Cricket in the Commonwealth again, yaar? All that gold and silver shining on TV. Meanwhile, I’m checking my son’s maths copy, adding up his tuition fees for the month—my own little medal table, bas. Every mark feels like a race I never signed up for.

Beta ji ne kal phone kiya — bole, "Maa, aaj school mein sab Marvel ke baare mein baat kar rahe the, mujhe bhi dekhna hai." Main soch rahi hoon, unke tuition ke paise bachane ke liye main do raat extra kurti ka kaam karoon, aur yeh superhero list dekhna chahte hain. Arey, jab hum chhote the, Doordarshan par ek hi film aati thi hafte mein, aur hum bade ho gaye. Par ab sab competition ka baap — jab tak main apne haath se silai karke uska fee nahi bhar doon, tab tak koi committee nahi bolegi ki "beta ko