Working woman-the golden goose

Overheard a hilarious conversa­tion at the railway station while waiting for a train. An elderly gentleman was relating his son’s ‘misfortune’ to a crony. “My son has a working wife and I pity him. These working women become, so dominant in their ways, just because they are earn­ing. My poor son has no say, especially because he has made use of his wife’s bank loan to buy a Computer  and car. As if he couldn’t do without these. How can I make him understand that the more he lets his wife use her money on the house, the more enslaved he becomes to her dominating presence? I don’t know why women have to work in the first place. They already have a full time job at home. As it is, there is so much unemploy­ment with men roaming the street for a job. With women also competing, it has become more difficult for men. I tell you, the working woman has posed a threat to men — it is erosion, of the fundamental rights of a man.”If I wasn’t in a hurry to reach my destination. I would have gladly missed my train and con­fronted the man.

One doesn’t know whether one has to laugh or bristle with annoyance at the kind of gibberish spewed by some men. To begin with, a woman is dominant by nature and not because of economic independence. I have come across many women who do nothing but crack nuts and chew paan, while gossipping and yet, their husbands shudder in their presence. Some women are so vile in their speech that their husbands plug their ears and hide in their offices. There are some who are quietly dominant — getting their way by being soft and clinging. All these are the traits of the women who don’t work also!

On the other hand, it’s the working woman who knows the value of money. She can appreciate the sweat and toil of her husband and keeps away from wasteful expenditure. She stands by him, shoulder to shoulder, as a partner, and participates in the running of the household. Besides, she has value for time and uses it effectively, both at work and at home. If she appears, in the process, to be ‘dominant’, it’s only a misinterpretation of confidence, born out of a sense, of participation.

As far fundamental rights - the Constitution guarantees a similar one to a woman. I don’t see why a woman should be con­sidered competition for a man as, anyway, the odds are against her. Most organisations have a bias against employing women in senior levels and men have a hang up about doing the jobs women do.

It is heartening to note that despite the prejudice of narrow minded fathers, men are preferr­ing working wives — and going by purely materialistic standards, a working wife is like an ‘install­ment dowry’ — a goose with a substantial store of the golden egg!