\u201cDear, this is the first Diwali since our daughter, Preethi\u2019s wedding. We should invite her and her husband, Ajeet to our home. It\u2019s the tradition,\u201d Bhaghya, Raghav\u2019s wife said.<\/p>\n
She was cooking chhole in the kitchen. The aroma of ginger, garlic, cumin and cilantro spread throughout the house.
\n\u201cYes, you go ahead and call.\u201d Raghav was watching a documentary on procrastination.
\n\u201cAre you listening, dear? It\u2019s not proper for a mother-in-law to call her son-in-law. The head of the house should invite. Don\u2019t be sitting like Buddha on the sofa. Please pick up the phone and call Ajeet.\u201d
\n\u201cLucky, Buddha didn\u2019t have a phone so he was at peace,\u201d Raghav murmured, turned the TV off and called.
\n\u201cWhat did he say?\u201d
\n\u201cHe and Preethi will make it.\u201d
\n\u201cO, Bhagwan, I\u2019m excited. Let me think. I have to call Lucy, the cleaning lady to launder the pillowcases and bed sheets, scrub the bathrooms and shower, wipe off the sambar stains on the stove, and vacuum the carpet. Our carpet is horribly dirty. What will our son-in-law think? I\u2019d been asking for a new carpet since last Diwali. You never listened.\u201d
\n\u201cBhaghya, calm down, don\u2019t you recall? We looked for one but couldn\u2019t decide on the color. I liked the blue one and you preferred the brown. You said the brown color matches with our furniture and hides the dust. Did you forget?\u201d
\n\u201cHow can I forget? You said the brown one cost $400 more and that was beyond your budget. You should be a finance secretary somewhere, and you could talk about budgets to your heart\u2019s content.\u201d
\n\u201cPlease stop this. We can go now and select a carpet.\u201d
\n\u201cNo carpet dealer will do the job on such a short notice. Diwali is this Saturday.\u201d
\n\u201cYou\u2019re right. Don\u2019t worry, Bhaghya. I\u2019ll get it steam cleaned. The carpet will be as clean and shiny as a brand new one.\u201d
\nJust then, Anita and Ankit, Bhaghya\u2019s daughter and son came home from school. \u201cMom, what are you and dad arguing about?\u201d Anita asked.
\n\u201cNothing. Your sister and Ajeet are visiting us for Diwali. We have to clean our home and buy gifts for them. This is the first Diwali they\u2019re coming home.\u201d
\n\u201cYou see Mom, you like Preethi more than me. I\u2019ve been asking you to put new wallpaper in my room and you promised to do this for Diwali. I didn\u2019t hear you say anything about it. Instead you\u2019re talking about gifts for sister. It\u2019s not fair.\u201d
\n\u201cMom, I need an iPad. It\u2019s on sale. Can you get one for me, a Diwali gift?\u201d Ankit asked.
\n\u201cYes, for both of you. I promise. I need your help. Anita, call Lucy and ask her to come tomorrow to clean the house. I have to figure out the dishes I should cook for them. Also, we need to talk about gifts for Ajeet and Preethi now. We may have to go to Bakersfield to get them. There is not much time. Call your dad here.\u201d
\nAll the family members sat around the circular dining table. Dad sipped hot coffee and the children munched potato chips. Food for thought, Anita said.
\n\u201cAny ideas?\u201d Mother inquired.
\n\u201cGet sister a pearl purse and a gold coated pen for Ajeet,\u201d Anita said.
\n\u201cToo costly, Anita. Let them buy a scarf for sister and a tie or shirt for Ajeet. That way we will have money left over for my iPad and your wallpaper.\u201d Ankit suggested.
\n\u201cExcellent point, brother. Give me five.\u201d
\n\u201cA sport Apple watch for our son-in-law will be nice.\u201d Raghav announced.
\n\u201cA salwar kameez for Preethi,\u201d Bhaghya said.
\n\u201cMom, wait a minute. Think. If they don\u2019t like these costly gifts, they won\u2019t use them. Instead call them and find out what they like.\u201d
\n\u201cGood idea but tacky to do. Maybe Daddy can call Ajeet. He is tactful.\u201d
\n\u201cNo way. I\u2019m not that tactful.\u201d
\n\u201cI agree with that statement.\u201d Mother smiled.
\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry Dad, I\u2019ll call them,\u201d Anita said. The meeting was adjourned.
\nThe next evening at dinner time the family met again. \u201cAny news for us, Anita? What do Preethi and Ajeet want?\u201d inquired mother.
\n\u201cMom, I spoke to sister and Ajeet. \u2018I had tasted chhole at your home. Nobody can cook it like your Mom. I loved it and its flavor still lingers in my mouth.\u2019 This is exactly what Ajeet told me. Mom, Preethi and Ajeet crave your roti and chhole. \u2018Request Mom to make tons of them and keep it ready for us. This is the gift we like,\u2019 they bot<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cDear, this is the first Diwali since our daughter, Preethi\u2019s wedding. We should invite her and her husband, Ajeet to our home. It\u2019s the tradition,\u201d Bhaghya, Raghav\u2019s wife said. She was cooking chhole in the kitchen. The aroma of ginger, garlic, cumin and cilantro spread throughout the house. \u201cYes, you go ahead and call.\u201d Raghav…<\/p>\n