It's the story of a woman who lost in several roles, is looking for her own individual identity. This is the story of Tina, just TINA...
It was the summer of spring 2013. George was enjoying Sunday morning lazing on his lounge chair. He found first peony flower bloomed in the backyard. Tina has been trying to grow these for over the past 3 years and millions of seeds had died upon her since then, but she didn’t give up. Being her favorite flower, Tina wanted to grow peonies by herself. It’s not easy to grow these flowers, as it takes the whole year for a peony seed to develop seedlings.
George: calling upon Tina, My sweet morning “T”, come over honey, there’s a surprise waiting for you. That’s how George has been calling Tina, my morning Tea, my evening Tea.
Tina: Don’t tell me, it’s the flower….. You have been fooling me all this while. This time, you can’t trick me and started pouring coffee into her favorite mug that had their picture on it.
She did want to check out, while didn’t want to make it obvious for George. Tina took some bird seeds along to the backyard and started filling the bird feeder so that hungry birds have some mercy on berry seeds she buried last week. The first peony, she saw, took her breath away. It looked stunning and she couldn’t believe she got success in growing peonies.
Tina: My Goodness!! Look at you, my baby!! George: Isn’t this the prettiest flower in the world.
George: O yeah, it is.
Tina: Finally, I have a green thumb in gardening. Don’t you think, we should celebrate this? Let’s have breakfast at Sam’s favorite, Mc Donald’s today.
George: Still lazing on his lounge chair, pushed himself hard, as he didn’t want to get up. You guys get ready by the time I am out.
Tina came rushing to the car, still fixing her earring that was big enough to be a bangle. Sam was busy with his pretend driving and was busy moving the steering wheel in all the directions, the way he does in his favorite video game
Tina: Come out sweetie pie, I need to buckle you in your car seat.
Sam: Give me a moment Mom, I have almost reached. Meanwhile, George was clearing the dashboard of clutter. He found a passport carelessly lying under the driver's seat. George opened to check it and found, it belonged to Tina Smith.
George: Hey, how come you are still a Smith, I thought you got your family name updated to mine. When do you plan to get this done?
Tina: Not really. How does this matter if I am a Smith or a Mathew. I would still be TINA. Does this make you insecure in any way?
George: Sheepishly, No. While, it did bother him somewhere within, as this was his fourth attempt at getting Tina to convince for the name change.
Tina could sense this. She put her hand on George’s.
Tina: Honey, I have unconditional love for you. Name change or not, nothing can affect the bond we share. If I have to be with you for life, I will be, as” just TINA”, and if I have to leave you, I would still be “just TINA”. Name change does not guarantee that we will never part ways or is not a condition behind marriage. Isn’t it the person that matters the most? Anyway, I have an appointment with the consulate tomorrow for renewal. Would you drop me there pleeeeeaaaaase?
George: Alright my “T”, still seemed annoyed though.
Tina was on time for her consulate appointment and was checking again and again if all her documents were in place.
Officer: After looking at Tina’s marriage certificate; Mam, I see two surnames here. Mathew is your family name. Right?
Tina: was about to say, leave it, Smith, she took a while to think, and said, can it be “just TINA”. She didn’t want to upset George any further.
Officer: It’s the law lady. Legal identity needs to have a family name. Why haven’t you got the surname changed yet?
Tina: was uncomfortable with the officer’s question, and said; “I don’t want to change my identity, officer. Can it be, TINA TINA?
Officer: Alright Mam, do get this name updated to all your legal id cards.
In a week’s time, Tina’s passport arrived. She showed this to George, thinking he would be happier to see the change.
George got further annoyed looking at her passport name and said, just TINA?
Tina stood silently as she didn’t want to argue on this. Tina knew she would have hurt George’s ego if she said, “I do have an identity, "I am TINA". She wanted to say, "I am a wife, I am a mother, I am an employee; but above all, I am “just TINA”.
George quietly went to his room and shut the door. Tina found it ironical that George couldn't take it in a positive stride. Until now, she used to think, George will be by her side no matter what. Who knew, his tea won't taste that sweet anymore. After this episode, George never called her my Sweet morning or evening T. He started addressing her as "TINA", just TINA!!
