Wednesday, April 06, 2005

A quick tale 9

Namesake
Everything about her had had to change after marriage. Her routine (she had to be up at 5.30), what she wore (no more jeans), hairstyle (“Oil your hair, plait them and wear flowers. You’re married now”, reminded the mother-in-law) and even what she saw on TV. The other day she innocently remarked how good-looking Aamir Khan was and it was met with a stern rebuke from the in-laws and a snide remark from the husband.

She clung to the one thing familiar – her name. She refused to add her husband’s name to her own. Everyone else seemed happy doing it but for her it meant something final. Which is why she wept when she received a birthday card from her mother. It had her name tagged to her husband’s. It was like looking at a scarred face in the mirror and not recognising it as one’s own.

8 comments:

Amrita said...

I am mentioning this again (since I have already left a comment on your quick tale 6), is there some special feeling attached to married women who are unhappy?

AF said...

Marriage changes everything, toooooooooooooooooo many compromises and we can never be our own self again.

AF

Anonymous said...

Kalyanamaana Apdidaammaa..ponngaldaan ADJUST PANNIKANUM
(After you are married.. You gotta ADJUST!!!!...as a girl)

Dei, poi kaathadi ududa!
(Go fly a kite, man!)

That's why I have neither my dad's name nor my husband's. Its my native place that is tagging along.

ammani said...

Good observation, Amrita. You're right, women trapped by marriage does seem to be a recurring theme in my stories though the first few were not. Am I one of those? Far, far from it.

Suguna said...

yeah very true........... I donno how I am going to be ... But I think we should never give up. Never Never Never giveup. there will be a day when In-Law will go with her to see the same Aamir khan Movie. It is just a matter of time and effort and willingness to fight till we succeed... What do u say????

Anonymous said...

Wow Ammani, amazing story again. Looking forward to more....

PVS said...

That one was a nice one Ammani. Married life is full of compromises on the girls side

Anonymous said...

I can very well see from these quick tales that it is written by or written about a woman involved in a failed marriage.