My very first piece on AsYa.
It is my gift to KSG for his birthday! Love you KSG! Have fun!
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"Allah Miya, what is wrong with you, Mr. Manager? How can you say things like that?"
Asad heard Zoya come in with her usual noise and din as he prepared dinner for the night. He knew what this was about. It was some ad in the papers and she was screwing someone for it, he thought idly. His morning had started off with Zoya shouting on top of her voice and calling out to him. He knew it then, any hopes of it being a peaceful quiet day were out in the wind.
Even now, she was harping over it.
"Listen, I am not going to stand this nonsense. Do you know how to use social media as a tool? I have already posted it on FB, WhatsApp, Instagram and hundreds of people are commenting on it and are raging already in a few hours. Your cosmetic shop will shut down, I tell ya." She told me with anger.
She saw Asad in the kitchen waved to him, an unspoken request in her eyes. He nodded.
"Fine" Zoya said reverting her attention back to the guy on the other line. "I will wait for ten minutes before righting a mail to your director. Make your higher up call me." She said, ending the call.
Asad brought her coffee, and sat down beside her, putting an arm around her. It was almost 8.30 in the night and he knew Zoya was famished. Both of them worked hard and on some days while he was exhausted on the others it was Zoya. Mrs. Zoya Farooqui, his wife. Yup, she hadn't changed her name to Mrs. Zoya Asad Ahmed Khan, but that's a story for another day.
Zoya drank the delicious coffee prepared by her loving husband, she knew he wouldn't have to be told. She leaned back into his arms, while he put his fingers into her hair massaging them.
"And?" He asked.
Zoya explained, "I told you in the morning right, these people... I swear there can't a worse sexist and sick advertisement than this one." Asad nodded, completely in agreement, it was so like his Zoya to go out of the way and point out things that others won't bother.
"Well. How stupid of these people. They shoot a celebrity, add moustaches, and that too, thick flowing moustaches like those Rajput Kings and say, come, use our hair removal cream, don't shave, it's for men. Who the hell are they to decide what women do with hair on their body?" Zoya complained while Asad listened. He knew when to just listen and not say anything. Years of marriage had taught them how to get attuned to the other.
"Bloody assholes. Firstly, they are openly admitting that women can NOT have facial hair, like it's a crime to have any. B, they go on about shaving's for men. You know, there are many women who shave. There is no man woman thing about it." She raved.
Asad took another glance at the BT on the coffee table, and quietly added, "You are wrong, Zoya. They don't want to do business or increase sales. They want the opposite. At least, that's what it looks like." When Zoya gave him a perplexed look, he continued, " People especially women are going to think, Oh, if you use this cream, you'll end up getting this thick moustache worse than what you have, since this chic's got it, so don't use it. You see, they haven't used any cross mark or wrong mark so..." He could not say anything further coz Zoya sat up straight and put the half filled coffee cup on the table, her shoulders started shaking. Shaking with laughter and endless mirth. She guffawed, unable to find a coherent response apart from "Asad... Asad... you..." She laughed till her stomach ached and eyes filled with tears while Asad, seeing her laugh so much, started laughing himself.
"Think of something serious. Like real serious or I am going to have a bad stomach ache. Asad... Please..." She muttered.
Asad sobered and said, "There is fire in the house."
"What? Fire..." Zoya calmed down a bit before smirking again.
She picked her coffee mug and drank it as if her life depended on it, when the phone rang.
She was about to take it when he stopped her. "Let me talk. The only thing you'll probably do is start yelling at the guy threatening him with your social media protest and the main point will be lost." He said picking up the phone.
"Good Evening, yes... May I know whom am I speaking to." Asad asked in his calmest voice possible, as if he were making an enquiry not lodge a complaint. "Ya sure."
"They are connecting me." He said.
"Asad, won't it be weird if you talk, being a guy about this sensitive topic?" Zoya asked not sure how her husband is going to go about it.
He couldn't answer as his line was connected then while Zoya watched him.
"Ya, Good Evening, Mr. Raj. Yup. My wife had wanted to talk to you guys about this tiny faux pas that would probably cost you more than what you think... Yes. It is about the hair removal cream advertisement. And, I being a guy, feel offended and affronted. Why did you think if issues were to be raised, it would be women alone? Trust me, Mr. Raj, men are as bothered about gender discrimination as women are if not more. It is a terribly wrong notion that we guys sit and relax when women slog. Not at all. I am sorry you telling me it shouldn't possibly be MY concern, is not only immoral but very, very chauvinistic." Asad continued to maintain the same tone while Zoya looked impressed. Asad had taught her, nothing worked better than lethal words in a soothing voice but she being Zoya, forgot most of the time.
"I got your explanation. Answer one question of mine, who on earth told you a shaving blade is supposed to be used by you and me alone? I am sure there are loads of women who use it. And, I am equally sure, you publicizing a sensitive issue like excessive hair so commercially and insensitively, has not gone down well amongst them or us, for that matter. You are encouraging this stigma when we should be getting over it..."
"No. We are not interested in your gift hampers and free cosmetics. That will not change the mindset of the person who got this brainwave. And let me add, it doesn't even look appealing. In fact, it is counterproductive." And he continued to explain what he told Zoya.
"No, I think. I'll probably write a mail to your MD or someone. This is going nowhere. You can't keep passing on the phone and the blame. Think about what I have said. If you want to appeal to people, use ways that would attract them, not something that would repel them. Good Night."
He ended the call and looked up to see Zoya coming towards him awestruck as he gave a small smile. "Oh, Asad." She hugged him tightly engulfing him in his embrace conveying her appreciation for him.
He returned it smiling and then said, "You ought to go change. We'll have dinner... It's time and I am actually hungry."
"Oh, ya. I will." Zoya said before rushing to their room to change.
A/N -
I apologise if I have been insensitive about this topic anywhere. I being a woman myself, realise the gravity of this social stigma. All of us fall prey to it, despite me writing an OS.
This advertisement was actually there in the papers a few days back. It was exactly how I described. celebrity whom I will not name, with a huge thick moustache with a slogan, "Shaving is for men. Use cream." I did not reveal the name of the brand.
I felt incensed and disgusted and those are exactly my thoughts in the story. I decided to write integrate it with fiction. Fiction reaches out to people more than articles and anything, is what I feel.
I am sorry, again, if unintentionally, I have hurt someone or the whole of women kind.
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