Of Bulbs,Holders and the Economy !!

I just cannot do household work.The usual stuff that men are supposed to do. Like changing bulbs,tube lights,repairing switchboards etc.I pity the girl who is going to be marrying me in future.She has NO idea whats in store for her !!!

I grew up in a hostel.There were people allocated to do the job.After I left the place,I never bothered to learn.I remember an interview in which Shabana Azmi was complaining about how Javed Akhtar never does any of the household work.And Javed Akhtar replied saying,”See.If you have a deer,do you burden it by making it carry clothes ? No.You use a donkey for that”.I couldn’t have agreed more.Come on,we are creative people.We toil with our brains.The physical chores can be left to mundane people.Why bother us with the trivial stuff ?

But I also have another explanation.India is a growing economy and unemployment is a rising concern.And in our attempts to masquerade as omnipotent Do-it-Alls,we are robbing young electricians of a livelihood.If everybody started repairing their own stuff,what will happen to the millions of electricians in the country ? Its only people like Javed Akhtar and Yours Truly who keep their egos aside and give other people a chance to feel worthy,earn a livelihood,earn self respect and contribute to the nation’s progress.You can do all that just by refusing to change the bulb.So what if the wife thinks you are a wimp ? You have got the larger interests of the nation in mind.

Today,my sister asked me to change the bulb.Balancing gingerly on the arms of a wooden chair (to avoid getting a shock !!) ,I tried to fix the bulb in the holder.As I looked back in satisfaction and asked her to switch on the bulb,it fell down and smashed to bits at her feet.

“Pupu,this is the second bulb you have broken”,she said.

“Its not my fault.The holder is screwed”

“Yeah right.I forgot. The evil bulb holder.As soon as a person tries to put a bulb,it spits it out ,trying to smash the person’s head !!” she replied.

I think some of my sarcasm is rubbing off on her.But in my small,humble way,I have done my good deed for the day.I have helped a young man earn his livelihood today.