warning: this was written as my way of protest against one of the worst plagues of society. it may not be deemed fit for below 18s but, this is what our reality is. and no age can close their eyes to it.
This is the story of a girl.
And that of a boy.
Both were very ordinary people with very ordinary lives.
They got up in the morning, showered, ate, got themselves ready for work, and left their respective flats for their offices. Then they worked all day and at around 8.00 PM they wrapped up and left for home. Cooked dinner for themselves, watched TV as they ate, talked to their parents on phone...read a bit...or listened to music and went to bed. Followed the routine again the next day. And the next. And the next.
They met each other everyday.
Their offices happened to be on the same street. And everyday, they lunched at the food joint which bustled midway the street . they passed each other everyday, at the rush hour but with no more thought to spare for or a glance to glance at the other than they would a tree that ran past the window of their return bus. The return bus which they caught from the same bus stop across the corner. The boy got off later, the girl earlier.
They did not even know each other's name. Until one day... they did.
An MP was gracing the city. and the traffic was at a standstill, struck dumb at the angry red glare of the signal.
The girl decided to get down from the bus, and walk the remainder of the way. Her parents were coming to visit her today and she was to receive them at the station. She was in a hurry.
Since it was still daylight, she decided to take a shortcut through the park that waylaid her way home.
The park was not reputed very safe after dark for girls.
She set off rapidly...and almost made it across.
But then , they herded her. Eve teasers. Two of them. Those filth of society.
Their vulgar gestures and words that licked her esteem of a girl, the vile glances that were tarnishing her and the way they were getting too close triggered her adrenaline and she ran. And fell over the high heels she wore. and their lewd fingers were inching near all the time, greedy to desecrate her virtue. Her eyes frightened out of her wits were frozen in a deadlock of horrified foresight of them dirtying her forever...blemishing her dignity as a woman. Her mouth opened to plead with them to stay away from her.
And then suddenly they stopped. The boy who had got down behind her to walk his way back home too, had seen the defiling scene and had rushed to help the girl.
He helped her to her feet and they, cowards as they usually are seeing that their would be prey was no longer alone and had a man with her...melted away in the darkness.
Sharon was still quaking---the baseness still ringing in her ears...and her eyes still transfixed, still not believing her narrow escape.
As soon as she found her voice she stammered her thanks to the man whose timely arrival at her side had stopped her being one of the countless statistics of fouling of women rampant today.
"thank you---i don't know how to---", she choked, her throat parched from fear.
At her voice the boy turned. He had been reporting the time, location and descriptions to the police station, for what it was worth. With a last deprecating glance towards the darkness where the garbage had vanished...he looked at her.
"there is really no need to thank me miss...?"
"Sharon –sharon raiprakash."
"Sharon, i am swayam shekhawat. I believe we pass everyday at the lunch joint and the bus, isn't it? there is really no need to thank me...it was just lucky that i got here in time. And any man who could actually call himself that has a duty to try and protect women from those, who raise their eyes at women thinking them easy preys of their filthy intentions."
"i should never have got into that park..."
"yeah, when its not safe...and you know it, you should not have---and keep in mind that womens' safety lies in their hands to a certain extent. But why should a place be unaccessible just because a woman is weaker in physical strength? Anyway. Its dark...lets get you home, if you don't mind?"
Swayam dropped her home that night.
From that day onwards they no longer were strangers. They met at lunchtime everyday...sometimes even shared a table. They talked. Their lives had been brought together with a snap of destiny called--- out of evil cometh good.
In due course they became friends---they started looking forward to seeing each other...and one day they realised that they needed the other to be with them---stand by them all their lives...rain or shine. Everyday.
And one day they completed each other.and the rest of their ordinary everydays became extraordinary with the other's love.
i dont know how it was----i'll leave that to the readers. do tell me how it was good or bad?
Arjun
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
