A trip down memory lane

We were three couples with young children. We lived as most young families did, in modest homes, simply furnished, with one air conditioner that had pride of place in the bedroom. We drove secondhand cars and carpooled our children to school to save on fuel.To augment our husbands' earnings we taught at school or gave lessons.

We were never too busy to drop in on each other for chats. At weekends we liked to play cards in someone's air conditioned bedroom. Sometimes we would find Russian caviar or Heinz baked beans or Bulgarian jam in Gulshan market. Then we would feast on baked beans on toast, or scones with Bulgarian jam while we played charades or Rummy or Flush.

One year we decided to go on holiday to Cox's Bazaar. We drove off in high spirits, our cars filled with sun hats, nappies,toys, tiffin carriers full of parathas, halwa, shami kababs, bakarkhani and our beloved jam. We managed to fit the children in too.The roads were relatively clear and we had a smooth drive except I think someone ran over a chicken.

When we arrived, we checked into the Government Circuit House and decided to go straight to the beach to catch the last rays of the afternoon sun. While unpacking, we women found that we had left behind the bag that contained our swimsuits.The children and the menfolk had theirs, so we went anyway. 

To our delight and by sheer good luck, we found a peddler selling some swimsuits that had been left behind by female tourists. We three women all found suits to fit and put them on as soon as we could. We lay on the beach sunning ourselves in our new swimsuits, sunglasses on, sunhat on, while the men took the children with their buckets and spades to play near the water's edge. 

We passed happy days on the pristine beach, sunning, eating, or swimming in the gorgeous blue water. Everything was perfect except the circuit house food. Our friend 'A' who was a superb cook, decided we could not go on eating the terrible meals we were getting, so she took over the kitchen. The men were sent off to get the groceries, and 'A' set to work with the cook and several assistants. While 'A' prepared the evening meals, 'B' and I sat on the veranda and passed the time experimenting with different types of eye shadow and makeup.

Sometimes there were parties.One young couple used to throw a party every year on New Year's Eve. There was music and food and conversation with the highlight of the evening being a Black Forest cake from the Sheraton.

We wore platform heels, silver lamé, false eyelashes and even wigs. We were all very slim. It was a standing joke among our husbands that our sari blouses were so small that the tailors needed only six "giras" of cloth to make them. 

We listened to Ramsey Lewis, Creedence Clearwater, John Lee Hooker, and the Rolling Stones.Our children often say "Your generation really knew how to enjoy themselves. And you still do". 

And it is true.