A Different Woman's Day

Heavily pregnant woman. 

She waited at the bus stand hoping to see a slightly vacant bus. But it was the peak time and with no other option, she alighted the bus. As expected, there were no vacant seats. Suddenly she felt someone touch her exposed back above the blouse. She turned around angrily, feeling helpless. A  young man was looking at her . She felt her anger rise above her guts and just as she was about to retort, he said "Madam, here is my seat , please sit ..". The lady was stunned  ... her eyes suddenly felt moist ... 

This Woman's day, let us celebrate young men like him ...

She was a known name in that Red-light area,  expert in the tricks and traps needed to lure her customers. Today she has to entertain a loafer - must be the spoilt and pampered brat of a stinkingly rich father .
He is already drunk ...

"Where is the booze , eh ? "

"Do you really want more ...? "

"YES !! Bring it ... FAST ! "

She made a face .  She knew his type very well . They will drink till their neck and then vomit on the bed and... but did she really have any choice ? She  started loosening her sari...

"Listen, where is your home ? How did you land up here ? "

She was taken aback . 

"Wha -at do you mean?"

"To hell with the usual things. Come and sit beside me ... let us talk .. you know, I do not have any real friend with whom I can just talk ? Neat adda ?"

Seconds passed into minutes and the minutes passed into hours till the night melted into the red dawn of a new beginning.

This woman's day, let us celebrate spoilt brats like him ...

The married woman had been nursing her bed ridden mother-in-law for days . All the household work , looking after her kids, cooking , shopping, relatives and on top of that her perpetually sick mother-in-law. Though she wanted to tell about her exhaustion to her husband, she kept mum... if she says something, he will misunderstand her and become angry  !

The door bell rang. A middle aged woman stood at the door. 

"Yes ? Whom do you want ?

"You , Memsab ... I am coming from the Ayah centre "

"Ayah Centre ? " She was surprised.

"Sahib had called up our centre . Said his mother was sick . He must have forgotten to tell you .. Why don't you call him up and ask ? "

She called up her husband and after putting the phone down she felt how much people misunderstand each other ...

This woman's day, let us celebrate husbands like him ...

The mad young woman was begging for food. No one took pity at her. Her clothes were in tatters , most of her body was exposed. She pointed at her naked stomach to show that she was hungry. 

"... Come here ... "

She turned back and saw four boys in their later teens. 

A woman's instinct perhaps, she glared at them and spat.  They pulled her by her hands and took her into the  abandoned godown. 

She bit them as they handed over a packet to her. 

"Take it . It has a pair of clothes and food. And from today you can stay here, do not roam about on the street. If you need anything, you can go to that club at the end of the road and tell us ".

Did the woman become mad a second time ? 

This woman's day, let us celebrate teenagers like them ... 

The girl writes poems, her own way , her own thoughts. She had told him a couple of times, read out her poems , but she did not see any enthusiasm in his eyes. 

She does not tell him anymore , just writes for herself. One night, he calls her up. 

"How would you like if your poetry book was published ? "

"Are you mad ? Who will print a book containing my poems ? "

"Why ? Me ? "

"You ? Do you know the money involved ? "

"Yes. I  have found out ."

"What... You ... but ..."

"Does everything needs to be told in words ? Or you think that if I read all your poems you will know that I like the fact that you write so well ? "

The girl, the budding poet,  lost all her words... 

This woman's day, let us celebrate partners like him ...

From the day the doctors told her that she will never become a mother , her crying has not ceased.  It is her fault, the doctor had said.  Oh ! Why does she not die of shame ?

"Be ready at 8.30 am tomorrow "

"Again a new doctor's opinion ? What more will we learn? The problem lies in me .."

Next day, as their car pulled in front of Saint Mary Home and school, she was surprised. 

"We are getting down here ? "

"We have come to pick up our daughter . You always wanted a girl, right ? "

The lady started crying again ... this time the tears were of happiness.

This woman's day, let us celebrate fathers like him ...

This Woman's day , let us give respect to the men like these in our lives. 

Let us acknowledge, that because of such men, we can be women like what we are  ! 

***

 Translated from a Bengali Writeup on WA