The Affair

I am Mrs. Iyer. 56 years old. Statistics professor in a reputed college in Mumbai. My husband, 59 years old, successfully runs his own training institute for corporates. We have two wonderful boys. Both are married and well settled abroad. So, after many years, it's just the two of us at home. This term 'just the two of us' would bring a twinkle in our eyes years ago. But now it's nothing but boredom. Mind you, not for me, but for my husband. 

In our good younger days he would say I perfectly resemble his favorite actress 'Rati Agnihotri'. And now he says "After 26 years of marriage you can't expect me to be the same kid that I was. " I fail to understand why romance is kiddish for him? Why to be in love and expressing the same is inversely proportionate to growing age?
In my free time I used to always wonder. Is it me whom he finds unattractive ? or has he found someone else more attractive than me?. I missed our younger good times. I missed being loved.

Three months back was my birthday. When things changed for me. I was expecting him to come home a little early from his work...just this one day. I baked my own cake. And ordered our both's favourite Chettinad Biryani. ........The clock was ticking, and so was my hunger. Only after it passed midnight, my patience gave up. 

I rose from my wing chair, walked to the table where I had placed my birthday cake.  I made a wish, blew the candle and cut a huge slice of the dutch truffle dark chocolate cake. And trust me, I relished every bite of it. After having the finger licking dinner I went to bed, thinking about my birthday wish. I told to myself that this time its more than just a wish, it will be my resolution to gift it to myself.
My wish was 'to be loved once again.'

Next day during recess time in college, I registered myself in a dating app. One of the benefits of being a professor, that too a so called 'cool' one, is that you get to know from the youngsters about the latest technology and apps. The next question was the display profile picture .... I was skeptical.... Was wondering should I leave it blank?... I was sitting cross legs holding my phone while I reluctantly clicked on the camera option. In the back camera view I could see my very recently pedicured right leg with the shinning silver anklet. I did not think twice and clicked - uploaded the image. But I did think twice before giving me a new name for my profile....

Finally my profile was ready.

Name: Payal
Age: 52 years.
Location : Mumbai
Relationship Status : Complicated.

...to be continued





-Sharon Lasrado