A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN
Ilive in an old ancestral house with my mother. My room is my zone. I need my space, my ‘me time’. My mother knows and understands this. I am a night owl and the wee hours of the night or morning are the most peaceful as my house is on a noisy street and traffic horns blare all day! I usually watch a film every day on my Mac, which continues till about 3:30 am. This time is precious to me. Nobody is around to knock on my door or call me at this time. My mother was stricter with me in my 20s — we couldn’t close the door if a boy visited. With time, there are fewer ‘No’s’. I may set up own separate living quarters someday. It’s not a big deal and my mother should be okay about it. I’ve stayed entirely by myself earlier when I worked in Delhi so I am aware of the difficulties. But consider this: my one-room barsati in Delhi was a favourite partypad for all my friends. When it rained, I would just be out on the terrace with no one around. It’s difficult to explain the peace that brings!
I feel claustrophobic if I don’t get my space. I keep a busy schedule so when I need time for myself, there are things I need — like coffee. On a Sunday, that coffee might become a can of beer or a glass of wine. I also unwind with a cup of tea. Having tea in the middle of the night with my mother is really precious to me too.
Iwas having dinner with a friend last week when her phone pinged and she looked at the screen and cringed. “This colleague of mine keeps asking me for a favour,” she said, “and I just don’t know how to say no.” How to say ‘no’. It seems like a particularly tricky issue for women.