Surf ki Kharidari mein hi Samajhdari hai!

Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled.*

Now, yelling is something I am averse to; but one thing that I surely love is Words and you all know why. Most of the afternoons, lazing around, I feel like humming Words by Boyzone and soaking myself in the music and lyrics of this evergreen melody. Poor me, miles away from the luxuries of having a maid, is so tired on some days that I take a power nap. With a power nap, sorry, a prolonged nap comes a dream. Dream of diamonds, beach holiday, perfect home and at times, of cooking, ironing, washing clothes and having uninvited guests...

Yesterday during my mid-day slumber, I was dreaming of the LV Bag...but wait, cut two, I had an uninvited guest in my house. C’mon! Having an uninvited guest and that too in a dream; seems like there is no solace for my poor self. In a nano second, I was drifted from the LV store to my humble living room. You know the way it happens in a dream.

A pleasant looking Lalita ji, with a size 6 shilpa bindi and in polka dotted saree was folding my laundry while I was making tea for us. With the right mix of authority and concern, she asked, ‘You wash your clothes in a machine?’

‘Yes Lalita ji, in the building laundry room we have machines and dryers.’ I boasted, trying to show case the ease of life in the West. ‘...and you know, the clothes are dried completely and so warm as if they are ironed.’

‘That’s good but you still have stains on collars and hems,’ pat comes the reply that thrashed the superficiality I built a moment ago. But my undeterred attitude couldn’t handle it, ‘That’s OK, Lalita ji. Anyways, I have to throw these shirts away. They are very old.’ Lalita ji flicked her curls away, adjusted her bun, took the pallu of her saree in her hands and asked, ‘You know, how old this saree is?’

‘Looks new, you bought it this summer? Polka dots are in fashion and you look lovely in it.’ Seriously, I loved her saree and I was not lying.

She smiled and I could sense the pride in it. ‘Ramesh ji gifted it to me on our first anniversary!’

First Anniversary!!! Those words fell on my ears like a thunderstorm and I was grief stricken. It was like I bought a dress on full price and she bought it on 50% off the next day. The home maker in me couldn’t take it. I failed on managing my clothes. I couldn’t take this blow and with dampen spirits, I asked her in a low tone, ‘Really, how come? You don’t wash your clothes in machine. Is that the reason?’

‘No. No. I use machine but I am very particular about the detergent.’ She declared and this statement came as a ray of hope; even I could make a switch, I thought, to a better detergent and better home maker. ‘Which detergent you use Lalita ji?’ I asked with excitement.

‘Surf Excel Matic!’

‘Surf Excel Matic,’ I repeated. ‘...and for how long you soak the clothes before washing?’

‘Where is the time to soak? I don’t soak and also, there is no need. The new Surf Excel Matic has vibrating molecules which goes inside the stains and removes it,’ she explained in detail and Boy!...she knows what she uses. She is definitely a very good home maker! Good Choice, Ramesh ji!

(Lalita ji explained these facts on her iPad)



Top Load, Front Load, No Soaking and Zero Stains. Ten on Ten!

I love to soak, in music and in rain but no soaking of clothes for me please. It’s really embarrassing when at times I take wet clothes in the laundry room and Americans look with curiosity.  I got up and wrote ‘Surf Excel Matic’ in the things to buy list.

‘Thank You, Lalita ji!’ I took the empty tea cups away. Wait!!! But what about the stains I have on my clothes. Sigh! No matter how careful you are, you leave tiny memoirs on your favourite dresses. A perfume mark on a white top or a turmeric print when the naughty okra fell on my lap and stained my pink skirt. I turned towards her, my Wish Fairy who has the magical wand, Oops! Surf Excel Matic. ‘Any tips for removing tough stains, if you could share,’ I asked.

‘Saru!’  There was a bit of disappointment in her voice. ‘I never expected you would ask this question.’

‘Why Lalita ji, did I say something wrong?’ I never wanted to annoy my wish fairy.

‘A blogger asking for tips. You know how to use internet. Anyways, Log in to surfexcel.in and look for stain tips on the left hand side,' she said. ‘...and removing stains is easier than finding keywords. Spare some time from promoting your posts on Facebook, Twitter and Indi and browse the surf excel website to know more about washing clothes.’

‘I will. I will.’ I nodded but I must tell you, I was a little ashamed of my unawareness.

‘And remember Saru, Surf ki Kharidari mein hi Samajhdari hai,’ she said with a splendid smile on her serene face.

And before I could ask my Wish Fairy aka Lalita ji any more questions, my most interactive reverie was snapped by a telephone ring. My mother was calling from India; she is coming to US in a couple of weeks and is driving me crazy with all what-should-I-bring routine. ‘I ordered for bakery biscuits, is there anything else you want?’ she updates me daily and asks the same question; but this time, for a change, I said, ‘Yes Mom, please bring two packets of Surf Excel Matic.’

Shocked with her daughter’s demand, ‘Why, don’t you get detergents there anymore?’ Now, how could I possibly explain the day dream to my mother, with Lalita ji’s words still lingering in my head crystal clear, ‘Nothing like that Mom, you know, Surf Ki Kharidari mein hi Samajhdari hai.’

So Ladies and Washer men, by quoting an old Oriental proverb, ‘Getting money is like digging with the needle, spending it is like water soaking into sand.’ I suggest...

Waste no more and Soak no more!

Switch to Surf Excel Matic and wear the crown of a good home-maker, 

just like Lalita ji!

(For those who don’t know our mighty Lalita ji, watch this TV commercial.)

* A Cowboy Truth.

**This post is written for 'The Surf Excel Matic, Soak No More Contest' on Indiblogger.