Kindle Woes

My husband and I were on our way to the theatre. This was our first movie date after having our baby. I am not a movie buff. But my husband, who was a regular movie watcher was drooling over all the movies that were releasing. He couldn’t watch them as I was busy with my baby and couldn't give him any company. Twice before today, my husband had booked tickets for both of us and I had managed to send him with his friend. But today I had to oblige. But seriously, I prefer spending my weekends with my son, as huge chunk of my weekdays is dedicated to office.

We had our lunch in a restaurant and off we headed to the theatre. I was deeply engrossed in the book that I was reading on my phone’s kindle app when my husband said, “Look at the metro station, how elegant it looks!”

I stole a quick glance, nodded and went back to my book. After a minute, he said, “look that’s Erragadda mental hospital towards the left.” I nodded and went back to my book.

“That’s the Moosapet fruit market” he said. “Should we buy some fruits here for Abhi (our son)” I asked. 

“No, we don’t have place to park our car here.” he replied. What was the point in pointing out the fruit market when we didn’t intend to buy from it? I thought.

“That’s the Moosapet vegetable market.” His voice came again. By now, I was thoroughly irritated for being disturbed. I am very bad at remembering the places and routes and my husband knew this very well. What was the point in showing me all these when I had already been through this route and still don’t remember and am sure to forget this time as well?. I kept my cool and yet peered into my book with some hope that I won’t be disturbed until our destination. Man, I seldom get to read after marriage and don’t get to read at all after having baby. But thanks to the kindle app that holds all my books at just a click away from me. This way I have access to bulky books in my palm and I can now read while cooking, while performing mundane tasks and almost anywhere, anytime.

 

“Do you know, this is NH-9. If we go straight, we would reach kukatpally. Further straight, we would go to Beeramguda (my in-laws place). But we will stop by at our theatre, which falls on the way and then go to Beeramguda. This is the same road that would take us to Patancheru as well.” He said taking pride at his latest discovery on NH-9.

Too busy to even nod, I continued reading. 

“See this is South India Shopping mall. They have this offer going on here now. Buy anything worth Rs. 2000 and take anything worth Rs. 2000 for free. It means we can buy anything worth 4000 and pay just 2000.” He said. I couldn’t help thinking. “why is he being too talkative today? That too while driving? Why in God’s name is my husband trying to push every minute detail of most irrelevant things into my skull? Why am I being stolen of my new found privilege of reading?”

It reminded me of my son, Abhiram. When I am cooking in the kitchen, he looms around me, throwing away the utensils to make clanky noises. Gives me closed empty boxes to be opened, though he knew they don’t contain anything for him to play with. He finds out ways to seek my attention and his dad was no different. The idea of reading on the go from my mobile had apparently not gone well with him. He consciously or subconsciously was seeking my attention. “Man, what about cricket? You shut the entire world out of your brain while watching cricket. How do you think I felt when you were watching cricket on our honeymoon?” I thought.

I kept my thoughts to myself. Love and good will taking over my human ego, I closed my kindle app, promising to revisit it at the next best opportunity.