lives first EMI also started.

Being Smart Girl, she quickly learns the art of managing the house, cooking and others very well. Whereas Arun, he became lazier, gets up late and expects all the work to be done by Shruti.

Even the small help of buying groceries become Shruti's work, 

Slowly more purchases were made and more EMI started piling but both were happy in the relationship...They both felt they were growing in the relationship.

Shruti was managing her house, husband, in-laws as perfect as possible but this started showing in her performance in office.

She was getting Tired. She was getting no help at house. She had to get up early, do the household chores, cooking and then go to office. At office, she has to finish office early so as to prepare dinner for both. The life had become boring and weekly outing had become rare as the EMI had gone up.... 

One day her house maid does not come. Shruti had to clean the house, wash the utensils, make tea for her husband, etc. She wanted to call Arun for some help but she was unable to do so...She tried again but couldn't. She wondered, "Why am I unable to call him and ask him to help....?? 

This thought disturbed her a lot...!!!!

Everywhere and every time....while travelling to office and in the office....everywhere she was only thinking one thing......Why Arun is not helping? Does he not love me anymore? And slowly thought changed.....Am I anyway less? 

I have studied in better engineering college, I earn as much as he, my role in office same as him. I also get tired travelling back, then why is that I have to work at home and office and he works only in office???

She asks herself, “Is it with me or is it with everybody? Is it with my mother?" She is a graduate, but she never went out to work? Why??

She immediately calls her mother and asks without even greetings...."Mom, you being so educated, you never went out for work, why?"

Mother sensed trouble and asked, "Dear, what is the matter? You had never asked me this question before?" 

Shruti: Mom, you just tell me!!!

Mother: I never wanted to take the trouble of going to office as well as managing the house. Initially I tried to do the same in our marriage but our needs were always less. Therefore we divided our work, your Dad chose to go to the office and earn money and I chose to take care of the house and you...darling."

When the conversation was over, Shruti was thinking again. What am I up to? What are my priorities? What am I looking forward in my life....???

Should I work? Why should I not work??

She was confused again.....

If I work, why is Arun not helping me....???

Am ‘I Foolish to work at both the places??? 

Foolish Shruti...Think..Think...

Meanwhile flight landed and she has not finished reading the story. She had to move...On the way home the story of Shruti started bothering Anushka. She started thinking. What decision Shruti must have taken?? Did she leave the job or she took the burden of both the places??

Did she speak to Arun to ask him to participate in the house work? How did she manage when she had kids?? Many questions popped in her mind...she desperately wanted to go back and get that magazine. Then thought of buying the magazine but she had not seen the name of magazine.....

Anushka shouted loudly," Looks like my life, "AM’I THE FOOLISH SHRUTI?"

Did anyone write about me, without asking me??...The question repeatedly came into her mind “AM I THE FOOLISH SHRUTI??"

She picked up her mobile and Dials her Mother.......