August 25. “Button, have you noticed how women are encroaching into men’s territory and men into women’s?”

“I don’t get you.”

“More and more women are making inroads into areas where men earlier ruled—for instance professions like politics, banking, movie making, company CEOs. You also have women pilots. You’ll find lots of top jobs being done by women. Women have become more assertive and tough. If you go to pubs, you’ll find more women smoking and drinking than men.”

“But smoking and drinking was never a man’s territory alone even in olden times. It’s just that women did not do either openly.”

“I agree.”

“Does it have anything to do with the way women have been suppressed all these years?”

“Perhaps. On the other side of the scale, you’ll see quite a lot of men turning house-husbands. A lot of men visit parlours regularly for manicures and pedicures, to set their hair; even getting regular waxing done.”

“I know what you mean.”

“More and more women are refusing to get bogged down with children. They don’t want to become mothers. Instead, they are opting to live their lives by being financially independent and choosing to live their lives the way they wish.”

“Interesting.”

“Do you also know that married men are choosing a third party, another woman, to bear a child for them and then rearing that child!”

“This one is difficult to swallow.”

“The weirdest news was reported some time back where they showed a picture of a pregnant man, big tummy et all.”

“That will be the day when more and more men start to bear children and stay at home to look after their families! Will the government call house husbands beggars and other filthier names?”

“Why do you say that!”

“Some time back, it was reported that the government had classified all housewives as beggars because they are not financially independent and other filthy names. The Supreme Court has taken up this matter.”