Walking up the stairs of the foot over bridge, Renu was out of breath. The hard day’s work had exhausted her completely. She like most women was the ONLY ONE in the family of four, who walked on the tight rope of balancing work and home. For she was constantly surrounded by a panel of judges who would rate every action of hers and declare on every step whether she was a successful MOTHER…a doting WIFE…an obedient DAUGHTER IN LAW… an understanding SISTER IN LAW…an efficient OFFICER… a responsible NEIGHBOR…a good COOK…a smart SHOPPER or not. And she, like most women, considered it HER DUTY AND HER ONLY PURPOSE OF LIFE TO KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY AND CONTENT.
However, today no matter how much she tried, she just couldn’t let go of the strong urge to take time off and pause for a second, take a minute and just cry her eyes out. So, like most women, unburdened her tear glands of so many days, in a local train. Looking out the window, while the cool breeze calming her self as the moving train made a rhythmic sound, was the only meditative moment she got in a day.
With red, swollen eyes, she was now standing on the foot over bridge, waiting for her husband with whom she would return home. Standing a little at a distance, under the dim-lit bridge were three to four women of all ages, wearing loud makeup, trendy clothes, carrying a phone and a handbag. It was their business time.
Renu was first a little uncomfortable standing alongside with them. She looked around to find a better place, a little at away from them, so as to maintain a safe distance, to make sure that no one mistook her for them. She moved two steps away.
No matter how she tried, she felt intrigued by them. ‘THEM’. It’s so strange that human of the same gender, with the same characteristics, the same emotions, still there was a vast valley which separated ‘WE’ and ‘THEM’… One of them, wearing tight pants and overly tight top, walked passed her, talking on the phone. Renu could clearly hear that she was talking to her child, about school bag being torn. She joined the other and they got involved in loud, animated, talks.
Just then a drunk man walked towards them, talking with that phone lady. After a soft exchange of some words, the lady pushed him aside, abusing and asking him to get lost. The man a little flustered, in dis-balance, abused them return and started walking away.
Lost in the scene, Renu was staring at them, when her husband walked towards her, pulled her by her arm aside and yelled in a suppressed but pissed off tone, “Couldn’t you stand anywhere else, you idiot!! Don’t you know what kind of women stand here?? Where did you leave your brains? Come on, let’s go!”
Renu didn’t say a word and just started walking with him, to the other end of the bridge. With moist eyes, as she walked with the man, who was her husband, the father of her children, she couldn’t help but think, “At least THEY get paid in return of the humiliation, in return of the suffocation of their desires… What about me!!"
