Favors

We (as in Suvo and Golu) bought a 52 inch Sony Bravia HDTV with a home theater system to match, last Christmas. Today (12/12/10) was the first time Suvo and I sat down in front if it together – that’s almost a year later. I was already numb with exhaustion, the end of the year gets to you at work plus we are planning some home renovation before the holidays and that has us doubly taxed.

I jumped out of my quasi-coma as an obnoxious commercial flashed past my consciousness – “Instant Defense” serum for women between the age of 35 and 60, to reduce lines and wrinkles. ????? Women between age 35 and 60 – is that one age group??Q!W@E#@#%!!!!!

I am going to turn 35 in little over 3 months (at least my honest math tells me so). All the alarm bells started tolling simultaneously. I am not ready for this. What does this mean? Some hidden part of my brain issued a, not so subtle hint, - “Your shopping sprees are not going to focus on finding the perfect skinny jeans – instead they will revolve around finding some ointment to remove crow’s feet around your eyes”.

The sane (or insane –depends on the way you look at it) part of my mind rebelled against this and I frantically looked for a grip. My eyes rested on Suvo, who seemed to be carefully immersed in some private reverie, clearly not interested in engaging about this particular topic – hmm…. If I were a third party I would call this a wise move.

So I had no reprieve, until the next day – when I decided to engage the most perceptive audience of all - Diya. I posed a simple question to her – after she had had a prolonged bath, after a sleep over at Cathy’s, that ended with chocolate chip pancakes - the best possible circumstances. My question to her was –“ Diya – what will you do when I become an old woman”? While I waited with bated breath, her response was cool, automatic, premeditated and dismissive as always – “I will buy you stuff”. !@#@#$???????

I struggled to keep my anxiousness in check, and as I probed further – “What kind of stuff?” – may be that will give me some clue and bring peace to my wild heart. She shrugged her little shoulders and said – “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit”. This is my standard line to her when I get her something. So, she is planning on returning all my favors – not sure what the right response to this is – “!!!!” or “?????” or "@#$#$%#$%”.

I really need to think this parenting thing through before it comes back to haunt me.