{"id":551,"date":"2023-12-04T10:26:12","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T15:26:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/chapter\/at-home-3\/"},"modified":"2023-12-04T10:26:12","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T15:26:12","slug":"at-home-3","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/chapter\/at-home-3\/","title":{"raw":"At Home","rendered":"At Home"},"content":{"raw":"\n

Day: 0<\/h2>\n

Time: 8:30pm<\/h3>\n

Place: At home<\/h3>\nPriya looks out the window to see her husband Harj working on the truck again.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s always out there doing something to that thing. I swear it hasn\u2019t worked well for any of the time we\u2019ve owned it,\u201d she mutters.\n\nCleaning up the kitchen just before dinner, she glances at the half full bottle of Crown Royal. \u201cHe\u2019s drinking way too much again. I know he\u2019ll be grumpy and sad at the dinner table.\u201d\n\nAgain Priya looks out the window and sees Harj taking a smoke break from working under the hood of the truck. \u201cHe\u2019s also smoking way too much. We probably could make ends meet better if he didn\u2019t smoke and drink so much.\u201d\n\nShe moves to the stove and stirs some aloo gobi, then turns the heat off on the stove. \u201cOk, it\u2019s done. Now it\u2019s time to see if he will come in to eat or if he says he\u2019s too busy.\u201d\n\nShe turns around to find Harj staring at her. \u201cYou talking to yourself or are the kids here for dinner, too?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, Harj. Just thinking out loud. Are you going to stop and have something to eat?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, I think I\u2019m almost done. It\u2019s the fuel pump this time. That\u2019s the last time I\u2019m buying gas from your brother-in-law. The price was right, but I\u2019m thinking the quality wasn\u2019t.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt may not have been Gurr\u2019s fault. The truck is old, and have you ever replaced the fuel filter?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo.\u201d Harj steps closer to the kitchen island and, lifting his large abdomen on top of the island, reaches for the cupboard with the small glasses. He pours himself a half glass of Crown Royal. \u201cI remember when we only used these glasses for the kids when they were growing up. Now that they\u2019re gone, I use them for my drink. Do you want one, Priya?\u201d\n\nPriya shakes her head. \u201cMaybe you should move to even smaller glasses or drink less.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot again and not today. I\u2019ve been up before dawn, driving all over the bloody county, and now its 7:30 at night. I deserve a drink for how hard I\u2019ve been working.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, I just looked at the books. All that driving doesn\u2019t mean we are making money. We\u2019re going to have to cut some expenses: maybe your drinking and smoking.\u201d\n\nHarj shakes his head. \u201cThis is the only enjoyment and stress reliever I have. I\u2019ll look for more jobs so we\u2019re not driving empty any time this week.\u201d\n\nHarj sits at the head of the table with a view out the patio doors to his beloved truck. Not quite a semi, but not one of those UPS vans, either, <\/em>he thinks.\n\n\u201cI just have to attach the electrics and I should be done for the night and ready to go tomorrow early,\u201d he tells Priya.\n\nPriya brings dinner to the table and ladles the steamy and fragrant potatoes and vegetables into Harj\u2019s bowl. She gives him one piece of naan but watches in disgust as he reaches and takes hers. He looks at her and shrugs his shoulders. \u201cWhat? I\u2019m hungry.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou haven\u2019t even eaten it and you are taking more. I remember when I could put my arms around your waist.\u201d\n\nHarj looks down at his quite large abdomen and smiles at Priya. \u201cProbably the only thing I own that is fully paid for.\u201d\n\nPriya smiles at his joke and sits at the table.\n\nThe two share stories of their day and what the kids have been up to. \u201cIt\u2019s really different without the kids here, Priya. The last one moved out over a year ago, but it still seems strange. It\u2019s too quiet.\u201d\n\nPriya nods. \u201cYes, I know what you mean. They\u2019ll be here on the weekend. You need to take some time off to visit when they come. Last time you worked the whole weekend through and never saw them. That isn\u2019t good for you or the kids.\u201d\n\nHarj stops eating and just looks at his food. Priya hears a quiet, \u201cI know.\u201d\n\nHarj quickly finishes his meal, pushes himself away from the table and begins the motion to bring a cigarette out of his pocket. \u201cNo, Harj. We agreed no smoking in the house.