The Flex

Middle class family lives are a big flex.
Isn’t that a big flex,
When you can’t complaint about your younger sibling to your parents. Because you knew they love those ninjas a 0.001% extra. So you don’t!
‘The eldest’ - Always have to self set an example. Be it life or grades.
'The youngest' - Always stuck with the used and old things.
Flex is when dad squeezes the dead end
of that toothpaste just to make sure
it’s still available for use. Flex is when those cold drink bottles transform into water bottles for the rest of the lives. Flex is when you combine all those left over bitty soaps so that it looks big enough to take a shower.
Need not buy a new one indeed!
But the fun is when you never had to worry about the curry leaves or ginger bits. You always have that lovely give and take neighbour.
Flex is when you wait soo thrilled for that festive season but not for those costly clothes! Because mom reserved dad’s diwali bonus to buy her favourite dining table. That’s okay the wait is worth the home-cooked sweets and snacks. Hey and our terrace - our only ‘food manufacturing unit’. Naani still climbs up to inspect mom’s pickle preparation.

Restaurant eat-out was barely once or twice in a year. Man the entire family starts discussing since the previous night of what to eat at the restaurant for tomorrow’s lunch. Eventually when mom couldn’t finish having the non veg noodles that she just ordered. Yes, there comes the teamwork! And I just wonder why my mom don’t give a damn about the t.v the whole day, and suddenly appears hiding the screen to clean it amidst my favourite show.
The deadly combo: My mom and Things. They are in the right place just because it’s decided by mom. As longer as they don’t move, she is sooper cool with the whole family.
I still wonder why those fancy dinner sets are meant only for guests and not us. And that old T - shirt never makes it’s way straight to the garbage, unless it completes it’s rightful duties as a mopping cloth. Aren’t they too humble? Besides mom sucking thier souls all the day.Here comes the multi personality guy – yes, he the 'newspaper' – sometimes as table lays, as notebook covers, as a perfect shelf – liner, and an occasional housefly swatter and what not.
Dude he serves my family more than my dad does!

Ohh and the steel lunchbox! (which I considered a status symbol) It was one of the most annoying stuffs I hate carrying with me all through my school life. But cool now realising I was a non-contributer to the large scale plastic problem.
Aren’t they too eco friendly?
Just sooper safe and hygienic to store foods.
Sorry and the godrej almirah though!
Bro how do you still survive this old? Are you soo sure that you never want to leave us?
With all that caught me mad, now I present to you all the desires of a typical middle class family. We never had the below:
No Hamleys, no Sunday brunches, and no retail therapy.
For the middle class, splurging was (and always will be) an alien concept.
Toy stores existed only so that crying toddlers could be pulled away from the toy they desired. Spending money on a remote-controlled car or a giant stuffed bear was a frivolous expenditure.
In the era of dairy milk and kinder joy, those colourful gems pack make my day.
While the whole world is busy having Domino’s and KFC’S,
nothing could beat mom’s Poori – Achaar.
Here comes the VIP – the clothes coming home after dry clean. A yearly event!
I still ROFL of how the entire family turns deaf when dad asks “ who the hell left the lights on?”
Yes, the signature scolding of all middle class family dads.
And the biggest sin of all : Somebody entering the house with their slippers on.

“ Middle class lives are a big flex.
Aren’t they?”