Keeping a Woman Slave

Son-in-law:

Nearly thirty five years ago, an old man was talking to his new daughter-in-law. He was showing her his collection of old days. Among them there was a letter from his son-in-law. It was a five years old letter. He gave it to her without any emotion and asked her to read it. The letter was addressed to the old man.

“You have ruined my life. I married your daughter because she was your daughter. How can I explain the disappointment I faced? You have given me a mute miracle. How can the light that shone brightly for outsiders couldn’t drive out the darkness at home? Why doesn’t she have the love of languages? Why can’t she talk about politics authoritatively? Why is her knowledge of great literary works almost non-existent? Why doesn’t she have any radical views? Is she also fearless enough to sacrifice everything fighting for truth or does she even understand it? How can I live the rest of my life with her? But it is you and only you who is responsible for my hopeless future. Why didn’t you teach her? Why didn’t you make her like you?”

Old Man:

Forty years ago, an old man was walking slowly to a temple where he would daily meet his friends. Unlike other days, he didn’t have to bother about the distance he had to cover alone as there were enough thoughts in his mind to give him company. He had received a letter from his son-in-law where he vented his anger that his daughter was dumb.

The old man just couldn’t understand what went wrong. His children received the similar upbringing that he had for himself. Probably, even better as they grew up in a more egalitarian society. He only studied upto fourth standard and all his children bettered him on that front. Whatever he did later he did because he either loved it or went along with his friends. Nobody taught him anything. He didn’t think much about his short lived “success” in public life as the price he paid for it was too huge and he could barely recover from it. The romantic persona of his that some of his caste people developed had no meaning for him. He never thought much about himself.

Daughter:
About thirty years ago, having just been returned to her husband's house after the reconciliation efforts by the elders of the community she set out tidying up the house. She had been admired by everyone for her cleanliness. Her illiterate mother had taught her that discipline and etiquette were marks of the true class and she was very proud that she could measure upto that expectation. Her work was occasionally disturbed by few thoughts that appeared from nowhere.

"I would have studied hard and completed the tenth standard had father insisted on it. Nobody was really bothered when I failed."

"Father was never into gods but he would burst crackers during Deepavali as we looked on."

She longed for class.