\u201d\n\nHarj grimaces at her and walks out the patio doors to the truck, lighting his cigarette as he goes.\n\nPryia cleans up the kitchen and makes Harj a lunch for tomorrow. She sees him come in. \u201cAll done?\u201d\n\n\u201cNot quite. About five minutes more. Got brutal heartburn. Your cooking is killing me. Where are the antacid tablets?\u201d\n\n\u201cBy your bedside, like always.\u201d\n\nHarj goes to the bedroom and takes four tablets. Then he walks quickly out to the truck.\n\nCompleting the last of the connections, he says to himself, \u201cFinally done. Let\u2019s start this up to double-check.\u201d Slamming the hood down, Harj moves around to the driver side of the cab and lifts himself inside, grunting numerous times. The truck starts up on the first try. Harj revs the engine a couple of times and looks at the dashboard to confirm everything is sound. Turning the key off, he steps out of the cab, locks it, and heads to the house.\n\nAfter washing up, Harj plops down in the lazy boy chair and lets out a long sigh. Flicking through the channels, he finds the Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. Smiling, he says to himself, These guys are hilarious. Much better than the CBC version.<\/em>\n\nAbout 20 minutes later, Priya comes out of her sewing room to find Harj leaning forward. \u201cEverything ok?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, yeah, fine.\u201d\n\nPriya moves closer to Harj and sees the top of his bald head glistening with sweat. She notes that he is rubbing his left shoulder and upper arm. \u201cDid you hurt you arm working on the truck?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat, what? No, no. I\u2019m fine.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t look fine. In fact, you look pale for a brown guy.\u201d Priya leans closer to see if he heard her little joke.\n\n\u201cOk, ok. Your dinner is killing my guts. It\u2019s just sitting right here.\u201d Harj moves his arm from his left shoulder to indicate his whole chest is sore.\n\n\u201cNot my dinner. You love that meal. Something else is wrong.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, it\u2019s your dinner.\u201d\n\nPriya moves around to look Harj right in the eyes and get a better read on him. Looking closer, she can see he is in a lot of discomfort.\n\n\u201cOk, Harj, you are not doing well. I think you\u2019re having heart problems.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes. At the mosque, they told us the signs of a heart attack. You must remember that. Chest pain, arm and jaw pain, indigestion that does not go away, shortness of breath.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am not having a heart attack. Leave me alone.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, I\u2019m not leaving you alone. I\u2019m going to call an ambulance.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, you\u2019re not. We can\u2019t afford that.\u201d\n\n\u201cYour life is worth a small bill. Preeti\u2019s dad used an ambulance when he broke his hip. It was about $80.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo ambulance. That\u2019s final.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, then you are going in my car and going to have to put up with me driving. I will take you to the hospital.\u201d\n\nHarj looks down at his feet. \u201cOk.\u201d\n\nNow Priya knows for certain he is not feeling well. He hates my driving. For him to be willing to go with me really means something is wrong,<\/em> she thinks.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m going to grab your coat and wallet along with my purse. Meet me at the front door.\u201d\n\nPriya gathers everything up, including her cell phone so she can call the kids to let them know their dad is going to the hospital.\n\nMoving to the front door, Priya notices that Harj is out of breath just getting out of his chair and walking to the front door.\n\nOpening the door, she holds Harj\u2019s right arm and feels him lean on her, thinking, Looks like he can barely walk now, as well. Better not slip or we are both going to have broken hips.<\/em>\n\nPriya gets him in the front seat of the car and runs back to the house to lock the door.\n\nSliding into the driver\u2019s seat, she starts her small Corolla and carefully moves out of the driveway and onto the main street.\n\n\u201cOk, the hospital is about 20 minutes away.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe way you drive, woman, it\u2019s about 30 minutes.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, I\u2019m going to drive a little over the speed limit. Might make it there in 15, even.\u201d\n\nHarj leans back in his seat and shakes his head.\n","rendered":"

