She lived in the upper floor of Rimsha’s house where she lived with her husband and four little kids. Rimsha was truly a housewife who loved cooking, baking, stitching, embroidery, crochet, Knitting, and other household tasks. Even she was fond of organic gardening. Though she had a great passion for painting and reading but now she gives up to other priorities. To all this, she also cleans the house, wash clothes and do utensils by herself. No doubt she possessed excellent time management skills. Due to her introvert nature, she was happy and fully satisfied with her small fairy land, kids Disney land and her big big wonder land.
But her wonderland turned into”Thunder Land” when Aunt Shakeela shifted in the upper floor. By her disastrous arrival, Rimsha’s fairy land feels like “Dreary Land; gloomy, dreadful and cheerless. Just because Aunt Shakeela’s showed off her new designers dresses time by time without taking in regard Rimsha’s busy and hectic lifestyle.
In the beginning, as Aunt Shakeela shifted here with her Humpty-Dumpty style hubby (a retired Govt. employee) and three sons, ages between 24 to 28, she approached neighbors by sending “Sooji Halwa” ( Samolina Dessert) at her own and introduced herself as a rich, elite and classy lady. Due to her snobbish nature nobody liked her. Neighbors kept distance and remained reserved to avoid her self centered conversation and self praising. So, she attempted another show off technique to attract the neighbors.
Whenever Aunt Shakeela bought a designer suit, she though to wear it immediately; as a result she made a fictitious scheme of attending a so called function or ceremony so that she could wear new clothes. At least 20 minutes before departure, Uncle (Aunt’s hubby) get into the car that he parked in the street and pressed horn non stop as he posed to call her very soon, though it was all a drama play. Actually aunt wanted to collect every individual’s attention towards her. People gathered in their balconies, terraces and peeped through their doors and behinds the curtains with a lot of irritation. Aunt Shakeela would then “step down” slowly and slowly till she enters in the ball-room for waltz with her prince charming. “Kill me!” feelings could be seen on hubby’s side. The above said drama was performed for about two months. On the arrival of Summer, Aunt Shakeela’s “late night show” turned into nightmares when deadly tired people take nap inside their humid houses with additional table fans instead of table lamps, as ceiling fans were not enough to compete the heat filled rooms that become oven those days. The old fashioned classic antique “Horn” of Uncle’s 1983’s Mitsubishi broke the silence of mid night. All sleeping creature suddenly wake up with racing hearts. Aunt Shakeela’s huge laughter added horror to the whole environment. She intentionally did that so as if somebody couldn’t saw her new designer dress than one could ‘amuse the worth watch’ sight of “glory”. She was indeed a Queen of Snobbery and a Dancing Price Tag. Soon after that people approached the landlord and complained about the new comers “anti social” behavior.
it was totally a co-incidence that whenever Mrs.Shakeela came to visit Rimsha, she couldn’t found her at home. But on one hot sunny day, the ‘mouse’ got trapped.
Mrs. Shakeela returned from the nearby super market with her maid holding many grocery bags. Rimsha handed garbage bin over to the sweeper as she caught her sight. It was her first meeting. A shine sparked in her narrow eyes and she ordered maid to fetch all the stuff upstairs as she would like to talk with that young lady. After that she was sitting in her lounge with pleasure. She had conquered the fort.
Mrs. Shakeela found her very courteous in her behavior and attitude. Rimsha didn’t have any idea about the upcoming worse situation that will ruin her peace and comfort.
Rimsha proved an easily approached platform for the snobbishness of Mrs.Shakeela. Now it is not limited to the designer’s suit, the matter goes long and unlimited. Above all Mrs.Shakeela never thought about the right time. In fact, she would always visit on awkward times to kill precious moments. Rimsha’s welcoming behavior resulted in an unsolved mystery.
The situation become worst when Aunt Shakeela felt change in Rimsha’s behavior. Though she opened the door but kept herself busy in house work. Aunt, Shakeela than planned another drama. If there was delay in opening the door, Aunt would knock at the door with full force as if it was not a door but a “Dhol” or drum that she was beating non-stop and as fast as she could. And now, whenever she came from outside she must visit Rimsha’s place first, pretending that she was feeling thirsty and sick. Rimsha become dumb and confused and serve her with an unseen fear. Many hours passed by, Aunt sat in the couch as if she had stick herself with glue. She monitored and deeply observed each and everything in the house and comment a lot. She began to poke in trivial matters, discussed a lot, questioned and ordered, and even started to condemned her in various aspects. Rimsha couldn’t tolerate her long and boring conversations based on pride and make fun of others. It was a mess, an uninvited guest is always like a war, forced to fight with a condition of “do or die”.
Corona virus had spread all around the world and so is this area. Rate of patients raised high day by day as it was highly contagious and multiplied rapidly. Everyone strictly followed the rule of” stay home, stay safe” except Aunt. Shakeela. Rimsha’s couldn’t understand how to stop her. At last, her husband gave her last warning to stop entered into our house or he will do in his own way and will complain to landlord. Rimsha was afraid of quarrelsome situations so she assured her husband that she will mange and solve the matter by herself. But how could she; she didn’t know.
Kids were shut down in the room with their father when Aunt arrived in full mood of being relaxed. Rimsha uttered few words in her humble voice which her husband couldn’t understand as he placed his ear behind the closed door. Something muttered and soon after that a huge noise break the silence. In an indecent way of talking Aunt started shouting at her. Rimsha shocked at her reaction as she continuously talked rubbish without considered anyone’s presence. It seemed clearly that Rimsha has failed to handle the situation and now somebody has too come to help her out and due to the critical condition, her husband arrived at the spot. Rimsha was standing before her, bowing her head down, in a distress manner, just like a culprit. She felt guilty in her heart. Her husband than take the control and throw a fierce sight on Aunt Shakeela. Aunt stopped cursing Rimsha and take her pouch and leave the house. Rimsha saw at her husband fearfully and caught her furious look.
“Courtesy is a good virtue but it becomes curse when you are unable or unwilling to do the task that is unwanted and forcefully given to you. Isn’t it better to say “No” rather than go through such situations because nobody like to listen “no” even you’ve done a lot for them. At early stage, being unpleasant is far better.”
Life become smooth once again. After one month, at one late night a noise is to be heard. It seemed like shifting of some carton goods. On morning, it come to know that Aunt. Shakeela with her entire family has shifted to her hometown somewhere. At one afternoon, Aunt. Shakeela’s maid arrived as she want her salary that Aunt had not to give her yet. Girl become shocked after heard about their departure from here. She than told that Aunt. Shakeela’s husband was a retired driver and she stitched the clothes by taking orders from elite women and after dropping stitched clothes to their door steps. She earned double and saved her money by putting “Committee”( a way of save money). She further revealed that Aunt intended for her sons to get married in rich families so that she could come here now and then, but she failed to always impress others and her neighbors avoided her. The girl told that she took those clothes to the far flung rural areas on a very low price and than delivered to Aunt after cutting her “commission”. The designer’s suits worn by Aunt were in fact, the above said elite class ladies suits.
Rimsha stared at her face with opened eyes and opened mouth. Was she a stupid or it was her fault that she couldn’t recognized human’s wickedness? or double faced people with dual personalities are responsible for the shallow society with weak social standards? She understands that “self-isolation” is a must act in these days for self protection. Once again, the”snail” has decided to remain in the shell.
