Dinner anyone?

we were at Vc's boss's(PJ) place for dinner along with a dozen other colleagues and their families.
The start itself stunned me. There were a few couple already in the sitting room, around 6 couples (us included) walked intogether (by coincidence) . All the ladies (ALL) just got up from the sofas, joined the other ladies who arrived and moved into the children's room. Just like a herd.
And yours truly was caught in no-man's land .I didnt know whether to stay with menfolk or retreat behind the purdahs like women of 10 centuries ago(if then)
The consternation on PJ's face showed only when I turned around and asked him "Why did the women leave?" (Oh come on, how am I to know that you are not supposed to ask questions like that!!! I know I know, I should think before I talk, its not like I am in the college canteen... :D)
He gracefully handled the latest addition to the group saying "I dont know, you can sit here. That should bring them out. " I smiled my fakest smile and turned to find a place where Vc and I could sit together, when Mrs PJ came with the drinks tray.
Now, me thinks, maybe thats the reason the ladies left, they know its "Drinks time" and dint want to be around , but hey, if you know your hubby drinks, whats the big deal in being around , anyways....(and the drinks tray was brought to the ladies room later !!! )
And then, I decided to go the ladies adda instead of raising eyebrows and fueling gossip about Vc's wife is like this and like that.
Now that room was like the Mumbai local. 10 ladies and at least 15 children all in a 10*10 room. I dunked my head out to see if Vc could save me but alas, he was lost.
15 mins there, I realised that
1) I shouldnt fiddle with my mobile to keep myself occupied, it might be considered rude.
2) If you say no to wine, people assume you are being shy. It doesnt matter that you really dont want any.
3) Every one checks out the other, weighing out stuff.
4) Starting conversations with aunties IS tough.
5) What I hated the most. Children is ALL everyone is really willing to talk about.
"My son na, fell yesterday - he was fending off a bully. We weren't sure if we could come today" I look around for the brave boy and see him cleaning his nose on a shirt, so much for a hero-in-making.
"My son says he just hates girls. His father was saying, lets enjoy this till the day we hate his girlfriends"(Round of laughter, like it was a bright joke)
And someone catches my expression(I think I looked confused.) and says, "You wont understand all this yet. You should have children. Its about time too." And she bursts out laughing, while most others who had just shook their head in agreement, start smiling.
Vc was so going to get his ears boxed. If I was a cartoon, they would have seen the steam coming out my ears.
For the love of God ! I can still remember my school days, my first crush, being afraid of the teacher, sleeping in Bio class, throwball tournaments and what not. And here they were, telling me that I was getting old for the next generation.I am not THAT old.
Then, I really saw those women. One pretty thing who could pass for a college goer even now had 2 children a 5 year old and a just born(oh, she had to hear tons of feeding advice and I had to suffer that too :(()
There was the other women who proudly asserted that her husband was learning how to make tea after 15 years of marriage, now that she had starting working for 3000Rs every month. That is, after her children grew old enough to look after themselves, she allowed herself to do what she wanted.
The other lady who spoke to me wistfully that she wanted to work but couldn't because she married early and immediately had kids.She told me to work and enjoy it.
Of course, there was the Ice Maiden who looked down her nose upon everyone else. The lady who spoke to no one but her spoilt child who bullied all the other kids.
Oh and what did I do after 30 mins being cooped up there? I settled with the kids to watch HarryPotter on tv and was discussing the finer aspects of Rowling's work.
Come dinner time, finally, people came to be in the same room. I stuck to Vc like fevicol. and post dinner, I sat with the menfolk to see if really all they spoke about was shares, business and sports.
It was. Sigh.Maybe it was coz there was a woman present ;)