Day: 0<\/h2>\n

Time: 8:30pm<\/h3>\n

Place: At home<\/h3>\n

Priya looks out the window to see her husband Harj working on the truck again.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s always out there doing something to that thing. I swear it hasn\u2019t worked well for any of the time we\u2019ve owned it,\u201d she mutters.<\/p>\n

Cleaning up the kitchen just before dinner, she glances at the half full bottle of Crown Royal. \u201cHe\u2019s drinking way too much again. I know he\u2019ll be grumpy and sad at the dinner table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Again Priya looks out the window and sees Harj taking a smoke break from working under the hood of the truck. \u201cHe\u2019s also smoking way too much. We probably could make ends meet better if he didn\u2019t smoke and drink so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

She moves to the stove and stirs some aloo gobi, then turns the heat off on the stove. \u201cOk, it\u2019s done. Now it\u2019s time to see if he will come in to eat or if he says he\u2019s too busy.\u201d<\/p>\n

She turns around to find Harj staring at her. \u201cYou talking to yourself or are the kids here for dinner, too?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Harj. Just thinking out loud. Are you going to stop and have something to eat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I think I\u2019m almost done. It\u2019s the fuel pump this time. That\u2019s the last time I\u2019m buying gas from your brother-in-law. The price was right, but I\u2019m thinking the quality wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt may not have been Gurr\u2019s fault. The truck is old, and have you ever replaced the fuel filter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Harj steps closer to the kitchen island and, lifting his large abdomen on top of the island, reaches for the cupboard with the small glasses. He pours himself a half glass of Crown Royal. \u201cI remember when we only used these glasses for the kids when they were growing up. Now that they\u2019re gone, I use them for my drink. Do you want one, Priya?\u201d<\/p>\n

Priya shakes her head. \u201cMaybe you should move to even smaller glasses or drink less.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot again and not today. I\u2019ve been up before dawn, driving all over the bloody county, and now its 7:30 at night. I deserve a drink for how hard I\u2019ve been working.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I just looked at the books. All that driving doesn\u2019t mean we are making money. We\u2019re going to have to cut some expenses: maybe your drinking and smoking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj shakes his head. \u201cThis is the only enjoyment and stress reliever I have. I\u2019ll look for more jobs so we\u2019re not driving empty any time this week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj sits at the head of the table with a view out the patio doors to his beloved truck. Not quite a semi, but not one of those UPS vans, either, <\/em>he thinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just have to attach the electrics and I should be done for the night and ready to go tomorrow early,\u201d he tells Priya.<\/p>\n

Priya brings dinner to the table and ladles the steamy and fragrant potatoes and vegetables into Harj\u2019s bowl. She gives him one piece of naan but watches in disgust as he reaches and takes hers. He looks at her and shrugs his shoulders. \u201cWhat? I\u2019m hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou haven\u2019t even eaten it and you are taking more. I remember when I could put my arms around your waist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj looks down at his quite large abdomen and smiles at Priya. \u201cProbably the only thing I own that is fully paid for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Priya smiles at his joke and sits at the table.<\/p>\n

The two share stories of their day and what the kids have been up to. \u201cIt\u2019s really different without the kids here, Priya. The last one moved out over a year ago, but it still seems strange. It\u2019s too quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Priya nods. \u201cYes, I know what you mean. They\u2019ll be here on the weekend. You need to take some time off to visit when they come. Last time you worked the whole weekend through and never saw them. That isn\u2019t good for you or the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj stops eating and just looks at his food. Priya hears a quiet, \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj quickly finishes his meal, pushes himself away from the table and begins the motion to bring a cigarette out of his pocket. \u201cNo, Harj. We agreed no smoking in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj grimaces at her and walks out the patio doors to the truck, lighting his cigarette as he goes.<\/p>\n

