Everything For Him - Part 7

The evening had passed and by the time I started from my office, it was 09:00 p.m. The day proved to be a complete disaster as I didn't receive the promotion that I deserve. I worked hard days and nights and many times skipped my lunch and supper to concoct the best ideas. 

Despite all the efforts I had put in I still didn't receive what I expected. It was an abominating experience and I am still unable to assimilate it. Maybe the mistake is mine, I shouldn't have kept any expectations as I was born to fail. This bloody Sheela has snatched my creative head position. 

Everyone says I have the potential, but do I really? Potential, what even is that word anymore? The only potential I have is to just lie down, and drown. After due consideration, I decided to work on Sandhya's suggestion. Maybe I should change my job. The pressure in the job, annoying colleagues and not getting the credit for your efforts. These reasons are more than enough to start looking for another job. 

I uploaded my resume on all the job portals. Sandhya really helped me a lot in preparing my resume. I purchased premium membership in two of the renowned job websites where there will be twice the chances of getting the calls in contrast to the basic membership.

I got into my car and I have the actual challenge now, driving bumper to bumper in Hyderabad. Many youngsters have zero traffic sense, driving in zig zag fashion. The traffic police are good cameramen, instead of stopping and slapping the violators with fines, they simply take a photo of your vehicle and upload it on the portal. Meandering through the traffic for about forty five minutes I finally reached my apartment gate. After parking my car, I took the elevator and reached my flat. 

I switched on the geyser in my bathroom and took the hot shower. I then walked towards the mirror looking at my naked body with my long hair extending down till my waist. I examined my body thoroughly from top to bottom looking at the curves of my hips and thighs. I could see there's a poem hidden in every curve, a sonnet in every line, leaving behind a tale in every lifetime.

I am going to turn forty in two days. Luckily, there are not too many wrinkles except the area around my navel. As I placed my finger on it, a memory stirred up. Raghav at times used to hug me from behind and tease me by placing his finger in my belly button. I used to feel a tickling sensation whenever he did that. 

After replaying the old lost memories I slipped into my purple nightgown and walked into the kitchen. For a minute I glanced around, trying to clinch what to cook for dinner? I opened my refrigerator and took out two eggs from the tray. I decided what to prepare, my favorite masala omelet. After preparing it I placed the item into a plate and walked into the hall. I switched on the television and I found nothing interesting. I switched the television off and finished off my lunch silently. 

For ten years I have been dining alone like this. My life is like a barren island, where no one else can reach the depths of my heart. Even though I don't love being alone I have no choice apart from getting accustomed to it.

Lone… li… ness.Three little syllables, just so that we can say it and be done with it, and escape the contemplation. But I know my own loneliness cannot be captured, cannot be encompassed. 

After completing my supper I walked into the kitchen and started washing the utensils. Five minutes later the sound of my flat's calling bell startled me.

Who has come to visit me at this moment? I stopped washing my utensils and hustled towards the door.

As I opened it I saw a group of four women, my neighbors Anitha, Rajeshwari, Lavanya and Meenakshi were staring at me angrily as if I were their enemy. They all belong to the same age group of mine with the only difference being they are all married and have teenage kids.

'What happened?' I asked them. 'Did anything go wrong?'

'Can we talk inside?' Anitha asked, crossing her arms on her chest.

'Yes, please come,' I stood beside to let them all in.

'See Ananya, many times we informed you. And still you repeat the same,' said Meenakshi. 

'What happened and why are you yelling at me? Can you drive your point straight home?'

'Your short dresses are creating a lot of problems,' Rajeshwari said.

'Short dress?' I looked at my gown. It is even covering my feet. 'Am I supposed to cover it right from my head or what?'

'Don't be smart? We were talking about the dress that you wore on the occasion of new year. Not only on new year but many times before that. See we have kids and they get spoiled by looking at you in the short dress. You are not a twenty's girl anymore. Behave according to your age!'

'Is there any rule in law which says that only women in their twenties should wear short dresses?' My tongue was flaming with fury. 'I didn't come across such a rule.'

'Don't try to divert the matter. We have already told you before and we are telling you once again. Please wear a proper dress,' Meenakshi said. Seems like she has provoked the remaining three against me. 

