Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Romance : “Tete-a-Tete” with a Pretty Techie Girl

SHORT FICTION STORY

__________

“Tete-a-Tete” with a Pretty Techie Girl

Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

_________

I love walking – and – I love talking.

That’s why no one wants to come for a walk with me.

“Oldie Goldies” of my age feel that I walk too much.

“Youngsters” feel that I talk too much.

That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when a pretty techie girl smiled at me and asked me if she could join me in my evening walk.

“Hello Uncle…” she said, “can I walk with you…?”

“Of course…” I said, “I would love your company – come along…”

“Thank you…” she said – and – she started walking beside me.

______

Dear Reader – after my retirement – I live in a modern residential complex in a posh suburb of Pune.

It is a well-designed gated community – quite expansive – comprising of a number of high-rise buildings – well laid out – in verdant environment – and with good amenities – gym, swimming pool, sports facilities, walking and jogging track lined with trees, soothing green lawns, a lovely garden, nice shopping complex, basement parking et al. – located in beautiful spacious environment.

Most of the residents are young “IT Software Techies” who work in the IT Park nearby – young couples – Double Income Single Kid (DISK) – or – Double Income No Kid (DINK) – who lead busy lives – and believe in maintaining a “hail-fellow-well-met” type of relationship with fellow residents of the gated community.

The pretty techie girl who was walking with me – she was around 35 – married to another “IT Techie” – they were a “DISK” couple.

I had seen her in the mornings – with her school-going son – waiting for the school bus – along with other parents.

She lived in our building – or “Tower” as the builder had named it – and – we met each other quite often – but – as I said – it was a “hail-fellow-well-met” acquaintance.

Her name was Nisha.

_______

For some time – Nisha and Me – we walked in silence.

Then – Nisha spoke.

“Uncle – I wanted to talk to you…” she said.

“Okay – go ahead…” I said to her.

“It’s about your tweet about “quiet quitting” in relationships…” she said.

“Oh – so you follow me on Twitter…” I said – feeling a bit elated.

“Yes, Uncle – and – I read your blogs too…” she said.

“So nice to hear this…” I said, “which blogs did you like…?”

“I read your blog on “How to Survive Incompatible Marriage” – and then – I saw your tweet on “Quiet Quitting” in relationships – so – I thought you were the best person I should talk to…” she said.

“Okay – I am all ears…” I said to her – guessing that she probably wanted to talk about her marriage.

I was right.

She spoke about her marriage.

“It’s about my married life…” she said, “I am feeling suffocated…”

“Suffocated…?” I said to her – with a questioning look.

“Last evening – it was so bad – that – I was seriously thinking of divorce – then – I remembered your blog “To Divorce or Not to Divorce” – I read it again – I thought of all the stakeholders – I read your tweet on “Quiet Quitting” – and – I thought it would be best to talk to you…” she said.

“So – you want to “quiet-quit” your marriage…?” I asked her.

“Yes…” she said, “I want to know exactly how to do it…”

“It’s simple…” I said, “reframe your marriage as a “job” – you know how to do “quiet quitting” in a job – you put in the “bare minimum inescapable effort” to keep your job – similarly – you do the minimum required to maintain your marriage…”

She gave me a thoughtful look – maybe she was confused – trying to digest what I had said.

So – I decided to help her out.

“Tell me – when did all this start – when did you start feeling “suffocated” – as you put it…?” I asked her.

“It was always there – but it became worse during the COVID Lockdown – my in-laws came to live with us – then “Work-From-Home” started – for both me and my husband – and online school classes for my son – and – I had to bear the whole burden – overload of “work from home” – they expected us to be on our laptops 24/7 – and then – cook – clean – shop – do all the housework – cater to the idiosyncrasies and never-ending demands of my in-laws – my son’s school work – everything – it became too much for me – and now – it continues – my in-laws have moved in with us permanently – I am totally stressed out and suffocated…” she said.

“And – your husband – doesn’t he help…?” I asked her.

“He is in his own world…” she said – with a tinge of contempt in her voice.

“So – you can be in your own world too…” I said to her.

She looked at me – confused – so – I decided to elaborate.

“Are both of you are still “working-from-home” – aren’t you…?” I asked her.

“My husband works from home – I work “hybrid” – for 4 days a week – I work from home – and one day – on Friday – I go to office…” she said.

“You must start going to office every day…” I said to her.

“Every Day…?” she exclaimed, “you want me to go to office every day…?”

“Will they object…?” I asked her.

“Object…? I don’t think so. In fact – my boss will be very happy…” she said.

“So – start doing it – go to office every day – you don’t feel suffocated at work – do you…?” I said to her.

“Not at all – I love my work – and the office environment…” she said.

