"Few things cannot be understood unless you experience it”, they say. But I say, you can feel it rather than experience it, to understand. Because, once you experience this, you wouldn't want more to life. I’m not a philosopher over here, but just telling you how beautiful the concept of “Middle-class families" is in India. Especially in India.
What is middle class? Why this topic? How can someone enjoy this? These are few general questions that emerge, but hang on for two minutes and continue reading. Life is beautiful", said this as soon he entered the stage.
"I am Partha. I am an orator and a proud middle-class person", laughed Partha saying this.
"It's my first speech and I'm quite nervous, but I know most of you will connect to this." Smiled and continued.
"There are memes which tell, you only wake up because your mom switched off the fan, but I say, there are many middle-class people who sleep in the veranda at nights, experiencing the most beautiful scenery and of course not to forget the mosquitoes. I have heard that people pay to sleep in the lawn, gazing at the stars, I tell them, have one fan in the house, you'll automatically sleep outside in summer.", he laughed and sipped a glass of water kept over there.
“The concept of drinking water from glasses is rare for us. It's always three-four bottles kept in a row. Drink it, fill it and drink it again. It’s a cycle. It's hard man, I mean, who wants to fill it regularly. There's no concept of mom filling it. Sometimes you even dehydrate yourself because of laziness." He stopped for a second, and continued, "Sorry, it was a text from my mom, she's asking if I had eaten my lunch which she prepared at 6 am today because she didn't want me to eat outside. If this isn't loving, show me what is.
Even if she allowed to eat outside, I have to tell her what I eat and how much I pay. If you're a true middle-class person, ₹15 is maximum you pay for a coffee and ₹40 is the cap on the price of dosa. If you pay above this, don't even consider calling yourself a middle-class person. You have lost the right." He laughed with the audience as he continued,
"Not to disrespect rich or elite people over here, but, in my house, there's no dining area. There’s a living room, bedroom and kitchen. My parents and I fight like crazy all morning, but we have no option but to sit next to each other for food. How funny! Not funny exactly." He laughs as he tells.
"Its amazing. That's the bond, when there is less space. Try it once, you'll fall in love with your parents. When you have to sit somewhere in the house, irrespective of whether you are angry, tired, studying, working, there'll be more than one person in the room. To be honest, all this is because there is no space.” Audience laugh as he completes the line.
"Don't laugh, seriously" he laughs.
"I'm sorry, this isn't laughing, but this is how I was born and brought up. I just remembered them. How beautiful is it? My mom, dad always used to understand when I'm sad, crying, laughing or feeling any other emotion. Because we were always around, we were cozy and we shared that bond.
People from the middle-class have the ability to bargain in their blood. You really have to see how we bargain, it's like we own it. Every time my mom bargains, she cuts one zero and ask. And you know what, it works every time. For example, if we go to a shop and he tells the belt costs ₹1000, and my mom says she won’t pay a penny above ₹200. That's it. She starts with ₹200 which is 1/5th of the quoted price. It requires different talent to be honest. I don't even know why people give so much for clothes. I have Poma, Nike with a upside down tick symbol. Every brand for so less money." He rolled his sleeves as he was talking, trying to show swag. But instead laughed bad.
"Oh, I forgot this, power cut. The power cut is the best thing. We middle-class people don't live without knowing our neighbours, it's our tradition to talk about that one person who's not over there. We always do that and it's extra-hyper when there's a power cut. It's a different vibe with candles and mosquitoes everywhere and this is most important, cutting the vegetables in the meantime. How beautiful is that? "
"Next in line is the part where we have to adjust food, I swear, till date, my mother has never eaten fully even if there was adequate amount food for everyone, thinking it's less and that we'd need more. And she wouldn't even talk about it. Even though my dad loves sweets, it's me who has to eat first. But I'm intelligent, I eat a little less thinking there’s not enough for everyone and they eat less thinking I like eating it more. This is the most powerful and never-ending cycle I've seen. I mean just imagine. If shown in movies, everyone would go "aww". I say, don't try experiencing, you'll fall in love with these things."
"Middle class is not just a way of living, it's fun, it’s full of emotions, too much love and it is the most responsible way of living."
"This is Partha again, finishing my speech. Thank you."
"Eyy, you'll become an orator one day. I know. But first finish engineering ." his mom said, as he finished reading the speech in front of a mirror at his house, imagining a crowd that’s cheering for him.
That's how we live, that's how we dream, that's how they support. It's just BEAUTIFUL!