GIRL. POWER.

Girl. Power.

‘How do you measure darkness?’ Do we have something like you have a measure for intensity of light? How much darkness is little darkness or more darkness? Or is the measure of darkness is just as simple as dark, darker, and darkest? If it is so simple, then after what amount of darkness does dark turn to darker and then eventually to darkest? As light has a wave length to it, does darkness too has a wavelength? Did anyone do research on this before? If not why does not darkness interest anyone? If yes, who might be that bright guy? Is darkness just absence of light? Or light just absence of darkness? If light travels in to dark ness, can darkness too travel in to light as well? Did darkness come first or did light come first?

Vinod was contemplating lazily in to darkness before he was brought back to this world, by mild yell of Gowri “why did not the emergency light start?” Her yell increased in intensity as she was reaching the end of her sentence. The word ‘light’ pushed Vinod out of his dark thoughts suddenly. He struggled for words. He looked around, nothing was visible. He peeped hard and felt he saw darker shadows of house furniture against lighter darkness of general darkness. “Vinod... are you listening? Where are you?” yell came out with higher intensity. “Yes” Vinod managed after little struggle. “I guess even the emergency light is not working, any idea why it’s not working?”  Gowri asked intensity still high, clearly she is irritated with the power cut.  

Vinod considered his options very quickly – he has 2 options: Option 1. I know why it’s not working - he gets blasted ‘why dint you fix it then, knowing that power cuts are so frequent these days? Option 2: I don’t know why it’s not working – he gets blasted ‘you never take interest in house hold work; I have to do everything from grocery list to gas booking.’ He could not make out which one to choose, but finally went ahead with option 2. “Oh that surprising, dint realize till now it’s not working” Vinod painted some innocence in his voice. Gowri did not feel convinced; it was nowhere near her anticipated solution. “This bloody government, they increase electricity bill so often and so much, they don’t even give current steadily’ she mumbled loudly.  Vinod let out a silent sigh and relieved smile in to darkness as the topic diverted from him. He pushed Gowri’s thoughts further away from him, “yeah, nonsense government – they strap you with misery through taxes, price hikes, and mediocre services – feels so miserable and frustrated.” “Yeah Vinod, current price almost doubled in last two months – all the money we pay ends up as black money – frustrating!!”

Vinod’s smile broadened as his strategy was working clearly. Gowri paused a while and declared in despair “In this current capital world – how much money is enough money? Every year your salary is increased and so are the prices everywhere - including current bills. There is nothing left so save at all. The saving potential of an average citizen never increases.”

Vinod tried to pacify her despair “That’s the plan I guess Gowri, the government does not want people to save money. They only want us to spend. Only if citizens spend would the government get income in form of taxes and in turn will the country run.”  “I know all the crap Vinod” Gowri cut him immediately, “every country has this system, but only in ours more than 80% of what we pay turns black and we will be suffering endlessly.” Vinod shut his mouth immediately, he knows this is a topic where he cannot win or even try to convince Gowri. He struggled for his next words, but could not find any. Gowri picked up from where his mouth shut, “Take interest in what’s happening at house, you will know how tough it’s to run it. IPL is not everything in life.”

Vinod felt miserably surprised. He had no idea how the topic came back to him again. For a moment he thought he got her successfully diverted towards government.  Gowri did not stop, “I’ve been telling you to buy inverter from last 2 months – you never listen” and simply walked away in to the shadows.

Vinod, darkness, and his contemplation remained in the room.

Why are women this complex? Why anything in world has to end with men? Or start with them there in first place? What can I do if government increases prices? Where did I go wrong in what I said earlier? Did she know I was deliberately trying to change topic? Was I that obvious? Why she yelled at me in first place? Was it because emergency lamp was not working? Or that I did not buy inverter from last two months? What has IPL got to do with any of this? ... ?? ..... .... .... ?? .... ??   ...... ............................ ..........??