'Mujhse friendship karogi?'
Startled,I looked up. A scrawny,dark fellow in a faded T-shirt and trousers, stood in front of me. I was sitting on the steps of my workplace,waiting to punch my card on my way out. I was feeling unwell. So I decided to go home early. He stood waiting for my answer.
I rose up. Made a move to go. He followed me.
'Maar khana hai kya?' I muttered trembling. I knew I didn't mean it. He walked with me till the gate. Then left me alone.
I was shaken. I hoped he wouldn't pester me again.
But he did. I couldn't walk outside,nor could I work in peace inside. One day I was at the bus stop outside the factory. He suddenly appeared,a screw driver in hand. He said something I couldn't comprehend. I just stood still. A fellow I knew came up to my rescue. So he scooted away.
I didn't tell anyone at home. But somehow Dad,who worked in the same company,came to know. One day the mawali followed me all the way home. This was getting scary. He was obsessed. Dad got out and tried to reason with him. 'Why was he doing this?' dad asked. 'She smiled at me one day in the canteen',was his pertinent reply. He went away.
Dad had to pick me up for few days after this. 'You ought to get married quickly',he muttered. 'Then no one would bother you'.
I felt bad. More for Dad than for myself. I was only 23 then. But what wrong did I do? I would have been in a conversation with my friends,laughing and could have glanced by chance at him. He misunderstood it for something else. He served food in the canteen.
I decided I wouldn't smile again. 'Tu khul ke baat kyu nahi karti? ' asked my worried friend. I didn't reply. My friends at church prayed. He wasn't to be seen again. The last I heard of him was that he was thrashed by the colony watchman. He had been up to some mischief again,I supposed.
Soon I got married. But the experience had me shaken.
I hear of men stalking women, in the papers regularly. Unable to stand being spurned,some of them spray acid into the victim's face,disfiguring her for life.
I can't understand why these rogues do this.
Men still want to conquer,subdue women. Indian men find it tough to be rejected. It's so inherent in them,this British,this Mogul tendency to conquer those weaker than themselves.
Women live in constant fear all day. Even at home. They can't even smile in public for fear of someone taking them in a wrong way.
Our men need to be free.
Of obsessiveness.
They must let go.
