Empty Wishes

 The phone had been indicating the incessant flow of messages. Mostly over WhatsApp. She knew they all were messages from all the men (and some women) that she knew and didn’t - wishing a Happy Women’s Day. She was in no mood to read the once-a-year ritualistic, well-meaning but not-meant-in-real-at-all words. 

As the day progressed, she couldn’t read her book anymore and the pull of social media made her pick the phone up. Even the office group was super-active, with the same old wishes recirculated from the previous years. She couldn’t resist anymore, and wrote. 

“I hope the men at least today will do something in real than just wish the women around. That they would go back and assume all the chores that are casually assumed to be done by the women of the house. Doesn’t matter if it’s mother or wife or even the maid. Be it cooking or dusting or folding those damn clothes. I hope they will serve food to everyone, clean up after, and then sit for their meal. I hope they stay home and let their women step out, and not fret when they return late, nor bristle when they respond with a , ‘Why do you ask?’, to your question, ‘Why are you late?’ Then your women’s day wishes would feel true”. 

The responses were swift and on expected lines. She smiled contentedly, and went back to her book. 

#shortstories #talltales