GOVERNOR AT HOME

I faintly remember having financial crises at home during our childhood days. During those days terms like, slowdown, melt down etc were not used. It was simply the gap between income and expenditure. Income used to be stagnant and expense can vary at times. Even small things like a visit to a doctor, few extra guests can create imbalance. It will be more evident after 20th of the month. Dad will become more frustrated and angry. He will read loudly from newspaper about the bad financial situation all around the world. Mom, in a hushed voice will ask, if finance is bad globally can we skip our dinner? We have never heard them fight openly. Even then all discussion on financial strains are done secretly. For us the impact is felt in few ways. No evening snacks, same item for breakfast, films banned, and most of the days rice will be replaced by porridge with just papad and pickle as accompaniments. At certain months things really go out of hand. Those months it will be even difficult to buy a pack of biscuits. Though all efforts are made to suppress the crisis, the strain becomes palpable. That is when mother takes her magic wand out. Suddenly from nowhere she dishes out a hundred rupees note. That will help to pull through the month. Dad will be relaxed. Mom will have that," I bailed u out " look. Years later I realised that even from the paltry amount she got for running the house  mom always managed to save some amount. Those savings were kept at different places. ( Only once she had to reveal her savings. She says it was a demon who stole her money). Even dad was aware of these reserves and that gave him great relief.

I was having my morning tea ( of course without biscuit) and reading about RBI giving the government some surplus amount to help them to tackle the financial situation. Suddenly I realised my Mom was the RBI then. I went in ,showed her the news and said, Mom, you were our RBI Governor. Without even winking her eyes she retorted, I still am, though without a resignation letter!!!

Rajesh Athrassery