Geek and gossip: The Road-ies!!

Geek and gossip: The Road-ies!!

The Road-ies!!

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My city H is still coming to terms with women drivers. The general opinion about my tribe is that we don't know how to drive. Either we are over cautious or too scared to face the road. But, hey!! What about women who don't fit the bill? Women who are fiery and driving through a hectic schedule. Indeed we are misfits and the reactions we generate ranges from being annoying to hilarious.
On the road in my city is a big battle. Everybody and anybody is in great hurry as their entire existence depends on cutting your way and taking the turn just an inch before you. So how does my city and my people here deal with outcasts like us:
They stare and stare and stare, sadly even when you look at them they are unfazed. Even sadder the fact that the glares come mostly from unwanted sources (not even a pleasant face to mistakenly feel good about it)
The pedestrians feel that your mode of transport is an exclusive gift from the Almighty while the tyres are made of an out-of-the-world material so they have all the liberty to catwalk right infront (thinking that even when you hit them, it wouldn't hurt at all)
The more adventurous lot try to scare you by coming too closer and when you aren't they get dejected and freeze right infront of you (perhaps testing your vocabulary competency in hurdling abuses else you know you'll lose touch of the bad words)
Beware because some of them can fall in love with you immensely and might feel that it is their duty to follow you everywhere (even at places where your telecom provider fails to extend its network)
The more chauvinist types would simply shake their head when you overtake them and might give you a long lecture if you happen to stop by on why women should stay away from roads (ditto on why women should stay away from workplaces)
Some experiences are too original and people specific. Do let me know if you some of those unique experiences to share. Finally a message to my city people: Please get used to the idea that there are exceptions to every rule and we, women on the road make it a pleasing site, if nothing else, what say?

Just another day!

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The day began just as usual. A busy Monday with the blues striking high. The morning was as expected. The usual distasteful yet healthy gulp of the cereals courtesy the after affect of getting up late. Then she maneuvered her away to work amidst the screeching horns and the reckless driving because it is Monday and everybody is in hurry.
And what a start she told herself. The series of meetings and the blame-me-not games played. The shabby work of some where the only saving grace was the solitary location of her cabin where she can hide her face and pretend the world didn't exist. She knew nothing is going to change. She is young getting older, reasonably good looking, successful to an extent yet single. Soon she'll reach her expiry date and be declared a spinster for life.
Everyday the frantic calls from the desperate parents didn't make life any more pleasant. She too wanted somebody to come home to. Somebody to hold her tight and wade off the odd dreams. Somebody to tell her, “Honey! Don't worry it's all right to grow old because I would still love you. It's all right to put on the extra kilos because I'll always be madly in love with you. It's all right to not look good in some days because you'll always be beautiful to me.”
But knew things might not change and the way the week looks it won't change. She has no life because she chose not to have one. She pretended to be busy and loaded with work because she had no one.
Will the week bring a new change of events? Hope is all she has...and let's hope that her hope remains alive and she is able to survive one more week.
Here's wishing her and many more like her the very best!

The Yesterday

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Yesterday, the 19th of April was exactly the day I was born some years ago. I was never the one to celebrate it with much gusto rather I am so forgetful with dates that you got to believe me when I tell you that I even forgot mine again some years back. That time I was with mom who reminded me:
(a) Because I was her first child
(b) Because she bore me for 9 difficult months
(c) Because I wasn’t an easy delivery
This was the first time in life that I was away from anybody related through birth or otherwise. I anticipated with much apprehension of the tough day ahead. The entire month has not been particularly smooth for me so I had no high hopes from this particular day.
Yet, I was taken for some pleasant surprise. The friends in this city which snatched a lot from me pulled it through. And I scored high on my self-confidence. They made me feel special. They made me feel wanted. And most importantly they made me feel family. They showered me with messages. They kept my phone busy most of the time with random calls. Even went out of their way to lift my spirits. A special mention to M who left her own family to spend the night at my place. She even treated me to mouth-watering kebabs for dinner. Another M and her sons even offered to bake a cake for me. I refused though because my work stood on the way. Wishes came from every quarter of life and my phone kept ringing.
What would I’ve done without you guys? You’ll always remain special and you made me believe that I am not alone here.
As for those who didn’t wish me (some were eagerly awaited and I kept waiting just to hear their voices), I have no complaints. A pang of disappointment did surface but I guess I am too old to hold it against anyone.
Today, I am a day older and coming to terms with a lot of change.
Thank you all for being there and making my yesterday not so difficult to survive!

The Lost

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“But I love you a lot and you’re my world,” said she. She needed him in her life more than anything else. She did everything for him. Everything you could ever imagine. Every morning when she looked at herself in the mirror she asked, “Will he like me today?” She dressed the way he liked. Tied her hair the way he approved. Perhaps even smiled the way he wanted.
Every night she waited for him to come home and especially to her. She stood in the balcony trying to catch a glimpse of his even when the mosquitoes feasted on her blood. “Who cares?” she told herself. And when he touched her she told herself, “Now even if death takes me away right at this moment I’ll have no regrets.”
She spent many nights chatting with him yet never got tired of listening to him. People thought that she is mad. Mad she was but only for him.
Then came a day when her world turned upside down. He made an exit from her life. Without a word he simply disappeared. Perhaps her fault was that she was completely lost in love. And couldn't find her way back without him.
Today, you might still find her in the street calling his name. Holding an old photograph she might ask, “Have you seen this man?”

Letter from a daughter

Dear Maa,

I am your child and you made me what I am today. You taught me lessons that do not exist in any textbook. Lessons that are learnt only through living life.
“You are a girl,” you kept reminding all the while. You spent hours teaching the goodness of selflessness, more so because I am a daughter in this world.
You started feeding me with tales of everlasting love. Of the Prince who would come in his shining armor to rescue the hapless Princess. Of happy endings where people lived happily ever after.
And then I grew up believing in them. I kept looking for my own happy ending. I too believed that nice things do happen to nice people. I patiently waited through all hardships of life. I took them all with the belief that “this too shall pass”.
But reality has been something else. The turbulence never seems to end. Each day I wake up thinking today will be different.
Mom, why didn’t you tell me that fairies never exist? Why didn’t you tell me that dreams never come true? Why didn’t you tell me that happy endings are not for real? Why didn’t you tell me that no good is waiting even if you be good?
Next time when you raise me up. Don’t give me stories that I start believing in. Don’t give me hope because it pains when hopes crash. Just tell me plain that I have to suffer for reasons not known. And I have no reason to dream because I am a girl born in this world. Give me everything but not hope.

With a lot of desperation from a daughter you might have known.

Wishing all the women

Today is the day,
For Rupa who never realized how beautiful she is
Because she is dark and fat,
Because no one gave her a second look.
This day is to let you know that you will always be beautiful.

Today is the day,
For Priya who never realized how lovable she is,
Because her parents wanted a son instead of her,
Because the husband was too busy in affairs of his own,
This day is to let you know that you are loved a lot.

Today is the day,
For Saraswati who never got a chance to fulfill her dreams,
Because girls have no business as important as marriage,
Because girls don’t need to study too hard,
This day is to let you know that nothing is impossible for you to achieve.

Today is the day,
For women all over the world to realize that they are special,
Because they have the courage to go against the tide,
Because they have a heart which never stops loving,
This day is to celebrate that womanhood.
This day is to take a pledge to never stop being a woman.

Happy Women’s Day to you all!!