CHARLES...THE TORNADO!

“ Ghorey tey bhromor elo gunguniye…” the melody wafting out of the window stopped abruptly. No, this was no bee…Charles the tornado stormed in, slamming the door behind her. 

“Charulata Chatterjee ! You`re late…again! Why!? "

“ Was cycling ,Sir.” 

He looked her up and down in disdain. Her unkempt, curly hair fell over her shoulders like a curtain.

“Where is your salwar kameez ? And why are your jeans torn? Got into a scuffle,I guess? ” 

“ Torn?? These are distress jeans!!”

“Well, next time you are late and in jeans, I will make sure you are in great distress !!”

With a shrug she sauntered over to her place and sat down with a thump right next to the class fashionista , Mona ! Disgusted, she shifted away. Charles, happy with the extra space,got into a more relaxed position. Mona puckered up her nose and began, “Charulata !” 

“It`s Charles !” she was corrected at once.

“You have body odour !” 

Charles sniffed and replied, “ You also seem to have some odour on your body !” 

“That’s not odour!” exclaimed Mona, “ That’s my new lavender perfume !” 

A sharp cry of “Charulata !” interrupted their conversation. “Repeat after me… 

Sa Re Ga Ma…” 

“Sa Re Ga Dhaa !” she muttered ferociously. “What ! You said that everyone is a donkey !?”

“ Sir, why do only girls have to do this every week?” 

“Because it`s a RULE !” came the outraged answer. “ Class dismissed.”

" Get out of the way!” yelled Charles, as she pushed past Mona.

“Hey! You smudged my pink strawberry lip balm!” she wailed.

But Charles had disappeared. 

“ Charu, come, make your evening tea.” called her mother. She walked sulkily into the kitchen. “ Oh! You are mixed up with salt and sugar again! Fifteen years of your life has elapsed. You still don`t know how to make tea!”

“ Mom, why do I NEED to learn to make tea?”

“Otherwise, how will you take care of the men?”

“Don`t worry Mom! I`m a black belt in Karate …yesterday five boys blocked my path and I TOOK CARE of them very well !” quipped Charles.

“But you have to get married some day and cook! Your brother can be excused as he is NOT A GIRL !” 

“Why do I have to marry? I don`t want to!” 

“ Because that`s the RULE !”

“But I want to take up my dream job …not sit in a silly kitchen!” said Charles in annoyance. “Why are there so many RULES? I don`t want to follow them and I 

want to take my own decisions!”

Twelve years later…that confident and rebellious voice still rang clearly in her mother`s ears. As she unrolled the morning newspaper, she transfixed her gaze on a certain headline. It said :--

CHARULATA CHATTERJEE CREATES HISTORY-

FIRST WOMAN TO BE NOMINATED FOR THE 

PRESIDENT`S POLICE MEDAL.

#FreeIndia