A very angry evening...

Last evening should have been a very happy and proud one for me but it wasn't. P had a big event and it was tough to pull it off due to some limitations at the venue. I went there at 7pm, well before the start of the do at 9 pm. P just wanted be to be there then to witness the energy at the place when everyone was rushing to get things done.
P's events are a big deal for me. It's very hard work right from pitching to execution so I normally make a point to be there even if it means going to a different city. So my being there last night was important for both of us. However, as soon as I got there tempers began to soar. P had landed this business through a friend of his; let’s call him L, who was hence his partner in the event.
When I entered, first L ignored me completely. I don't know what it is about this class of Indian men, let alone chivalry they don’t even extend basic courtesy to women.. well not even to their wives. I just went and sat in a corner to watch P in action. Sounds silly but I love watching him at his work.. speaking to a million people, the wireless headphones on.. rushing everywhere, all that hard work and energy just before all the pieces fall together to complete a perfect event. I watched the rehearsals, music, skinny girls cat-walking the ramp (forcing me to look down at my tummy and feel awful :( ). Anyway, soon I notice that L is screaming at everyone P being a specially chosen target. Now I wasn't close enough to hear anything but I could guess from their body language. It seemed like L was being the bully. I waited for a while and tried to get P's attention and then P came close to where I was but he called me on the phone instead of coming up to me. This confirmed all my fears. Mr L had a problem with me being there.

This might sound strange but we have faced his problem many a time. I wonder why these guys act the way they do. Do they think that I will distract P from his work?? Hell no... P is a thorough professional and we are not teenagers. If this is how much they trust P, why involve him in such big projects? And they know his work experience.. he's really good at what he does. I'm not just praising him because he's my husband, I am very critical about his work but he is really good. And his wife being there is for emotional support at a big moment, not to distract him. That is not really the time & place where we would like to sit in a corner and express our undying love for each other. So where is the problem?

Last year, P was working with another guy quite often on a similar arrangement as with L. This person also had a major issue with me being present everywhere by P's side. Be it events or parties. This is how we are, we love being around each other and we don't see any harm in it other than invoking the wrath of these strange men in some impossible way. The only reason I can somehow see is that these men are never with their wives. They are socialising every night mostly for the sake of business networking and their wives are home bringing up their kids. They drink too much.. party too much and unfortunately are unfaithful to their wives.

All this forces me and P to think if our relationship acts as a deterrent in his work (actually we some times think that when we are we friends too.. but that's another story)? Does he also need to leave his family very often and socialise with all sorts of corrupt people and lure them into giving him business? Does he also have to act like a pimp to get business?
(excuse the unpleasant word but it really does come to that)
So basically an honest, family man is a total misfit in the profession that P is in, but it's just that he loves this work.

Finally after the phone call with P, I walked out before the event began, angrier than I had ever been with the injustice lent out to P. I prayed that L's ego fall flat on his face and that the event goes well despite everything.
P finally got home at 4 am. The event went extremely well and the client praised and hugged P in front of everyone on the stage. I hope L got a good lesson. It's strange how people change overnight.
L had always been quite amiable to us but lately since his business had got on better, I could faintly sense a change of attitude and last night proved it.

I can't wait for the day when P does not have to depend on such people for work. P is very patient with people so he never retorts to screaming back at them. It makes me so angry to see these people walk all over him. But when the day comes, these people will bite dust.