Ridiculous, or shall we say blessed!

Almost everyone who knows me, like really well, will vouch for my absent mindedness. And also for complete uselessness in crisis situations.

So why are we suddenly in this oh-I-am-such-a-stupid-dame mode? Because I am and I proved it yet again. What happened in my life/kitchen/marriage this morning could very well have ruined it all for once and forever.

So it goes something like this -

I was packing lunchbox for husby dearest and the gourmet that I am... I wanted him to have ghee-laden sambhar rice instead of the bland version. Pop open the ghee and alas! just a weeny bit of it stuck to the far recesses of the tin. Enough for his lunch, the ever sacrificial me thought. I had turned off the stove around 5 minutes ago and it was still warm. (In these countries, it is heater plates instead of LPG, so the stove typically stays warm for around 15-20 minutes AFTER you turn it off). So I merrily put in on top of it and instead of remembering to take it off in 2-3 minutes which is my wont, went OUT of kitchen and started checking on my TO-DO for the day! Yes yes, I know what kind of ridiculous idiot it makes me.

15 minutes later, I enter the kitchen and BY JOVE the tin is ON FIRE... Not those teeny weeny matchstick flames. I was more of those flames from the mouth of volcanoes. It threatened to eat off the kitchen.... I rushed out of the kitchen and banged on the bathroom doors for Husby's aid. (I told you I am quite useless in crisis situations. As far as my roles goes, I just create such instances and wring my hands in misery.) Husby to the rescue.

The guy came and took it off with his bare hands and threw the goddamned tin into the sink and poured water all over it. A sooty kitchen, a smoky hallway and wet floor. Add to it, all ten fingers of your loved one's burnt pretty sore.

What would happen after that is anyone's guess. I cried my heart out. Poor thing was unable to even hold the spoon for eating his cereal. Such a dimwit I am and he is paying the price of my high levels of IQ.

If what happened was bad enough, then really what we escaped for also nothing short of miraculous. If any of the remnant ghee had spilled over his fingers, the burns would have been far worse and far more serious. Had the fire not been put then, the woodwork just above the stove might have caught fire as well and the whole kitchen would have been in flames. Had I entered the kitchen 5 minutes too late, the smoke would have poisoned both of us in totality. Had this been India, the LPG would have burst in my face and God knows if we would be even alive to tell you this.

But in spite of knowing all this, I cant help but feel contrite. I forgot the FIRST lesson mom taught me while cooking - Never leave the kitchen with something left on the stove.

I forgot that and I paid a huge price for it. Sorry Husby...

Let go!

Blogging after a long hiatus - yes, the poem is mine. Just a different way of presenting it.