Being a girl grown up by a single mother I had cemented my
view on this male dominated society. For me men were the reason of our all misery.
Every time news flashed about an eve teasing or rape blood boiled through my
veins, sometime I felt like take the avatar of goddess Kali holding a sword
slicing the genital of every single men of the planet. My morals never allowed
my heart to fall for someone because for me all of them were same, just uses us
and through into a trace bin like an empty cane. Like someone did with my mom
and left her alone putting me inside her to suffer for the rest of the life.
But everything was going to change, like the tidal wave was
going to clean the beach of thought.
Still I remember, that was the Monday morning and nothing
was going well with me. Geiger of my apartment was not working, maid didn’t
cleaned the utensils of previous night and the worst part! I was on my period.
Still I had to capture the honorary ceremony organised by a NGO for a man who
saved 2 girls from getting raped and admitted in the ICU in the process.
With anger and irritation in my head I put my feet out but
one more trouble didn’t end there, my car was broke. Kicking the tyre and
scolding the car I moved my leg towards the bus stop, the most hated place for
me. I never liked to travel in the city bus not for the feeling of sharing the
space with unknown people but for the behavior of the fifth bastards. Inside
the bus they think they can do anything in the name of moment of inertia.
Touching our skin putting their hand anywhere they want.
And the same thing happened on that day, when I was standing
with the fully packed crowd helping my body to stand straight inside the bus.
With every break someone must through his body over me and with every passing
second my control over my anger was breaking. At last when the bus took a turn
a man sitting by my side came over me and the thermometer of my anger broke
putting the signature of my palm hand on his face. He was clue less, unable to
understand what just happened. The whole crowd turned towards him like they
wanted an explanation.
” I was just getting up from my seat to allow you to sit and
the same time bus took the turn and I fall.” He said. But I was not ready to
accept his confection how much he tried to say he didn’t did that with
intention. Scolding him like a rapist I asked the bus to stop and get down.
Cursing the day I reached the venue late, all the crew
member were there waiting for my way. When they asked why I became delay I
narrated the whole incident giving a dirty look to the male crew. They knew my
behavior so they didn’t say anything but I could feel the hesitation inside
them to work with me.
As the function started I put the mike and gave the live
feed to my audience. The chief guest had arrived and the inauguration happened
and after a skit perform by school children on women empowerment the speeches
began. One by one the guest stood and spoke but when one of the survivor
narrated the incident of that night tear came out of my eyes. The men I met in
the bus felt me like the culprit who tried to abuse them.
Standing at the distance nothing was visible to my eyes,
only the voice were reaching to my ear. The gentlemen who saved those girl
requested everyone to respect other women like we do to our own family members.
Listening to his word I wanted to meet him but at the last moment of the
function rain poured heavily and we had to rush back to our van.
Returning home I took a shower and sat before the TV warping
my hand around the hot tea. Opening the news I was waiting for my news to
repeat so I could the face of the guy. When the news started I looked into the
screen in curiosity and suddenly the face came before me. My eyes became wide,
I was not believing what I just saw and the cup slipped from my shaking hand.
I sat back holding my head. I thought if what I was seeing
is true than I had committed a colossal mistake. He was the same guy I slapped
in the morning. How much I tried to convince myself of being correct logic
pushed me back. How can I be right, the guy saved two unknown girls from being
rapped putting his life in danger, would his moral allow him to tease a girl in
the bus while going to a function where he would meet the same girls again. Could
he be able to take the respect if he had intentionally fall over her in the
bus?
Ebb of question where banging in my head. I was not able to
think for an excuse for my did. Whom I thought as a devil was a real life angel
a hero for thousands. Dialing my office number I asked the editor about the details
on the guy, taking few minutes he gave the information he had.
He was not a guy from our city, an NRI came to visit India
when all that happened. To remove my guilt I decided to go to is hotel and say
sorry for my behavior and slept in that thought. Next morning when I reached
his hotel the receptionist informed he had left for the airport few ours ago.
But I was late there also, till I reached there his flight had took up.
Sitting in the airport I remembered what he had said and
smiled. His face I would never be able to forget in my entire life. He made me
realize I was not correct every time. And I went back to work keeping the guild
inside my heart pushing myself to being a better person with every passing day.
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