How bad can your life get?

Today, I found myself having lunch with a swedish colleague. Over the usual conversation and din of thoughts, I exclaimed aloud, "I must finish my lunch in 30 minutes". To this, my colleague retorted, "This is the most DUTCHiest thing ever said by you". It took me some time to understand this. He continued, "I never knew that the dutch are so influential!!".

My mind was filled to the brim with the details of the meeting that I had to attend in another 40 minutes. I was not able to give time to the study of the module that we discuss during the one hour slot each day. Guilt was eating into me. My colleague efficiently read the fine words etched on my face. I looked at him with pleading eyes, just to let me dwell on the floaters in my brain. He let me be.

On return to our floor from the cafetaria, my colleague stopped me in my track and said, "Preeti, just imagine a life if you have to sell fish day after day, morning, noon and evening. At dusk, when the fish rot, you have to clean up the rot and walk back home or take the late evening metro, mulling over the profit earned. Every sunrise brought the same activities to the daybreak . Every sunset, sent a trail of depression following you home. When you finally managed to reach home, all that you looked forward to is a nice bath. You dabbed enough perfume to mask the smell of fish. Eventually, when you feel that you do not smell of fish, you decide to go to bed to your husband, the man you need to wipe away your day's sorrow. The moment you move close to him, your husband tells, you, Why dont you have a bath. You smell of fish. Hurt by his insensitive remark, you manage to answer, I did have a bath. He answers without even giving you a glance, Please shift to the couch. I cannot stand you, err the smell. You move over to the couch."

At this, my colleague stopped, look a long breath and asked me Is our life as bad as this?

We stared at each other. The stillness was pregnant with a dense air of gloom. The silence was defeaning. Both os us nodded at each other, with a pretense that we understand the situation each of us are in. I smiled at my colleague and moved towards my desk to collect my file for the meeting.