Ahamkaara

My eyes were on the door waiting for BH's arrival. Guests had informed late about their arrival on a Sunday, and it had left me very little time to cook a lunch for them. I asked BH to note down a list of things in his phone I would need from the shop nearby, knowing very well about his slippery memory.


It was half an hour since he left. He should have returned by now. The clock was ticking. So little time, so much to do. The shopping centre is nearby. It should not take more than 5 minutes even if he crawls on the road. Did he meet someone? But, shouldn't he know this is urgent? Or has something bad happened to him? My limbs trembled once that last thought crossed my mind. I reached out to my phone and called him.


***Nobody Gonna Take My Car***.. The ringtone buzzed.


Darn! He has left his phone! Then what will he bring? What took him so long? I thought, I will go near the shop and find out. My heart was thundering. I switched off the stove and other electrical appliances, ran into the room to get my purse.


***BANG!***


I got the shock of my life. BH was sleeping like a log!!! I just could not believe my eyes!! I shook him up, asked him what happened? He was still closing his eyes as he answered,

"I searched for my wallet. I could not find. I do not know where I kept it last night. Then, I remembered today is Sunday and I need not go to office" 

innocently. I knew he was not pretending. Have you heard of cross-connection in the lines of thought? Here it was!


The pressure was building up inside me, my eyes had turned red and welled up with tears like they would pop out any moment. I had to gather myself and get down to work. Guests came, they enjoyed the sumptuous lunch. So, everything ended well.


There is no exact algorithm to figure out what he forgets. He can forget anything. Be it hanging towels on the string after bath, keys, friend's wedding, birthdays, or even the destination to which he left home for. ANYTHING. I am happy that it is any"thing" and not anyone! He would have forgotten all his body parts if they were detachable!


If I get into a combative mode on this: tempers fray, accusations fly - which only leave my head in frying hot temperature. Nothing will change. I am not being pessimistic here, but neither am I optimistic about a human's ability to radically change their inbuilt qualities. I try to help him out without being nosy, by setting reminders in his phone or SMS-ing. I am sure that I shall evolve with many other reminding techniques as years roll-by.
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Next Monday, he had an early office meeting. I bid good-bye for the day, a hug and a peck followed. However tired I am, such gestures make me feel very light. As I closed the door behind, I saw the towel “as usual” lying on the floor in the room. I heaved a sigh. I was about to pick the towel up, I felt cold fingers over my arms. My breath stopped. He held me tight from back, while his warm breath tickled my ears, he planted a peck and said,

"Sorry, I forgot! I was too occupied with the presentation for the meeting. Bye dear"

That left a smile on my face.  Friedrich Nietzsche said "The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time." There is no quality in man/woman which is dark. Everything is grey!