Dearest Dad #ATOZCHALLENGE – D

 Dear Dad,

These past three years have made me feel such a void that I couldn't resist penning down this letter to you. After all you have listened to my lamenting all your life, so why should things change in your afterlife. I'm not very articulate, but you and only you can hear my unsaid words clearly through all my rambling.

Ashita is your favorite and I am sure this fact will help her earn brownie points this time around too. And where does leave her rival because of whom I happened to you?

Agreed that I married Ashu with your blessings and that I have my own pitfalls as a husband and she as a wife, but we have withstood the test of time. She's impulsive, hot-headed, and way too self-righteous for me to handle, but deep down within I know she has a good heart.

Mum, on the other hand, has been living with this mortal phobia of being judged. She just has to be perfect and wear that mantle of an ideal mum. Neither of us have ever mandated this, but this is just her. And, yes, she expects the same decorousness of us. Of course I do not like this one bit and strongly crave for some space, but I am petrified of hurting her. She is my mum after all. 

On the other hand, Ashu has no qualms about defying her, sometimes much to my dismay. My wife is a self-righteous, opinionated, independent woman who won't bother to reign in her outspokenness. You always wanted me to marry a qualified woman, and here she is. I can actually hear you defending her and chiding me for being a cry-baby. You once chided me on my butt for being one and that is one thing I can never forget. One request. Please reserve some brownie points for your better half. It isn't fair to put them all into Ashita's kitty.

I clearly remember how worked up you got when mum would keep praying for hours together and at odd times. You were a strong believer in creating your own destiny. Naturally her faith-fueled sermons sounded like claptrap to you. Honestly, they do to me too. I am not so religious. But again, I do it just because I don't want to be mum's nalayak beta. Actually Ashu and mum share this common interest in religion. However, I wish my dharmic wife would keep her mouth shut when mum and she differ on what is religion and what is blind faith. Another tiring area of conflict. It just makes them both go crazy.

So I don't need to recount individual instances, but I'm guessing you get the picture. Mum wants to be perfect and Ashu wants to be rational, and between these two I'm becoming insane. Both of them try to outdo each other and are can border on being disrespectful in several hair-raising moments. Both want a share of my loyalty pie and at the same time. Geez! I don't like those moral dilemma moment. That when I remember you the most. Atleast you would hear me and keep mum at bay while I managed Ashita. When will these women ever learn to respect each other? My educated wife and my dedicated mother? If you can talk to God please ask him to induce some harmony in these women. This will automatically give me peace of mind.

And please don't cheat yet again. I sill remember Rhea and me fighting for chocolates during our childhood. Yes, the ones you secretly ate telling either of us that you gave it to the other. We grew up grousing each other thanks to you. Doing that in my current situation is like inviting a bull to come charging at you. I may be your son but here I clearly take after mum. No unwanted dramas that are followed by long spells of not speaking with each other.

Hope you are well.

P.S. Once again Mum:Ashu = 50:50. Don't ever goof that up in your request to the Almighty.

Your troubled son.
Mayank