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But she does not consider her writing a ‘real job’ as it is purely voluntary.
    ‘I have two stories, Ma. One is on fashion trends in colleges, the other on relationships.’
    ‘Good, good. Send me the scans when they appear.’
    ‘Of course, I will. Don’t I always?’
    ‘Yes, you do,’ she says and I can picture her smiling proudly.
    ‘And?’ she prompts.
    I know this is my cue to tell her about whether or not I have found a ‘suitable’ man. My mother is always pushing me to go and ‘find’ a man. Like it is so easy! Like there are suitable guys growing on trees and all I have to do is pick one.
    ‘Ma, I haven’t met anyone, okay? If I do, I will definitely tell you,’ I say.
    ‘I didn’t even ask,’ says my mother and she chuckles.
    Mothers are so darn clever. They know exactly which buttons to push to get information out of you. Especially information that you don’t want to share.
    I laugh with her and tell her that.
    ‘Naturally,’ she says. ‘After all, I am your mother.’
    My phone buzzes just as my mother hangs up and it is a text from Jeena. Jeena takes her job as the chief editor of Tiara very seriously. She is ambitious, driven and somewhat like the boss from The Devil Wears Prada . I can’t but help sit erect each time she passes my cubicle. She likes me though. Or rather, she likes my writing and the pieces I write. I don’t think she cares for anything else.
    Change of plans. We’re running the piece in this issue, not the next. Do you think you can submit it by tomorrow morning?
    I have not even started working on the piece. Since I had a good fourteen days to turn in the piece, I had not even thought about it. And now she wants it tomorrow!
    I don’t want to ask Jeena to extend the deadline and I definitely do not want to confess to her that I haven’t even thought about the piece.
    I message her back with a confidence that I am far from feeling: Yes, No problem. I have already outlined it and will send it soon.
    Latika and Sriram will have to help me out. And I will ask Aman too to give his inputs.
     
    From: Anjali Prabhu
    To: Latika Nair ; Sriram Surve ;
    Aman Mathur
    Sub: Help—Urgent
    Hey guys—Help!
    Deadline and Bitch-boss on my ass.
    What do you think a woman should do to keep a guy hooked?
    Sriram, Aman: What turns you on in a woman and what will keep you hooked?
    Latika: What do you think women should do to keep men interested?
    Please reply ASAP. Need to submit this quick.
    Who else can I turn to but my closest friends in times of need? (Yeah dramatic dialogue, I know—can’t help it. Writers are like that.)
    Reply immediately.
    Anjali
     
    From: Sriram Surve
    To: Anjali Prabhu
    Sub: Re: Help—Urgent
    In answer to your query: What do you think a woman should do to keep a guy hooked?
1. Show cleavage
2. Show some more cleavage
3. Wear short skirts
4. Flirt
5. Be receptive to flirting
    That’s it—so simple. Men are so easy to please.
    Good luck!
    SS
    From: Anjali Prabhu
    To: Sriram Surve
    Sub: Re: Re: Help—Urgent
    Big help you are.
    Idiot.
    A
     
    From: Aman Mathur
    To: Anjali Prabhu
    Sub: Re: Help—Urgent
    I can’t speak on behalf of the entire male population, but I think by and large what I would want in a woman is companionship. She has to be a friend first. I think sex can keep the relationship going only up to a certain extent. It is important, yes, but it is not the only thing that guys look for.
    I would also want her to have a kind heart and be a nice person. I would like her to be open and honest and not hide her feelings. I would also like her to have a great sense of humour.
    Intelligence is a big attribute for me too. I don’t like women who are dumb.
    I like women who are confident and who are at