M: *excitedly (or, was it accusingly?)* Varsh, S bought a new phone!

Me: *smiling, to S* Oh, good! Husband’s birthday gift, I presume?

Before S can answer, M cuts in.

M: You know how much it cost? 25,000 rupees!

S: *acknowledging and replying in her perennial signature state of alarm and worry* Haan re! I didn’t want to buy it, but what to do? Husband insisted. You remember we also bought the new car last month? This expense wasn’t required.

Me: *doing the facepalm thing in my mind for inviting the inevitable but not prepared to suffer the fake disposition* That’s true. You could’ve refused then. You don’t use it for anything other than calls and chatting, right? By the way, our party is still due. *winking*

S: *sticking the foot out of her mouth now, probably* Oh, sure. Can we do it some other time though? I’m a little low on cash.

Me: *laughing* That’s alright. We will pay for ourselves. We have yet to get a new phone or a car.

Suddenly, S remembers she has to be somewhere else and walks away without another word.

Flaunting isn’t a bad thing. All of us have been guilty of it some or the other time in our lives. Wouldn’t it be better if we’re happy and proud while doing it though? Being wary or apologetic about it implies that we don’t feel we’re worth it.

I’ve seen lots of wives basking themselves in the reflected glory of their husbands’ achievements. Their pride is directly proportional to their husbands’ pay packets and inversely proportional to their own self-worth, if they bother to take it into account. For God’s sake women, realise that you have a life too and your gift to yourself can and should be lot more than physical things that don’t need flaunting.