“My dear, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Looking at someone else’s palace, we shouldn’t burn down our hut.”
Neha never understood this saying of her grandmother. Sneha’s family was poor and did labour work. Their condition was as bad as dig a well everyday if you wish to quench your thirst. But Sneha’s friendship was with Kirti. She was rich, lived in a bungalow, had a car, servants and basically enjoyed a lavish lifestyle. They gelled well. They would talk, laugh and had a jolly good time together. Kirti often gave her old things to Sneha. Sneha was working in Kirti’s orchard. Habitually, every evening, before returning home, she would go to Kirti’s house and give her the account of the whole day.
Moreover, while returning home, all the way she couldn’t help feeling envious and would oft-times day dream.
“Grandma, how lucky those people are! Why are we living in such a sorry state? If only God had given us a quarter of what they have, our life would have been so much more easier.”
How be it her grandmother would console her with the above proverb and add further,
“Are we aware of what goes on behind closed doors?”
Nevertheless, these talks did nothing to pacify Sneha. She continued to feel lowly and inferior.
As per her routine, one evening when Sneha went to Kirti’s house to submit her recordings of the day, she could hear screams coming from inside. When there was a moment’s silence, she knocked on the door. Several minutes later, Kirti opened the door. Her eyes were red and she had applied a face mask. Looking at her wealthy friend, Sneha wondered,
“To look beautiful, do you need to apply a face mask three to four times in a week?”
Shamim Merchant
