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“PC” said Ramesh, a recent H1.
“DT” said Rani, his wife and a more recent H4.
“PC” said Ramesh again, a little louder this time. Rani too raised her voice and said “DT”. This went on for a while until hunger pangs over took the couple that was just settling down in the US. The couple was arguing what to buy in the next installment. Ramesh wanted a personal computer(PC) and Rani wanted a dining table(DT).
Rani deliberately scattered all the magazines and books on the coffee table, especially the old editions of Silicon India and Wired magazines, which Ramesh wouldn’t throw away. He would discard all the glossy free catalogues and sale paper that Rani would collect and browse through week after week just to time pass.
On the kitchen table Rani spread the Wards sale paper that displayed a picture of a cherry red dining table for $999. Then, she placed the buttermilk container and the pickle bottle right next to the sale paper. Ramesh ignored the sale paper and served himself more rice, poured some buttermilk and sat on the corner of the just paid off suede sofa, eying the Gateway computer ad in the Wired magazine.
After lunch, Rani finally broke the silence and said, “You already spend 12hours in front of the stupid computer at work, why do you need one at home?”
I want to buy it for you” said Ramesh innocently. Rani began to cry.
“Why don’t you send me to India instead?” She said amidst tears and thinking of the heavy teakwood dining table at her mom’s place. Of course Ramesh wouldn’t care for it because in his family, they all sat on the floor in front of the low wooden desks and had their meal. This was of course one of the reasons why Rani wanted to come to the US badly. She wanted to escape all the low level traditions of India.
“You can send and receive emails on your own, ” Ramesh was saying “I don’t have to bring you print outs rom the office, you can read the news online, and even do the shopping.” That evening Ramesh brought a PC. That night Rani had a headache.
One month after the PC came home Ramesh sat in front of the TV munching cereal while his wife surfed the net for gourmet breakfast. Ever since the PC came home, she hadn’t cooked a proper meal. She was on the net all the time browsing bawarchi.com and listening music on smashits.com. Worse, he couldn’t even reach her on the phone from his office. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. Ramesh called his wife,
"Rani”! “Rani”!
Just a minute!” she replied for the third time.
“Rani”! Come lets go to Wards. There’s a liquidation sale in town” said Ramesh waving a sale paper.
More articles by Joy Mantra
- Naming your Baby
- Life of a dependent visa holder
- Romancing the table
- To be or not to be
- Desi Devi's Quest for Romance
- Balaji takes control of Rani’s fate through email
- Desi Devi's Quest for Romance
- Returning Home to India?
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