OS: 'Waiting'

The Hint from OS: The Gola Date was -

"Okay then. I cannot change what happened then. But, we can do it now. I am going to bunk work today, and so are you. And, we are going for a movie." Sonakshi decidedly announced.

"What? No ways, Ms. Bose. This is rubbish. I have work."

"That's why, you are going to bunk, Mr. Aubhodro Dixit." She said, facepalming.

"Ms. Bose, you are really crazy, I appreciate your gesture, but I cannot let it grow."

"Main, bahut ziddi hoon, Mr. Dixit. You are the boss. And, what's the point of being a boss, if you cannot, like, not go for a day?" She asked, and continued before he could give her a lecture on being a role model, so on and so forth, "Mr. Dixit, ek din nahi gaye, toh tomorrow, your staff won't bunk work. Trust me."

"Done, then. We will go watch this movie, I have been waiting to watch."

"I tell you what, you wanted to go for a movie, and because you haven't found company, you did your theatrical antics as usual, to make me go with you." Dev, correctly, surmised.

Some of you made amazing guesses about the CDs, but my brain doesn't work that much. 😆

So, credits to everyone who guessed both the CDs and the movies - JyotiBThakur, ishra368, kennashreign, cutie15, AdyaXoxo (who always makes interesting guesses), Ferdous_69, gowripriya, Zaya.hp, priyanvs, .FlyingClouds., MeDhellsAngel(she gave various leveled hints), Divi.C, luvflicksgirl, asifiqbalsh, fionadsouza, aditi07. 👏

Last time, it was so difficult, I think, I decided to make it easy for this one. Amazing work people! 😉

OS - "Waiting"

"So what kind of torture am I going to be subjected to, Ms. Bose?" Dev wondered aloud, as they drove to the multiplex.

"I don't think it would be a torture today, Mr. Dixit. By the way, its Dr. Bose. It's a movie called Waiting, with Naseeruddin Shah, Kalki Koechlin, and Suhasini Mani Ratnam. But you wouldn't probably know them. I saw the trailer, and was really keen to watch. See, Mr. Dixit, this idea of bunking work and going for a movie, is definitely a teenager's, but the movie is quite mature."

"I see."

The Next Morning

"Keechu Bhaiyya, a strong cup of coffee please, black." Dev shouted out, to the good old servant, as he sat at the dining table, wearied and tired.

Sonakshi walked in just then, and seated herself on one of the vacant dining table chairs, and called out, "Keechu Bhaiyya, can I please have some black coffee?"

"Good Morning, Mr. Dixit." Sonakshi said, her eyes nearly shutting down.

"I can see, that your morning hasn't been particularly fresh, either." Dev remarked.

"I couldn't sleep. It was an unsettling movie. I mean, through the day, I managed, I was busy and working, and had stuff to do, it's at bed time, I usually am flooded with all of these thoughts, and things, that I avoid during the day." Sonakshi confessed.

"True. It remained at the back of my mind, and, I tossed and turned. Thanks to you, I don't even take sleeping pills, and I am sorry, I skipped Yoga this morning, went for a run, to destress myself."

"I figured. But, the husband is so cool right? How many people, actually, spend lakhs of rupees to keep their wife on life support?"

"Ms. Bose, every husband does, and will do so. Maybe, they may not be able to afford it, but, any guy will go to any extent to save his wife." Dev, disagreed.

"Maybe, if you were a husband, you would. That's because, you are, so responsible, and you consider it a moral duty, to help, and to be there. But, not everyone thinks in this manner, Mr. Dixit."

"Then, that person is a gold digger, not a husband."

"You seem to know a lot about husbands, Mr. Dixit. Kahin chupke se shaadi toh nahi karli aapne?" Sonakshi joked.

Dev gave her a look.

"Well, if you were a wife, wouldn't you do the same?"

"I don't know. I am not a wife. But, as a daughter, sister, I would do it. So, maybe, I'll do the same if I were a wife. But, to be really honest, marriage, as an institution, seems to be gothic and impractical to me, now."

By then, Keechu had brought their coffees, and they continued their conversation, sipping the delicious, strong drink, their dispositions, already improving.

"Well, not long ago, you were looking at alliances, and, I was subjected to quite a cruel chiding, because I turned out to be a cause of one of those relationships, that didn't happen." Dev casually, asked.

"Yes, but, that was because, Mom insisted. Parents, don't seem to understand, that their responsibilities, have a limit, providing for your children, nurturing them, inculcating values in them, are essential, but getting them married and well-settled' in their words, isn't one of them."

Sonakshi said, making quotes in the air, when she said well-settled.

"Shaadi isn't, like an ultimate goal in life. Come on, right now, my life, is amazing. I have an excellent family, a pretty decent job, with a generous boss..." She said, gesturing at Dev, who just smiled at her indulgence.

"An excellent pay package, and good health. What else do I need? A couple more years, and, I'll be able to buy a house, and probably a vehicle, my savings, wouldn't be exhausted either. My life is set. Okay, my job, would be different then. I want to explore, and try out new things. But, this is MY life. I get to decide, when to walk, run, crawl, or stop, and at my own speed. No one is with me, or dependent on me."

