On a Bad Note

Lokesh heard the unmistakable alert of a message in Whatsapp just as he finished his meeting, he checked his phone out of habit. It was from his wife Sulabha. He opened it and saw the message, "I found this awesome song... Listen to me sing..." And a popular song. He frowned and clicked the link. It took him to a different app. He wondered if it was a virus and quickly exited. But by then, he had another message from her. "Did you listen?" Now a request was a command.

He did, and felt even more scared. He paused it and stared at it for a few moments. Then he lowered the volume and played it again. Technically, he could say he had listened to his wife sing without lying though he couldn't hear much. What he heard did not inspire him to hear any more.

"How long? I am waiting for your comments" and there was a love symbol.

"I am at work, darling... Listened in low volume... Good effort..." he replied cautiously.

"How disappointing. You have to put in more effort to listen closely! Never mind, after you return, we can listen together!"

He stared at the phone miserably. "OK," he replied without enthusiasm.

However much he delayed, he would have to go home. With a heavy heart he left the office and headed home. He stopped on the way to buy some sweets and savouries, hoping the pleasure of this unexpected treat would make her forget her song. There was no chance of that, but no harm in trying.

There she was, all smiles, waiting eagerly for him to arrive. She couldn't wait for him to get ready, but the treat kept her busy for sometime as she placed everything neatly. "So sweet of you! Did you really love it so much!" she said and hugged him as he took in the dim lights and the placement of the snacks in the side table. She sat on the sofa and smiled at him invitingly. He did, feeling like a sacrificial lamb. They had been married long enough for her to know his emotions and body language. He had to brace himself but without it showing in any way. Thankfully, today she was so engrossed in her own singing that she barely noticed his stiffness or the pain flickering in his eyes.


When it got over, he beamed in relief. She smiled back, pleased. "I know I have to improve, but wasn't that good for the first time?" He was spared the pain of prevaricating as she continued, "But Neelima is so jealous. She put a like and said 'lovely to see you join the bandwagon,' and all that. But she pinged me to say I need to focus on pitch and beat. A bit more practice and all that!" Sulabha looked livid. "What does she know about singing?"

"You sent it to her?" Lokesh asked, horrified. Neelima was as good as a professional singer.

"No, that's the thing! I didn't even tag her when I posted it in Facebook. All my other friends loved my singing, but she comes unsolicited and then has to find fault. Thinks no end of herself," Sulabha grimaced.

As days progressed and Sulabha's addiction to singing in the app, Lokesh found his meals delayed, even burnt sometimes, work pending, his bedroom door closed to him since Sulabha needed the quiet as she recorded.

He couldn't decide which was worse - the torture of having to listen to his wife sing live and then the recorded version, or having to soothe her whenever there was open criticism. He envied those who did so and blessed them as they were unfriended on Facebook.

He wondered if bad singing was a good ground for divorce. But as she looked at him with a hopeful smile, he smiled in return and nodded encouragingly.