*Replugging* the first post I ever wrote on this blog. So this is how the journey of this ‘read my weird story’ blog began in 2013 — when Major Sa’ab was just an energetic Captain and I was a new new dulhan!…
It had been almost one year since I began dating Captain Sa’ab. We hadn’t told our parents yet and he was insisting that we do it soon. When neighbours and relatives and colleagues and utter strangers start bringing ‘perfect matches’ for their only son, it became difficult for Captain Sa’ab’s parents to hold off the inevitable. And so we told our parents. And others. And some more people. And those strangers also.
I bring to you their first reactions.
My parents
“Oh thank god. We were so worried you are going to marry some non-Hindu guy. Yes yes, we know Captain Sa’ab. He is a good guy. We have met him only twice but we know he is a good guy. So what if he is in the Army. Aajkal toh life ka risk har kisi ko hota hai. Chalo good. Now get married as soon as possible. You are not getting any younger and who knows how long we are going to be around.”
Captain Sa’ab’s parents
“Hamein toh pehele se pata tha. What do you think hanh? You bring this girl to our family functions and go with her to late night movies and we won’t get the hint? Chalo now get married this year only. Maybe in the next six months? Maybe next month?
My colleagues
“Wow! your fiance is in the Army? So cool na. You will get free house, free daaru, free food. You guys get a full time servant also right? Teri toh aish hai yaar. You won’t have to do a thing. You will get to see all these exotic places around the country. So you get one servant or two?”
My relatives
“Oh Captain Sa’ab will get servants right? That is so nice. They live such a comfortable life. Now that you will marry him, you will get to live in a big big bunglow. You will have a huge garden and lots of servants to do your work. Do you know my bhabhi’s sister’s friend’s brother’s daughter? She married an Army man and she is living like a queen. Our little girl could not have found a better man…of course the match that I had suggested was far better and lives in the US… but it’s ok.”
Capt Sa’ab’s relatives
“Arre wah now after he gets married, we will all go to his house and bahu rani will take care of us. She will have so many servants to take care of the VILLA”
Strangers
“Servants, servants, servants, blah blah blah…”
Just to be clear, we DO NOT get free servants or maids. They are all paid help. I think people confuse an Orderly (Sahayak or buddy) with a house help. More on that later though.
And that’s how I realised that for so many people, life in Army means having a free servant courtesy an extra benevolent government.
Guess what was a close second….discounted stuff at CSD!
A Curious Army Wife 
I am not really surprised because this application to bite the bullet seems to have been written by a naval officer, an aviator to be precise. Over the years I have noted that naval authors write witty pieces, a trait common in all. This seems the tradition and no senior takes offence. Truly, humour in uniform.
Hey! I’ve nominated you for the Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award. Please read my latest blogpost for the rules and nominate the bloggers you yourself follow!
Two months into my married life (in 1965), my husband’s unit had moved from Jhansi to Punjab in Op Ablaze. I had returned to Ahmedabad. Once in a marriage function, one local lady started conversation with me and asked me what my husband did. When I told her that he was in the military, she was horrified. “Sister, only those who have no one cry after him joins the army. You appear to be from a well to do family, so what made you marry such a person?” (The words she used were in Gujarati but were similar to, “Jin ke aage – pichhe ronay wala koi nahi hota, way fauj mein jaate hain…”) Things were different indeed those days – especially in my part of the world!
And I think of today when people look at women with respect when they come to know that they’re married to a military man. 🙂 Thank you for sharing that anecdote
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Recent got married to an army officer and can totally understand the feeling.