"You have painted a very envious picture of life for all those girls out there, who have succumbed to marriage and family." Dev said, laughing.

"Obviously, Mr. Dixit! I mean, how many men want to be homemakers? You are a young chap, of marriageable age, according to Hindustani Ma-Baap, would you want to take care of household chores, while your wife, worked and earned?"

"Well, I wouldn't have a problem, with her working, but, I am not going to give up on my career, and my business. And, moreover, Natasha, doesn't want this kind of life, the one you so vividly illustrated." Dev said casually.

And, Sonakshi nodded, "Yes, I know. She wants a husband, a home, a kitchen, and cute babies."

Dev placed his empty coffee cup on the table, and folded his right leg, placing it on the left, and made himself more comfortable on the chair, "True. That's what she has chosen, you cannot look down upon that, because being a homemaker, isn't easy. No housewife sits at home, Ms. Bose. They do have work."

"I know that, I am not looking down on that. It is quite difficult, to give up on your dreams, your independence and freedom, your desires and wishes, for your family, and work day and night for them. And, a lot of Indian women, in fact, a lot of women all over the world do it. Because, women happen to be mothers. And, in India, a man, who doesn't work, is considered to be not manly enough." Sonakshi finished with a laugh.

Dev, agreed, "Ya, the whole, mard bano. This isn't solely Indian, Ms. Bose. Even in English, there is that idiom, Wearing the pants in the house', which is meant for a woman, who takes over the responsibilities, of the man of the household."

"I know right? Such a wrong idiom. What on earth is a man's responsibility and what is a woman's? It is so damn sad, and pathetic, that all of us accede to these irritating and wrong societal norms." Sonakshi said.

"Having said that, though it is difficult for a woman to make sacrifices for her family, it is equally difficult to be perseverant and determined and focused, and live those dreams and passions and desires, that we see." Dev, chipped in, then.

"I have wondered, when you question people about their employment, the question slightly varies for men and women, for a man, it is posed as Where are you working?'..."

Dev continued, "And for a girl, it is, Are you working?' Yes, I know. In the same breath, you have to admit, even a lady feels offended, if you ask her, whether her husband is working. They feel underestimated. So, the feeling is mutual. We cannot go around, disrespecting people."

"In the process, women disrespect themselves." Sonakshi added.

"And, people like Dr. Sonakshi Bose, go around holding the torch for womankind."

"I am not doing that, excuse me." Sonakshi felt offended.

"But, yes, I kind of, have this deep rooted desire, to prove all of this crap wrong, at least in my life."

"I don't think you should screw up your life, trying to live against others' ideals. It is exactly what you think other women are doing. Living, by society's ideals. You, too, are focusing more on the people around you, than yourself, by trying to go against them." Dev cautioned.

"True, I am not trying to do that. Not consciously. But, in general, I have developed an aversion to marriage, and motherhood."

"Why not motherhood?"

"Being a mother requires sacrifices. Like my mother made, when she had us. I don't think I have it in me, to make them. And, whatever you do in life, you must do it to the very best. If I can't be a mother, like mine, there is no point in being one. I don't want to spoil some innocent child's life just so I can prove it to the world that I am well settled with a husband and family." Sonakshi cleared.

"Really, Ms. Bose. There are definitely, lots of women who give up on their independence for their families, that's what they choose to be. Your dreams are different. So, if you, too, compromise with your life, and end up in this damning cycle, I really wouldn't like it. You are meant for different things, if not better." Dev agreed, expressing his opinion.

"So clearly, I am not cut out for you. I can't massage your Mami's feet every night." Sonakshi, said, not bothering to control her mirth.

Dev laughed with her, "Obviously, not, Ms. Bose. And before, you claim, it is unfair to Natasha, she chose this. She knows how my family is, and if she willingly wants to do all of this, I am nobody to question her. She hasn't raised objection."

"Mr. Dixit, hasn't raised objection'? Did you by any chance study law?"

Her humour wasn't unfounded.

"Do you like Natasha?"

"I like her." Dev said, and stopped.

"Hmmm..." Sonakshi didn't say anything.

"Ms. Bose..."

"Yes, Mr. Dixit?"

"I don't know." Dev admitted.

"I know." Sonakshi admitted, too.

Dev and Sonakshi looked at each other, their eyes met, and they began laughing again.

"By the way, Mr. Dixit, you don't really have a good choice in clothes."

"Where did that come from?" Dev wondered.

The End

Note - Waiting releases tomorrow, and I found the trailer very impressive. The main point of this story, is not another movie date, but what happens after. I have written two movie dates already, this had to be slightly different. And, I hate coffee, prefer tea any day. Just saying.

I don't know why I called it Waiting. Maybe, you guys can throw some light on that.

There is a hint here, as usual. Guess it.

More of DevAkshi - DevAkshi Index - Flowing Thoughts - My Fiction Index

P.S. I liked the CD idea you people gave, no promises, but, if my mood permits, I may just write an OS on that. 😳