The Day Mrs V Called In Sick

Mrs V called in sick. Fury declared war on the floor. Somewhere between dog hair, dirty laundry, Friedrich Nietzsche, and a mop bucket, I was reminded why I started a cleaning brand in the first place.

Yesterday was a day full of surprises. A mixed bag really. By the time it ended, I was sure the unhappy ones were there for a reason.

I was to leave for Chennai the day after tomorrow. There was so much that needed to be done before I left, miles to log before I could call it a night.

Speaking of which, the night before had been spent sprawled on the couch. I had fallen asleep while writing out the strategy document for my brand, Green Molecule. I woke up dazed, the duvet spread out on the floor and little Fury snuggled warmly against it by the couch.

My hair was straggly, my red checked pyjamas creased. They did look like a tablecloth at first glance. I looked a real sight when I peered into the mirror. My mind had already sprung into action and was a beehive of activity by then, listing out the laundry list for the day ahead. The phone alarm then went off.

It was 7 in the morning already.

I had clearly overslept.

I looked at my watch and wondered if Mrs V would saunter gaily in through the door at any moment. She is my knight in shining armour and my close ally in keeping the house together. As luck would have it, she called in sick.

I looked dismayed at the watch and then at the room, the expanse of floor space around me, and sighed. I could smell it before I could actually see it... little puddles of pee and a bit of something else. Maybe some projectile matter expelled orally. Little Fury must have done it, my mind reasoned. Maybe it was the pumpkins from the night before.

The pile of laundry in the bathroom made my already fraught nerves frazzled. Truly, there was no redemption for me. I had let it accumulate for far too long.

I had a meeting at 11 in the morning. I had to drive an hour out of town. A spate of meetings after that. Then to the dance studio in the evening for that one hour of rhythm and expression.

This was Murphy's Law at its purest worst. There was no time for Friedrich Nietzsche or any philosophy now. If I dawdled any further, there would be mutiny from my mixed household.

The day couldn't get any worse. I laughed at the absurdity of it all. I didn't even get time for lunch.

I quickly gulped down the last dregs of coffee and grabbed the vacuum cleaner. It's a big house, 3000 square feet in all. I had strands and balls of dog hair to suck in and sweep into oblivion. The vacuum sometimes works as an analogy for the voice in my head. Suck it in, switch it off.

The vacuum stood in the corner, wire neatly coiled, its work done.

My thoughts vacillated. An hour of chores, and I had run the full gamut. I felt blessed. I am the founder of Green Molecule, a plant based brand for keeping spaces clean. Strong fragrance has always been a dealbreaker for me, a critical variable in the equation. I find it difficult to clean with products that are overpowering in scent. They almost always trigger headaches, dizziness and nausea.

A home is a safe space, and I wanted the products built around the ethos of safety, science and comfort.

I selected an audiobook, 1984 by George Orwell. It felt fitting.

I picked up the dirty laundry and dropped it into the washing machine, added half a cap of fabric detergent and turned the dial to the required setting. First thing off the list, checked.

I poured a few drops of the floor cleaner into the pail filled with water and went looking for the mop stick. The process of mopping the entire house takes me about 35 to 40 minutes. The fragrance was subtle and the cleaning effort needed minimal. I enjoyed the ease with which the floors came clean. I did clean up the business on the floor before I mopped the place spotless.

Truth be told, there have been days, many moments, when I have wondered whether I am doing the right thing, questioning the motive behind starting a business of cleaning products. There are one too many cleaning brands already. Am I being the outlier or just another imposter?

Mornings like this remind me that Green Molecule is not just a business. It is that someone who walks beside me silently, reminding me of the distance I have come.

I grabbed a piece of toast, slathered with butter and sugar, yes, sugar, one of my simple sinful indulgences, and poured myself some black coffee. A well-deserved treat after a period of movement and reflection.

Molecularly Yours,

Sanjana

Curiously Irrepressible  

First dreamer. Accidental chemist @ Green Molecule - Clean Confidently