Monday, September 10, 2007

Abua... I love you!

September 9, 2007:
My dear departed grandmother's 85th birthday. Why do I miss her so? Why does God take away the good people so soon? She was my inspiration: the perfect Stepford wife in India, the wanton temptress in Pakistan...

Who is a Stepford Wife? According to Wikipedia:
The Stepford Wives is the name of a 1972 novel by Ira Levin, as well as two movies of the same name based upon the novel, the first released in 1975, with a remake of the film released in 2004.

The premise involves the married men of the fictional town of Stepford, Connecticut, and their fawning, submissive, impossibly beautiful wives. The protagonist is Joanna Eberhart, a talented photographer newly arrived from New York City with her husband and children, eager to start a new life.

As time goes on, she becomes increasingly disturbed by the zombie-like Stepford wives, especially when she sees her once independent-minded friends – fellow new arrivals to Stepford – turn into mindless, docile housewives overnight. Her husband, who seems to be spending more and more time at the local men's club, mocks her fears.

By the end of the story, Joanna becomes convinced that the wives of Stepford are actually look-alike gynoids, manufactured in secret at the men's club. She visits the library and reads up on the pasts of Stepford's husbands and wives, finding out that some of the women were once high achievers, while some of the men were brilliant engineers and scientists, capable of creating such life-like robots.

At the end of the story, Joanna attempts to flee the town of Stepford as well as warn her new friend Ruthanne, mother of the first black family to move into the town. The men find her and try to convince her that she's mistaken. They take her to her former best friend Bobbie Markowitz, telling her that Bobbie will cut herself and bleed, proving herself to be human. Joanna enters the house to hear loud rock and roll music playing upstairs and sees Bobbie taking a large knife, and realizes too late that the men told Bobbie to kill her and use the music to cover her screams.

In the story's epilogue, Joanna has become another Stepford wife gliding through the local supermarket, while Ruthanne appears poised to become the conspiracy's next victim."

Eve: The Ultimate Temptress
In Pakistan, she was the wanton temptress—abandoned and irreverantly joyous. Happy with her connection with God, delighted to be "home". She would celebrate every moment, greedy to pack it all in... demanding company, food, love, presents, and knowing it was all hers for the taking.

So, why am I writing a book about her life? She was the ultimate Jekyll & Hyde, the most deceptively bipolar person, the most grieving person with the graceful mask and the million dollar smile...

In death, she could not lie. She died of lung cancer, a disease caused by grief. She died in India, though 2 days before she was hospitalised for that final 3 day stint, she tried to "run" back home to Lahore... Trapped by chains of love we all tied, she died in Delhi, a city she disliked, burnt rather than be buried...

In death, an apologetic Muslim. In death, a martyr. In death, so secular...

In life, NOT.

Love,
Jhilmil



Abua, help me as I find out the truth behind your beautiful life. As you celebrated your 85th birthday yesterday on the 9th day of the 9th month, the most spiritual day for the most spiritual person... I know you had surrounded me as the clouds showered tears for me. I love you!

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