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ShareFor those of you who switched on late, yesterday was Women's Day. That, interestingly, gives your better half two-and-a-half days to herself every year: Valentine's Day (half day), Mothers' Day (one) and Women's Day (one). Well, the objective of this article is not to show that time conspires against men, but to make a case for Others' Days as well.
If the purpose of celebrating a whole day is to thank those who have made our lives meaningful and beautiful, then we should have 24-hour slots dedicated throughout the year to such people:
Maid's Day: After all, the dink (double-income-no-kids), sink (single-income-no-kids), and dimk (double-income-minimum-kids) economies would have ground to a halt if maids hadn't volunteered to help. And, if you haven't realised it already, your professional and marital success depends on the maid. Don't be surprised if her salary jumps faster than yours in the quarters to come.
Driver's Day: Your chauffeur is the most multi-tasked man in your ecosystem. He drives, shops for your wife, pays all utility bills, functions as a family secy, even offers personal advice. But you have never thought of a Driver's Day. If you are still not convinced, think of a day without drivers, a city without cars, and offices without bosses. Can a city be greener and quieter than that?
Landlord's Day: With rents skyrocketing in the city and the country, it is time we honour our landlords. After all, he is family and must be treated as such. Gone are the days when greed separated the two realty denizens: tenants and landlords. Today greed is bringing them together as rent and salary rise in tandem at the drop of a hat. Soon, landlords will reciprocate by having a Tenant's Day celebrated with Nashik's finest wines -- a day when you could extend home leases too.
Pom's Day: Please spare a thought for Pommie the Pom, your canine child. He not only quietens down two frequently barking dink spouses, he also gives the family a completeness that urban couples simply can't provide. But Pommie patiently waits for the day when you - yes, you -- will take him out for his morning walk. Would you wag the tail, please.
Mosquito's Day: If you haven't been able to get rid of the flying torpedoes, why not have a Mosquito's Day? Please pay a tribute to all those winged monsters who survive civic fumigation efforts and household designs to decimate them. Next time a mosquito flaps its wings and hums in your eardrums, just imagine you are watching a Walt Disney flick. For, the mosquito's hum is a paean to urban survival.
Spa's Day: Just look around and you will see spas mushrooming. They are all there to destress you, help you, launch you to the next level of inner and outer success. So, why not celebrate a Spa's Day in honour of all the entrepreneurs who give you a great holiday on the fly. Soon, spas may flower next to your cubicle as well, providing relief from muscular angst.
Future's Day: Perhaps it is time to have a Future's Day, where we sit and discuss what could happen to us in the next six months. Will the economy keep growing? Will our salaries keep rising? Will you be able to buy a Bentley for yourself and a solitaire for your wife? Will your kids be able to make it to Harvard? Will you ever become the headhunter's first choice? Will wealth ever desert you? Will your girlfriends stop messaging you? True, some of these questions require a full day's brooding session, followed by PowerPoint presentations.
That brings us back to Women's Day. Perhaps two-and-a-half days are justified, after all. As a dimk couple told me: "Most of our time goes in explaining to each other that we are not jealous of each other's success. We also wonder why we have had just one family breakfast in the last 15 years. Did you know that the last movie we saw together was 10 years ago? Perhaps we need a proper counselling session for an entire day to remind ourselves that the family is the best part of civilisation... and that we must learn to appreciate it."
It is a message I will remember every Women's Day. And, especially, on Spa's Day.
Email: vinaykamat@dnaindia.net
