Mere Paas Tum Ho has taken the country by storm with a petition in court to halt the final episodes. The writer, Khalil ur Rehman’s vociferous thoughts on women’s status in society didn’t help much. In jumped Tahira Abdullah to set him right but wait a minute, is Khalil ur Rehman really that wrong? Do women really indulge in extra marital affairs, unknown to their better halves? Will they do it more than once? And with zero remorse too? Ashamed to admit, but I have, and plan to keep doing so, to keep myself sane!
I reveal to you the 3 Love affairs I’ve had, that keep me going!
1. Papa Roti’s Ilaichi Chai
This love of my life abandoned me last summer when I visited Dolmen mall and discovered Papa Roti is no more! It was always: “Yes darling, I’m on my way home. Psst, Aslam, (my driver), swing by Dolmen first will you, I’ll just get the chai to go.”
“Yes darling, stuck in traffic I’ll be there before your khala arrives, promise. Btw, anyone up for an illaichi chai to go? I can get one on the way!”
I don’t know about you, but a cup of that steaming , freshly brewed cardamom tea in my hands with milky froth and a stimulating aroma of freshly ground illaichi – Wow! Does a woman really need a man? Yes. Only if he can make chai like that! I bet Danish couldn’t, (hence he lost his woman). Not sure about Shahwar, but Papa Roti could! And that’s one love affair I’ve had to give up – sadly!
2. The Impromptu Breakfast with Friends!
It’s early morning and I get a whatsapp, Pingggg Have time for a quick breakfast. You free? We can go to that new cafe in town! Hmmm, my early morning snail brain opens one eyelid, the other one, watching as my hubby gets his office gear together. “Want to have a cup of chai before I leave?” He asks lovingly, tousling my morning hair, with that sympathetic look, (I know you have to do the laundry, the kitchen, and I’m off so let’s just catch a breather together huh?) and I, in my half awake state, clutching the phone to my chest – “Hmmm why not?” The clock ticks away, I have to be out of the house in 20, but 15 minutes with him for chai means I have 5 to get ready??? I do the math with amazing speed, my snail brain not so slow anymore.
“Sure hun”, I reply, jumping out of bed and turning on the electric kettle! Tapal teabags milk, water, oops. the other way, I mean. Okay! I plop myself down on the couch. Let’s have chai – with one eye on the clock as the minutes tick away. He’s in a chatty mood, I would love to tell him I just made an early morning breakfast date and I would love him to go to work, like,… NOW! But, I can’t break his mood, also, the secret keeps it more fun … dunno why???
I do make it, btw! How can I stand up someone for breakfast, that too when chocolate croissants and coffee await in the crispy cool morning breeze – the morning chat of course, adds the pep to my day, so why would I not do this???
3. The Late Night Facebook & Instagram Dates
“Come up to bed.” Says he. “It’s late, we have to be up early morning!”
“With you in a bit!” Say I! That was 10pm. And this is 12 am! What happened in between? Oops, I got lost! Browsing, messaging, smiling back at a lit screen, laughing at memes, chatting with a friend in the US where the day has just begun!
I glance up at the clock and KNEW I should have been up earlier. Scramble to change, get into bed and quietly fall asleep, hoping my better half, who’s fast asleep in dream world, didn’t notice I came up way past the ‘just a minute’ call I gave him.
“What time did YOU sleep last night?” The inevitable question stares me in the face early morning as I lie awake after 5 hours of sleep, looking my age (what else do you get after 5 hours of sleep)? And I, reply evasively, “Oh, not that late I think twlevvvvvvishhh?” The vvvvvs drawn out as if I wasn’t quire sure! “Hmmm, says he, no wonder you’re tired in the morning!” I decide to stay quiet, (wisely enough), and change the topic to – a cup of chai before you leave? Chai solves everything, even the affair he thinks he knows about, but you pretend he doesn’t!
And so, my dear girl friends, We all have those places we go to where our better halves are not really sure we’ve been. It could be a Black Friday shopping spree, a late night slice of chocolate cake, or even just a snatched long distance phone call at 2am with a friend who just woke up in another part of the world. The point is, these extra-marital affairs might be safer, healthier, and more long lasting than those that involve one of the opposite sex, but so very crucial to every woman’s marital life! Can you imagine yours without one?
These tiny white lies won’t upset your spouse, not as much as the real thing. Now I doubt if they would pass writer Khalil ur Rehman’s penetrating dialogue on the insidiousness and cheating nature of women. Do we cheat? Yes, sometimes, but it’s all jayez! Oops, am I justifying what’s totally wrong and sinful? Another story for another drama!
Mere Paas Tum Tau Ho Hi, lekin aur bhi buhat kuch hai! And you know what, … it’s alright!
I can so feel that papa roti’s chae loss!! Was a regular customer of Centaurus branch! Had it throughout pregnancy like once a week (I’m not a tea taker otherwise but this tea I wouldn’t miss) and now it’s gone. Forever 💔