Had taken a week-long leave from work to celebrate Diwali and spend time with my parents. Every day of my leave was spent working from home, something my parents and I disapprove of. A leave is a leave, a leave from work. Working on leave from work is both oxy-moronic and moronic. Having said that, no one forced me to carry my work laptop home, nor did anyone ask me to log-on to office mail. When people mailed me, they got auto-replies of out of office. They also got replies from me, doing my job. Some asked that if I was working, why the auto-replies? Others would say sorry to bother you on your leave, but do this, and that, and also that. Most of them appreciated my prompt replies, but I absolutely loathed myself. Then I turned 25.
"How did you celebrate?", asked someone.
I did exactly what I have been doing for the past week. Woke up and went to the nearby lake-garden with my parents for a morning walk. It is the only time it's pleasant here, in my otherwise scorching hot city.
"So, what's the special today?", asked my aunt who had called to wish me.
"Learning to cook baingan ka bharta", my honest reply, met with amused laughter from all ends.
"Happy b'day madam, silver jubilee ho gaya! Itna kamaa rahi ho, what will you spend it on?", a friend quizzed me.
"Pai pai jod ke bachaa rahi hu for my wedding :P", a dishonest reply, met with even more thunderous laughter.
"How's the party going on?", texted another friend ready to take an underwater swim with sea-turtles.
"Dad opened a little cabinet and I found mini bottles of Finlandia Vodka and Dry Gin in there. So the party's just getting started!" 😄
I instagrammed my picture wearing a kurti mommy had stitched for me, watched Shammi Kapoor's 'Teesri Manzil' with dad, visited a temple during our evening stroll, face-timed with everyone on my face-time list, gorged on home baked cake and did not touch my work laptop even for a second. I CELEBRATED! 🎉🎉
