BOOMERANG!

She doesn’t listen to me, the mother told me.I go to such great lengths to ensure she excels in everything. I take her to the dance lessons…drive her to the personality development and art classes; I have engaged a private coach for her to improve her tennis skills, and I give up all my time to ensure that her studies don’t suffer…and I take pains to ensure that she is not brushed off by her teachers when it comes to participating in sports events….. And this ingrate chit of a girl, refuses to co operate… she is becoming openly defiant…I feel upset…She sobbed into a twisted wad of Kleenex. I glanced at the girl’s impassive face. You know what? The mother continued. In our family all are so well qualified. There is nothing but the IIT for us…and MS abroad. And last week at a family wedding, this stupid announces in front of all the elders in the family that she wants to study English and become an English teacher. You know, my husband is an IIT graduate and has an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. I have a masters in law and I was the university champion in athletics and am a national basketball player…. Why doesn’t she understand our dreams for her? The girl rolled her eyes and shuttered her expression the moment she caught me watching her. I could feel her wince under the barrage. May I ask you something ma’m? I said, in my most professional voice, hiding my irritation. What are you? What do you mean? She said. I said, what do you do now? Nothing, she said, I am a housewife. I raised one eyebrow at her and smiled as pointedly as I could waiting for her to understand….. Her daughter, bright as she was, understood the import of my words. She nodded her head and smiled, for the first time that evening!