Here's an excerpt
from Adi's diary about her husband...
Aditi hates exercising, while her husband is a health
freak. One day Agneya Reddy asked her to join him for a leisurely walk. She
eagerly did. No sooner they reached the nearby park than he started jogging and
forced her to follow suit.
She protested,
cribbed, and took at least 10 breaks and at last squatted down.
The rest is in her own words...
*************************
The
following morning, after he left for work as I sat browsing the net and sipping
coffee, I heard the doorbell ring.
Two deliverymen
with a huge parcel were requesting permission to walk in. “Sir asked to instal
it in the TV room.”
I
called up Agy. His secretary Sharon answered the call. “Mr Agneya Reddy’s
phone.”
“Can I speak to
him, please.”
“He’s
in a meeting. May I take a message.”
“Can you ask him to
call me back. It’s urgent. Aditi here.”
“O! Hello ma’am. He’s gone for a briefing
session, so he left his mobile with me. Hang on a sec, I’ll get him online.”
Within a minute,
Agy was online “Yes, Adi.”
“Some
guys are here with a …”
“Yeah, that’s for
you, my love.” And then I heard him say, “ Informed? Ok. I’m just there.”
“Hello..”
“Ah Adi, let them
instal it in the TV room. I'll call you in 30 minutes. Love you.”
The
deliveryman, I discovered was given detailed instructions. He knew where
exactly to install it and what to be moved. He rearranged the entire room so
that the treadmill was facing the home theater system.
Half-an-hour later,
Agy called. “Treadmill instaled?”
“They
are at it.”
“Good. Now my girl
will exercise every day.”
“Did
I ask you for this.”
“You will never. And
getting you to jog outside is a herculean task. So I came up with the best
solution.”
“Very
smart.”
“Thank
you. I know you are not happy. And it’s absolutely fine by me. Beginning today,
my smart girl will exercise for an hour. You will have no excuse because you
can do it at your convenience, watching your favourite programmes.”
“And if I don’t.” I
was pissed off by his persistence.
“No
dinner.”
“And it’s
absolutely fine by me.” I mocked attempting to get his tone. His
laugh, even over the phone can do wonders on me. “Well, my dear, it’s important
you exercise. And the least you can do is walk an hour.”
“I’ll do after you
come.”
“No.
I’m having the spare guest room upstairs transformed into an in-house gym.
We’ll replace the balcony wall with glass and that’ll give it a fantastic look,
too. So once that’s ready, we can work out together. Until then you will walk
an hour every day alone.” He said the last sentence slowly and deliberately.
“Hello…”
“What
do you want.” I snapped and I heard him chuckle again.
“Be ready by 7pm.
We’ll go out for dinner.”
“Bye.”
“Love you. Please
smile.”
“No.
Bye.”
I was irritated by
his audacity. What the heck, whatever he thinks has to be done. No way.
At least today, he’s not having his way.
I
decided to prepare an elaborate dinner.
**************
By
6pm vegetarian spring rolls; hot and sour soup; sesame chicken strips with
sweet & sour dip; mixed fried rice and noodles were ready. As I was setting
the table, in walked a beaming Agy.
“Not ready? Let's go.”
"I’ve
cooked an elaborate spread. Freshen up and come fast.”
“As you say.”
A
little later, he was standing examining the table. “Wow! this is, indeed,
elaborate Adi. I can’t wait. Where do I start?”
“Soup first. Oops,
I’ll fetch the sauces,” I said and went into the kitchen as he picked up the
soup bowls. But when I returned he was not there.
“Where
are you?”
“Gimme me a minute,
dear.” He shouted from the bedroom.
“Adi,
come with me,” he said taking me by the wrist after a while.
“Where? The soup
will cold, Agy.”
“That
can be reheated.”
Shit! He was
leading me to the TV room.
“First
walk for an hour and then dinner.” He said leaving me beside the treadmill and
lowering himself into the sofa. “I’ll keep you company.”
“I walked.”
“You
did not.” He said with a don’t-fool-me smirk and shaking his head.
“I did,” I gave him
a stern look.
“Well,”
he crossed his legs over and folded his hands, and continued, “if you don’t
walk, we both are going without dinner tonight. And I don’t want to do that
because I’m eager to taste my Adi’s dishes. I’m famished.”
“Let me play some
music for you. What would you like to hear.”
“I
have no likes. It’s always your likes and wants, right. Play whatever,” I
snapped with a sullen face.
He got up with a what-will-I-do-with-you
smile, lifted me onto the treadmill, timed it for 60minutes and kissed me.
“Yep, here you go,” and pressed the start button. He returned to the sofa and
sat watching me.
An
hour later, dabbed in perspiration, I slumped on the sofa. He sat up to wipe my
face and I shrugged him off.
I ate in silence,
while he was his chirpy best.
************************
Back
in the bedroom, the anger in me crept up, seeing him lying on the bed reading a
book. “How did you know about my walking.”
“I know it all,” he
said flashing his naughty smile.
It should be her.
I walked out quietly and knocked at our maid's door. The moment she opened the
door, I snapped, “From when did you start reporting my matters to Agy.” She
gave me a perplexed look. “I don’t like this.” I spat and returned to the
bedroom.
“Feeling better
after taking it out on that poor woman," he asked as I climbed over.
How does he know it always! "I'd gone to take my lens," I muttered.
I saw him smirk and
pick up his mobile. He dialled a number and put it on speaker between us. I
heard Savitri’s voice on the second ring. “Yes, Sir.”
“Savitri,
Adi is feeling bad about her behaviour just now. She wants to apologise…”
“…No sir, no, no.
No problem. She’s a small girl, sir. No problem.”
“Thanks
Savitri. Good night.”
I was fuming. “What
the heck? I’m a small girl, eh. Small girl!”
“Well,
you behave like one.” He said calm and composed.
“My foot I’ll
apologise. You ask her to spy on me, so cheap.”
Clearly
amused by my outburst, “You are such a kid, Adi. How closely have you observed
this home, umm”.
He sat back looking
at me, enjoying himself, as I was fuming with a mixed bag of emotions.
“Our
home is webbed.” With that same soft look, he continued, “Each room has a
camera…”
I
was all alert. How did I not notice it
all this while!
“…Before you came,
I hardly spent time in here. So for security reasons, I had them instaled.”
He
paused. Then with a cheeky smile, added, “It came in handy only today,
though...”
