Yes, finally, she thought. This vacation was her much-needed
break from her hectic life. Even then she was considering working from home
while she looked around in her compartment. She wouldn’t call it empty, yes,
there were people around her. She found these journeys boring, always alone,
looking out of the train but seeing nothing but thick mists of darkness and
waiting for the last stop. Tonight was no different.
She sat there flipping through the pages of Femina. One by one, the passengers got out and soon
she was left all alone. She never gave it a second thought, after all this
generally happened. An hour from her place, a couple of boys, not even adults, boarded
the train. Finding the girl alone, they thought of having some fun. Passing
lewd remarks and making obscene gestures, they tried to frighten her. She
ignored them until they started taunting her by asking her to move to another
compartment. She refused to budge. The verbal attacks became more personal by
the minute. She held her seat and as calmly as she could, she took her mobile
phone and dialled the Railway helpline number. Soon, she was talking to an
operator and was starting to explain the incident. Realizing where this was
heading, the boys silently retreated and moved to the next compartment. She
hung up the cleverly-played never-dialled number. This is my right, she thought
*Grit?*
An awesome night, she thought. She was riding through the
city with the wind blowing through her hair, the rain lashing down on her face
and the chillness creeping up her spine. It had been four months since she last
did something like this and hence was enjoying this delightful night ride. She
had had her dinner at home and kissed her parents good night. A note,
mentioning that she was just taking a breath of fresh air and that she would be
back before midnight, was all that she had left at home in case someone did
search for her. It is not as if her parents wouldn’t allow her this indulgence
as long as she promised herself to be safe.
Her watch showed 11.40 p.m.
, now, and as if by instinct she felt a sudden fear which she soon
overcame as being silly. She drove around all those familiar places from her
childhood, renewing every single memory that lay deep down within her. Nothing under the sun (moon, in this case)
could stop her from living the moment. After all, it is not every other day in
any place that it is possible for a 21 year old girl to venture out alone at night. This is my right, she thought.
*Guts?*
She hurried her way home through the deserted streets along
with her friend. It was past midnight and both of them would have rather
preferred to have been in the comforts of their homes. Today was one of those
days- work started at 7 in the morning, attending meetings and calls for more
than 15 hours, one leading to the other. Since both of them were neighbours
they always took the same bus home.
The bus was empty save for the conductor and the driver. At
least I have company, she thought. They spent their time discussing anything
and everything including office gossip. There wasn’t anything much to do at
this point of time. At the next stop, a bunch of teenage guys entered the bus
looking totally drunk and verbally abusing each other. They took a good look at
her and settled in the seats all around her. Perspiration beads started forming
on her forehead. She squirmed about in
her seat worrying about where this
bus journey would take her. And to top
all of that, the conductor was also sneering at them. She took out her cell and
sent the bus registration number to a colleague’s number. She did not know what
prompted her to do that, but she did it. The journey seemed shorter, probably
because of her nervousness. They got down and started walking in silence. She
suddenly took a deviation and walked on. He called behind her, but she was very
determined. He ran behind her and kept asking her about where she was headed.
She turned and said “Police Station”. The look on her face said it all. This is
my right, she thought
*Gumption?*
Yes, she knows she could have been the unfortunate one. And yet, by some miracle it had not been so. It could be today or tomorrow. But till
then she continues to live in the cocoon called her life with a silent prayer
on her lips thanking God for the miracle.