'I see! So you say that my short dress is spoiling your sons?'

'YES!' came the answer from all four of them in unison.

'Can you all please bring your sons here?'

'Why do we need to bring them here? They are preparing for their exams,' Rajeshwari said.

'Bring them once here. I will show you how seriously they are preparing for the exams.'

All four went out and in a matter of minutes they walked into my flat along with their sons. All four boys aged around sixteen dresses in their night trousers were staring at the floor side by side looking confused.

'Hi All! Your parents came up with a complaint,' they glanced at each other's faces. 'They have casted an allegation upon me that I am spoiling you. Can you let me know in what way am I spoiling you?'

No answer from them…

'Hmm… okay! Can you at least tell me in which way I am spoiling you? In what way is my short dress a problem for you?'

No answer once again…

'What kind of questions are you asking them?' Meenakshi said. 'Behave yourself like a woman.'

'Ok! What do you mean by behaving like a woman? Can you please elaborate it?'

They couldn't speak as their sons were standing in front of them. 

'Well I will explain, but before that I have something to show you,' I turned towards the boys. 'So boys, aan you all please give me your mobile phones?'

All four clutched their pockets tightly. 

'Mothers'' I now turned towards the women. 'Can you please ask your sons to give me their mobiles?'

'Why do we need to give our mobiles? I am not going to give!' One of the boys, Chandu protested.

'See! They don't want to give. It means there's something hidden in this mobile. A dark secret,' I said to mothers.

'Chandu, give your mobile to aunty,' said Chandu's mother Meenakshi.

Aunty… I didn't like it...

'Maa… why should I give her?'

'Chandu… your mother… is accusing me that I am spoiling you,' I put my hand forward, 'give me your mobile dear...'

Hesitatingly Chandu gave me his mobile. His brows furrowed and was fidgeting incessantly with his hands.

'Remaining three of you. Give me your mobiles. You post a lot about friendship on facebook and whatsapp. How can you leave your friend alone now?'

'Give your mobiles to aunty!' the mothers shouted in unison and everyone gave their mobiles to me.

Their hands were trembling and faces were masked in worriment as they gave their mobiles to me. I placed three on the table and took Chandu's mobile into my hands. I couldn't unlock it as it had a pattern lock. 

'Chandu, what is the pattern for your mobile?'

'It's S,' Chandu said in a trembling tone.

'S What does S stand for?' I unlocked the phone and launched the browser. I could see all kinds of porn websites like uporn, xnxx, xvideos, xhamster… and what not. He seems to have opened all the porn websites available on the internet.

'Ah! Here you got it. Meenakshi aunty! Can you come here once?' She came to me. 'See this,' I gave the phone to her.' As soon as she took the mobile into her hands her expression became stern and rigid. 

She closed her eyes and threw cell phone hard on the floor. The mobile screen got completely shattered. Like a lioness she sprang upon her son Chandu and started slapping him on right and left cheeks. 

'Is this what you see all throughout the day!' Meenakshi yelled at Chandu, took a moment pausd and then raised her hand again.

'Stop it Meenakshi!' I caught her hand. 'First, teach your son to respect a woman,' and then I turned towards the sons, 'whenever you think about disrespecting a woman, think about how you were born into this world. The pain that your mothers have taken to bring you into this world is equivalent to twenty fractures,' then again I walked towards the mothers, 'The character of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, or the figure that she carries. A popular saying goes in English - Do not judge the book by its cover. I say do not judge a woman by the dress she wears. Respect a woman for how she is. Finally I just want to tell you one thing. As a woman I can wear jeans, skirts or gulp wine like I don't care and this doesn't mean I am out of line.'

There was a moment of awkwardness in the air and all four mothers looked down at the floor in mortification. All four stared at each other's faces for a few seconds. They didn't understand what to speak about. I gave the mobile phones back to the kids and after a few silent exchanges they walked out of my flat along with their sons.

My head started spinning after they left. This is just the beginning of the year and I had the two most vituperative experiences gliding against me. One in the morning and another just now. If the beginning was such vitriolic, how are the future days going to be?

To be continued...