A Faucet Feud

A carpool is an excellent idea. It helps in fuel conservation, reduces traffic & pollution, and manages to beat boredom. It doubles as a secure location to share office gossip without fear of eavesdropping. The bumper-to-bumper traffic had no impact on the commuters in the sedan. The excitement was high & the banter could overpower the traffic commotion. The slow-moving traffic allowed the driver to contribute to the possible outcome of the upcoming appraisal cycle. Halfway through the commute & discussion, the driver received a call. He picked the phone, spoke briefly & hung up quickly, which led to a slight frown. The passenger seat traveller observed it & chose not to inquire at the moment. As they travelled, the driver dropped back seater colleagues at their destination. Only the duo remained; the soft music on the radio filled the car.

After some deliberation, she asked, "You seem a little stressed after your wife's call. All okay?" His eyebrows knotted at the observation & confrontation. He questioned, "How did you know it was my wife?" She bit her tongue & then replied, "It was an obvious deduction as you picked the call on the phone & not on the car speaker. Also, you spoke in your mother tongue." He smiled & replied, "Nothing to worry about; as usual, my wife nagged about the plumber." She recollected, "I remember, a couple of weeks ago, you mentioned it. The faucet is leaking again?" He replied, "Again? Never got it fixed." Now it was her turn to knot eyebrows; she stated, "That is so unlike you. You never miss deadlines at work." He replied, "It is not a big deal; it has been leaking for a few months now." She exclaimed, "Months?" He coolly responded, "It's just a faucet." His smirk irritated her.

She remarked, "What a waste of water!" He replied, "We manage by closing the knob at the bottom & the leak stops." She was lost in thinking & unknowingly tapped her fingers. He drove on slightly busy residential roads. He seemed unaffected & hummed along with the song playing on the radio. She declared, "When the knob breaks, close the valve at the overhead tank. Take the bucket to the kitchen sink & fill it." He snapped, "Sarcasm!" She replied, "Nope, seemed like the most likely thing to do next."

He justified, "I have been busy." She titled her head, narrowed her eyes & looked at him, then uttered, "Really?" He replied, "Oh, come on! Being my teammate, you do know how hectic work is." She said, "Yeah. Why make a mountain out of a molehill?" He said, "Do I seem that dull to you? It is obvious that you are taking her side." She defended, "I'm not taking her side. Only considering water conservation & the convenience of running a household." He questioned, "Why don't I believe that?"

She shrugged & stared at the road ahead. In an angry tone, he said, "Last week, I was to go to the bank for an important transaction. About the faucet, she reminds me like 10times a day. When it was about the bank, she conveniently forgot." She stated, "Your wife probably forgot amidst the endless chores & responsibility in the attempt of being a superwoman." Without any delay, he questioned, "What are you saying?" In a condescending tone, she stated, "She probably assumed that despite reminding 10times a day about the leak, you hadn't found the time to get it fixed. Probably the bank transaction could wait." He said, "I cannot believe you just said that, and look at how you are lawyering her up." She responded, "No, I'm not. I'm only guessing." He asked, "What makes you think that it was not deliberate?"

She sighed & said, "Alright, here is my take. Suppose the wife wants something & asks her husband to do it. Not that she is incapable; she wants him to do it for multiple reasons. She reminds repeatedly & husband ignores her. Then the wife gets angry; she thinks, 'one thing I ask him & he doesn't do it.' As per the husband, that's cribbing & nagging.

In case the husband has an expectation & relies on his wife to remind him of an important task. She does not remind deliberately or otherwise; the husband gets furious. He gathers that 'for the rest of the things she nags & cribs; this task was critical, yet she forgot.'"

She heard his tooth grind & he braked hard. She thought, "Thank God, I had the seat belt on me. Otherwise, my face would have smashed onto the dashboard." She wasn't sure if he braked hard in anger or that they had reached her dropping point. He said, "No matter what you say, I bet you, she did not remind me because I did not get the faucet fixed." She sighed, "I like your confidence, though not the conviction. Thanks for dropping me. I'll see you tomorrow." She off-boarded the car & shut the door behind her. Suddenly she turned & knocked at the window. He looked around to see if she had dropped/left any of her belongings behind. He lowered the glass & looked at her with a questioning look. She lowered her head to the window & asked, "Yet you won't get the faucet fixed?"

Take Away:

• When one is determined to do something, reminders are irrelevant. However, when one does not intend to do something, even if God himself comes down & asks, one won't do it.

• A leaking faucet can be a bothersome business for some. One may either choose to pick up the phone & find a reliable plumber through contacts/apps or to remain frustrated & wait till eternity.