Pryia cleans up the kitchen and makes Harj a lunch for tomorrow. She sees him come in. \u201cAll done?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot quite. About five minutes more. Got brutal heartburn. Your cooking is killing me. Where are the antacid tablets?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy your bedside, like always.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj goes to the bedroom and takes four tablets. Then he walks quickly out to the truck.<\/p>\n

Completing the last of the connections, he says to himself, \u201cFinally done. Let\u2019s start this up to double-check.\u201d Slamming the hood down, Harj moves around to the driver side of the cab and lifts himself inside, grunting numerous times. The truck starts up on the first try. Harj revs the engine a couple of times and looks at the dashboard to confirm everything is sound. Turning the key off, he steps out of the cab, locks it, and heads to the house.<\/p>\n

After washing up, Harj plops down in the lazy boy chair and lets out a long sigh. Flicking through the channels, he finds the Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. Smiling, he says to himself, These guys are hilarious. Much better than the CBC version.<\/em><\/p>\n

About 20 minutes later, Priya comes out of her sewing room to find Harj leaning forward. \u201cEverything ok?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah, fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Priya moves closer to Harj and sees the top of his bald head glistening with sweat. She notes that he is rubbing his left shoulder and upper arm. \u201cDid you hurt you arm working on the truck?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, what? No, no. I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t look fine. In fact, you look pale for a brown guy.\u201d Priya leans closer to see if he heard her little joke.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, ok. Your dinner is killing my guts. It\u2019s just sitting right here.\u201d Harj moves his arm from his left shoulder to indicate his whole chest is sore.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot my dinner. You love that meal. Something else is wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, it\u2019s your dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Priya moves around to look Harj right in the eyes and get a better read on him. Looking closer, she can see he is in a lot of discomfort.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, Harj, you are not doing well. I think you\u2019re having heart problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. At the mosque, they told us the signs of a heart attack. You must remember that. Chest pain, arm and jaw pain, indigestion that does not go away, shortness of breath.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not having a heart attack. Leave me alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m not leaving you alone. I\u2019m going to call an ambulance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, you\u2019re not. We can\u2019t afford that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour life is worth a small bill. Preeti\u2019s dad used an ambulance when he broke his hip. It was about $80.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo ambulance. That\u2019s final.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, then you are going in my car and going to have to put up with me driving. I will take you to the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj looks down at his feet. \u201cOk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now Priya knows for certain he is not feeling well. He hates my driving. For him to be willing to go with me really means something is wrong,<\/em> she thinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to grab your coat and wallet along with my purse. Meet me at the front door.\u201d<\/p>\n

Priya gathers everything up, including her cell phone so she can call the kids to let them know their dad is going to the hospital.<\/p>\n

Moving to the front door, Priya notices that Harj is out of breath just getting out of his chair and walking to the front door.<\/p>\n

Opening the door, she holds Harj\u2019s right arm and feels him lean on her, thinking, Looks like he can barely walk now, as well. Better not slip or we are both going to have broken hips.<\/em><\/p>\n

Priya gets him in the front seat of the car and runs back to the house to lock the door.<\/p>\n

Sliding into the driver\u2019s seat, she starts her small Corolla and carefully moves out of the driveway and onto the main street.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, the hospital is about 20 minutes away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way you drive, woman, it\u2019s about 30 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m going to drive a little over the speed limit. Might make it there in 15, even.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harj leans back in his seat and shakes his head.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":["glynda-rees","rob-kruger","janet-morrison"],"pb_section_license":"cc-by-sa"},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[116],"license":[54],"class_list":["post-551","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-janet-morrison","license-cc-by-sa"],"part":547,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/551","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/551\/revisions"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/547"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/551\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=551"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=551"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/dcbiol2200\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}