The Agony Aunt can Sync-in and Sync-out of her job

An agony aunt sweats herself out for others’ problems and often stinks of others’ dirty linen. Naw, No don’t get me wrong. She is respectable and loves her job of being a part time counsellor. She is proud of her scorching ears that have buried umpteen unsavoury stories or emotional mishaps or snapped relationships.How should one define an agony aunt? She is a confession box that regularly gets filled with garbage but is ever willing to offer advice or solution.

What should be her qualification? A graduate in worldly private affairs,a post-graduate in Ways to pass through a maze of complicated relationships laden with thorns.A doctorate in developing a duckback to shield herself from rotten eggs and stale tomatoes. Over and above she must lead a spotless, stainless personal life devoid of emotional entanglements.

The art of making ‘glue’ has been(figuratively) the most wonderful discovery to help man be glued to man (means mankind).If man is a social animal he needs to gel well with his compatriots, be it at home(?) or with neighbours, at work with colleagues or with co-commuters(can be your chauffeur) while travelling or while tapping toes in a traffic jam keep twisting the steering wheel. Texting or talking on the mobile are short term reliefs.

The glue that defines a human need to adapt one’s nature to the nearest human is getting problematic these days.The irritant‘ bug’ which unsettles man in his comfort zone……hence an Agony Aunt provides solace  with a lacy bridge to tide over emotional waves.

Valsa strived to live but was killed.

Valsa begged for old cooked rice or left overnight rice from the few households nearby and she managed to fill that earthen pot that she put on the fire, a temporary stove. As the stew boiled to a translucent fluid in the courtyard she went about her daily domestic chores with ease.Then she poured out the rice stew into a tin container added a few drops of rose water so that the paste smelled pleasant. Later in the evening she poured it into tiny bottles ready to be sold. Not to forget the label that is glued to every bottle:“Valsa gum”- Rs 2/.Her two sons Shibu and Biju aged 11 and 9 were stashed away at a relative’s house in a distant village.What else can a woman do if she has a ‘goon’ for a husband.He is in and out of prison so often that he finds time only to squabble and turns violent at times.

Today the kind of women who seek to succeed in small business ventures have excelled in marketing spices, edible items that are home made, toys  and accessories for all youngsters. Valsa also is one among them who did sync into this small group of entrepreneurs.But her story took a different turn, her husband paved way for a stalker-cum-predator and that was the end.

Cheryl’s fatal marriage

This young and beautiful woman buoyed from the post of a receptionist to a clerk to a Personal Assistant within a year ( in the eighties when secretaries had a distinct career).The accomplishments she had were an astute sense of dressing, ambition and a hard worker. Then came Mr. Kamal, the new CEO who eyed Cheryl and was keen on appointing her as the P.A. Kamal should have been named ‘Kamaal’.

The outdoor jaunts multiplied so paved way for that inevitable trap.Then came the inevitable question of being biologically bound.A film like script? Exactly! Later a quick make-do marriage, then Cheryl was tucked away in a remote suburban apartment.Truth dawned late, Cheryl turned out to be the second wife, needless to say the CEO left the city for greener pastures( What a cattle mentality). Cheryl was left sobbing in public to complement her tarnished reputation and no support. (Nobody publicised legal compensation  then,  so-Shhhh).

Our misled-Cheryl ends her life. Why? Weak scruples and a sense of shame that led to end her life.

 

Are you wondering why my narratives pertain to women only. Being a woman I can gossip about women with women and add spice in the form of humor, pathos and alarm.So do not mind the spice, just stick to the character and circumstances.These were the words of Fatima to whom this piece is dedicated.

Fatima turned out rightly to be an Agony Aunt online, her two clients (Valsa and Cheryl) could not make her victorious as the cases turned into disasters. ( RIP Valsa! RIP Cheryl). 

Fatima needed help(?). Someone advised her to study Law. For some time her life was interspersed with dos and don'ts of the legal profession, that left her exhausted. Back now to her old profession- A.A. - quite agonising but morally fulfilling. Now she needs some female detectives, I am on my way to meet Fatima. Pray for me.Is it that easy to work as a detective?

So universally women sync-in and sync-out of situations but have to fend for themselves in order to spot the right slot and fit into public life. In a country like ours the women strive to stand tall or at least equal to men may be an inch shorter or taller.The height of gender scales are blurring. Mine(eyes) get blurred with tears .Will be back when the scales look more aligned.
{ Let me tell you a secret: None of my nieces have considered me to be an ideal agony aunt or for that matter an aunt as well. They remain more as daughters than nieces.
But my role as a detective in my next blog will pertain to two cases in the past which did ease off peacefully.Certainly they( the case studies) remain  friendly and  are happy till date.They did not belong to the family circle.}SEE YOU SOON.