DOUBLE STANDARDS

BLOW HOT BLOW COLD
A Story of Double Standards
By
VIKRAM KARVE

Here is a story, maybe apocryphal, about double standards in relationships:

It was a hot and humid summer afternoon in a sea facing flat on Marine Drive in Mumbai and a woman unable to bear the stifling hot climate switched on the air conditioner in the room to cool off a bit.

Her mother-in-law came into the room and the moment she saw her daughter-in-law (whom she barely tolerated) relaxing in cool comfort, she shouted at her sarcastically: “You think you are a Maharani - Just look how you sit in such style with the air conditioner full blast all for yourself. Who is going to pay the huge electricity bill – your father?”

“I’m feeling hot,” the daughter-in-law said. 

“It’s not at all hot – just open the window and let the cool sea breeze in,” the mother-in-law said. “And shut off the air conditioner at once. Sitting in an air conditioned room is not good for your health; you must get used to the climate and learn to adapt with nature!”

Scared of her mother-in-law, the poor woman had no choice but to obey her commands and swelter in the heat.

Suddenly the woman’s sister-in-law (her husband’s sister) arrived on a surprise visit, and the mother-in-law was overjoyed to see her darling daughter, whom she adored, and couldn’t bear to see her “suffering” in the heat so she turned towards her daughter-in-law and scolded her: “What are you doing just sitting there? Why have you opened those windows to let the hot air in? And why is the air conditioner switched off in this oppressive heat? Close the windows and switch on the air conditioner immediately. Do you want my daughter to suffer a heatstroke?”

And turning to her darling daughter she stroked her hair and lovingly said: “Poor dear, it is so hot here and how you suffer in this terrible heat. You must take care and protect yourself from the harsh vagaries of nature!”

Seething inside but silently complying with her mother-in-law’s instructions, the bewildered daughter-in-law said to herself: “What a miracle indeed? Wonder of wonders! Have you ever seen a room with such a variable climate? Yes, the same room where it blows hot and blows cold at the same time!”

Don't we see such double standards all around us -  at home, at work, in relationships - favouritism, bias, prejudice - it is everywhere in our lives isn't it?  

Tell me, why is there so much hypocrisy, so much two-facedness, so much pretence in our relationships?  Why isn't there fairness all around?

VIKRAM KARVE 
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

VIKRAM KARVE educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU, The Lawrence School Lovedale, and Bishop's School Pune, is an Electronics and Communications Engineer by profession, a Human Resource Manager and Trainer by occupation, a Teacher by vocation, a Creative Writer by inclination and a Foodie by passion. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles in magazines and journals for many years before the advent of blogging. His delicious foodie blogs have been compiled in a book "Appetite for a Stroll". Vikram lives in Pune with his family and pet Doberman girl Sherry, with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog - http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
Academic Journal Vikram Karve – http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile of Vikram Karve - http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll 
http://books.sulekha.com/book/appetite-for-a-stroll/default.htm

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