“So – start going to office 5 days a week…” I said to her. Start working from office – I have experienced that “out of sight – out of mind” does work…” I said to her.

“But what will happen at home…?” she said – a bit anxious.

“Don’t worry – once you are not physically at home – things will take care of themselves…” I said to her.

She looked a bit apprehensive – so – I assured her.

“Disentangle yourself – emotionally – that’s “quiet quitting” – you go to office – things will work out at home on their own…” I said to her.

She smiled – she seemed to have accepted my suggestion.

I decided to change the topic a bit and ask her about her relationship with her husband.

“You said that you were seriously considering divorce – is your relationship with your husband that bad…?” I asked her.

“I don’t want to live with him – but divorce is a difficult decision for me…” she said.

Observing the expression on her face – I could infer that she didn’t want to talk about it in detail – so – I decided not to delve further – but keep it simple.

I smiled to comfort her and spoke to her.

“If you don’t want to divorce your husband legally – you can divorce him emotionally – that’s what “quiet quitting” is all about…” I said to her.

“Emotional Divorce…?” she said – curious.

“Yes – “Quiet Quitting” is akin to “Emotional Divorce” – sometimes – when it is not be feasible to physically quit your marriage – it may be wise to emotionally “quit” instead – so – “quiet-quit” your marriage – you emotionally disentangle from your husband – you leave emotionally – instead of leaving physically…” I said to her.

She looked at me – a contemplative look – as if she was seriously thinking about what I had told her.

“You make so much sense…” she said to me, “and you think so differently – well – I had never looked at marriage from this angle…”

“If you carefully observe – you will see that all married persons practice “quiet quitting” – in varying degrees – at some time in the marriages – and some have settled down to a “quiet-quitting” equilibrium” in the married life…” I said to her.

“Like you…?” she said – with a smile.

“Maybe…” I said – smiling back at her, “I have just posted one tweet about quiet quitting in relationships – the one you saw – now – I think I will write a detailed blog on how to “quiet-quit” relationships – especially marriage…”

“Yes – you must write blog on “How to Quiet Quit Marriage” – it will help so many who are in a similar situation as me…” she said to me.

“I will certainly do that…” I said to her, “and you think about what we discussed – take your time – do what you think is best for you…”

“Of course, Uncle…” she said with a genuine smile, “thank you so much for talking to me…”

________

For some time – we walked in silence.

It was already dark.

Then – Nisha looked at her smartphone.

“I think it’s time for me to go home…” Nisha said – and – we smiled a “goodbye” to each other – she walked towards our building – and – I walked towards my usual bench in the park to do some meditation.

________

ONE DAY LATER

________

On the next day – as I started my evening walk – I saw Nisha coming towards me – it seemed she was waiting for me – she looked happy and cheerful.

We started walking together.

“I must tell you something…” she said, excitedly.

“Good News…?” I said to her.

“Yes…” she said, “I am going to New Zealand…”

“New Zealand…!!!” I exclaimed.

“Normally – I refuse to go abroad to work on onsite projects – but – this morning – I asked my boss if there was a foreign assignment – and – he said there was one in Auckland, New Zealand – and I immediately volunteered to go…” Nisha said, elatedly.

Nisha was so excited that she ran out of breath – so – she took a pause before continuing to speak.

“My Boss was surprised – and so delighted too – he said I was the best person for it – so – I am off to New Zealand for 6 months…” she said.

“Wow – 6 months…?” I exclaimed, “congratulations…”

“I must thank you…” she said to me.

“Thank me…? For what…?” I said to her.

“Last night – before going to sleep – I was thinking about the “quiet quitting” concept you told me in the evening – and – I thought – wouldn’t physical distance help me emotionally disentangle myself…?” she said.

“Long Distance Marriage – excellent – that’s taking “quiet quitting” to another level...” I said to her.

“Yes – physical distance will make emotional detachment easier – “out of sight – out of mind” – as you said…” she said.

“What about your son…? Will you take him to New Zealand with you…?” I asked her.

“No – he will stay here – my husband and in-laws will look after him…” she said.

“Oh – that’s good…” I said to her, “your son is big enough now – he is 9 – I had gone to boarding school when I was 9 – he will manage – but he will miss you – since you are such a doting mother…” I said to her.

“You know – like my marriage – I am too involved with my son – I think it is better for me to do a bit of “quiet quitting” on the parenting front too…” she said.

I marveled at her ingenuity.

Indeed – she was taking “quiet quitting” to the next level.


___________

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh. 
2. This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
3. E&OE

Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)
     
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
________

No comments:

Post a Comment

I Write and I Blog because I want to say something.
I also want to hear what you have to say, especially about what I have written.
Please Comment.
I would love to hear your views.
I will greatly appreciate and welcome to your Feedback.