I used to work in a firm years ago. Actually we had been inducted as trainees initially. One day I noticed my payslip was marked with initials 'SK'.
I thought someone did it by error.
It happened again the succeeding month and the next.
I began to get unnerved.
This was disconcerting, to say the least.
I used to hope my fellow trainees didn't notice it, before I quickly grabbed my pay slip from among others in the bundle kept on the table.
SK was beginning to haunt me now. I was shaky as I would reach for my piece of paper.
Things were getting serious. Someone was stalking me!
I began to look for some clue.
I went through each and every face of my fellow trainees silently in my mind..
Over and over again.
Finally it clicked.
This dark, slightly stout guy..he was indeed SK!
He had in fact approached me once for some notes..but I refused since I didn't know him too well.
I recognized him as my former classmate as well.
I finally walked up to the clerk..a stodgy, shady old man.
He said he'd try to help me out when he listened to my problem.
He glanced through the list of boys working in the plant below and found his name there.
Some days later, a senior officer, actually a Mallu and dad's good friend, walked up to me.
He worked in the same plant too.
'We zeroed in on the boy'..(my hunch was right)..
'but'...
he paused..
'are you sure you..ah..er..didn't get involved with him at all?' he queried, with a funny look on his face.
For a moment I was shocked at his bluntness,,
'I never did,' I replied..somewhat recovering myself.
'So..you are clear from your side..?' he asked again.
'Yes,' I replied, beginning to hate him now.
I wondered how he could ever ask me such a preposterous question..since he knew me quite well.
'Okay, we will proceed to take action against him now,' he declared with officerly pomp, turned his heel and walked away.
SK stopped bothering me again.
But now that Mallu officer's question had begun to!
When I read of crimes against women and the fact that so many go unreported..
is it a surprise really?
The crime is done..but instead of focusing on the culprit..to add salt to the wounds..we have blunt policeman..press wallahs asking the victim such inane questions as though she deserved what she got.
When will our men really start respecting women?
