memoirs of a reluctant kitchenperson...

Ever Notice how at family get togethers the womenfolk huddle up in the kitchen performing the A to Zs and the menfolk huddle together in front of the TV or discuss politics until say mealtime....? Been witness to this from the childhood days, but never been too affected by it all...only the married woman status brings in a whole new paradigm to the whole affair.
Not that I personally slog it out, most often manage to get away from both the huddles...but yeah the guilt and the conditioning and the spoken/unspoken expectations! what to do with them!?? They do sometimes translate into a little slogging themselves, while hating every minute, especially since talents are really rusty in that department!
20 yrs ago, it didnt seem so wierd simply 'cos the roles were very well defined and the people seemed comfortable with what they had to acheive...claim to fame being how well the womenfolk feed their men....but cut to the current scenario, things simply dont fall into place. The superwoman is here...thrust into the role, whether she likes it or not....most of them being equal breadwinners (the breadwinning part being equally important i.e), have to cook, feed, serve, clean up and then probably contemplate eating the leftovers while starting preparations for the next meal. And not talking about the hum apke hain kaun type families with 15 kaamwaales to clean up, talking about very middle class scenarios with no servants. So when families decide to take breaks from their routine worklife (double holiday, since both of them work now!), they get together and perform these therapuatic miracles to feel refreshed...of course one party does feel refreshed....not to be disputed! Also noticed how the progressive husbands/boys too fall prey to the peer pressure and dont overstep the age old boundaries laid out.
No volunteers from the men's section is accompanied by no asking from the female section as well. It is another matter that claims are made all over, that if the men do try to help the women shoo them away! well, not sure if one section dosent try too hard or the other section is so used to shooing away that they do it without a second thought. All speculations...
At the end of it all...one can only keep counting till 10 or 20 or whatever and steel oneself to put up with it only for a few days....and feel fortunate while thinking of the various people all around who slog it out this way all their lives!