Dinnertime

Met a few friends from ex-workplace for lunch today. They envy my life as a home-maker, while they had to battle bosses, race against deadlines, commute to the other end of town for that 6pm meeting that doesn’t start till 7pm. (I secretly envy their exciting and relatively easy lives but don’t say anything)

Cut to dinnertime scene in our household:

N is trying to float tiny pieces of roti in her bowl of soup and timing it to see how long before it goes out of sight.

S has a math test tomorrow and expects to be excused for making number patterns with her index finger and half eaten gravy on her plate.

I’m tired of explaining the beneficial effects of green vegetables to my kids. Today will be different. I follow the carrot and stick approach. If they didn’t eat their carrots, the stick will be put to use.

Meaningful dinner time conversation:

S : 'Why can’t we have maggi for dinner'

N : 'Can I watch TV if I finish what’s on my plate?

Me : 'TV slows your ability to think independently and ruins your eyesight'

Husband enters just as kids settle and are ready to fall in line. His timing never fails to surprise me. I really wish he would be in time to join us for dinner or wait in the carpark till we are done.

‘Hey lovelies’ (that greeting is strictly for the under-30s in the room) he beams after what seems like a great day at work before vanishing inside.

Dinner that was briefly interrupted by husband’s entry continues now.

Meaningful dinnertime conversation resumes:


Me : ‘Eat your dal’

S : ‘I don’t like exams’

N : 'See mommy, red and white make pink' (tomato soup + curd = something unpalatable in pink)

Husband returns briefly to grab a plate, piles it with carbs and is off to settle in front of the TV.

N : 'Mom! See! dad is watching TV. He is going to lose his ability to think independently and ruin his eyesight!'

The conversation that was so far restricted to dinner table now includes lone participant from the TV room as well.

S : ‘Dad what is 7/8 + 6/7?' (let me guess: is it the amount of time the average Mumbaikar spends on the road in a single day or perhaps it the time spent by our family over a single meal)

Me : ‘You know, the maid didn’t show up today, N grazed her knee while playing, the car got a minor dent outside the supermar.......'

Dad : ‘Hey K, did u watch Sachin’s brilliant double century in today’s one dayer against South Africa ? I missed the last portion as I had to get into a meeting.’ (I always had the suspicion he had a good life at his workplace)

Ok, I've decided. It's about time I got back to easy things like bosses, co-workers, deadlines and late evening client meetings...