Maa would always stress on the value of time and it is deeply ingrained in me. So, instead of updating my bank KYC, I used my free time on a Saturday a few months back to paint a tree on a wall of my rented flat. The branches were a bit disproportionate, but I was feeling happy.
I am very brave when I am impulsive, so when some doubts occurred, ki landlady kya bolegi, I prepared a reply. I will tell her, "jane ke pehle painting karwa dungi" (I never understood yahan whitewash ko painting kyon kehte hai).
My middle-class Punjabi landlady is a good person (she didn't increase the rent since the last two years) but looks very stern, so I am awkward in front of her. Since the tree, I stopped telling her about small repairs or "pani nahi aa raha hai" issues as I didn't want her to see my "art".
But last evening, the bell rang and she was there! "Beta, agreement renew karwaya, sign kar do. Main khud hi aa gayi, aapko kya niche bulate iske liye." Now, I am torn between happiness (rent iss bar bhi nahi badhaya) and fear, trying to cover the tree with my huge 5 ftx10 inches body frame.
But within a few seconds, her eyes fell on it and following conversation happened.
Aunty: Beta, yeh aapne banaya?
Me: haan aunty, jane ke pehle painting karwa dungi (prepared reply)
Aunty (slightly irritated) arre, uske liye nahi bol rahi hoon, yeh achcha banaya hai.
Me (too surprised): haan, tree banaya, acrylic colour se (of course, it's a tree, stupid, she can see it)
Aunty: Haan woh toh dikh raha hai (tree toh thik banaya, par iss bewakoof ladki ko sarkari naukri kaise mil gayi?)
Whatevs, agreement renew hogaya. So the tree stays for another year.
I am very brave when I am impulsive, so when some doubts occurred, ki landlady kya bolegi, I prepared a reply. I will tell her, "jane ke pehle painting karwa dungi" (I never understood yahan whitewash ko painting kyon kehte hai).
My middle-class Punjabi landlady is a good person (she didn't increase the rent since the last two years) but looks very stern, so I am awkward in front of her. Since the tree, I stopped telling her about small repairs or "pani nahi aa raha hai" issues as I didn't want her to see my "art".
But last evening, the bell rang and she was there! "Beta, agreement renew karwaya, sign kar do. Main khud hi aa gayi, aapko kya niche bulate iske liye." Now, I am torn between happiness (rent iss bar bhi nahi badhaya) and fear, trying to cover the tree with my huge 5 ftx10 inches body frame.
But within a few seconds, her eyes fell on it and following conversation happened.
Aunty: Beta, yeh aapne banaya?
Me: haan aunty, jane ke pehle painting karwa dungi (prepared reply)
Aunty (slightly irritated) arre, uske liye nahi bol rahi hoon, yeh achcha banaya hai.
Me (too surprised): haan, tree banaya, acrylic colour se (of course, it's a tree, stupid, she can see it)
Aunty: Haan woh toh dikh raha hai (tree toh thik banaya, par iss bewakoof ladki ko sarkari naukri kaise mil gayi?)
Whatevs, agreement renew hogaya. So the tree stays for another year.
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