Fiction
Prabhu’s
Apartments was a three storey building on the outskirts of the city. It housed a dozen families including Prabhu’s
own. The open area in front and on the
sides was meant for parking the vehicles of the owners of the flats that Prabhu
had constructed and sold. Prabhu took a
personal interest in the welfare of the inmates. The interest was his passion.
Prabhu
was reading an article in the day’s newspaper on women’s empowerment when Raja,
the caretaker, announced himself.
“There’s
a lady who insists on parking her car in our front yard,” said Raja. He had told the lady time and again that the
space was private and meant exclusively for the flat owners. But she came every week, parked her car in
the yard, and walked majestically to the beauty parlour on the other side of
the road, without caring two hoots for Raja’s request.
Fairness
and justice was Prabhu’s predominant passion.
How can people do such a thing?
He asked himself. How can people
just walk into somebody’s property and park their car or whatever?
He
waited for the lady to return.
“Respected
madam,” said Prabhu with his characteristic politeness and authority which had
been reinforced presently by the article on women’s empowerment that he had
just read. “The caretaker informs me that you’ve
been parking your car here regularly in spite of his repeated entreaties
against it. May I remind you that this
is purely private space and it is meant for the parking of the inmates’
vehicles?”
Madam
looked at Prabhu with a sneer that pierced through his retired army man’s
chest. Her face glowed and glowered
under the creams and colours slapped on at the beauty parlour. The diamond ear rings shattered the sunlight
in kaleidoscopic colours.
“What’s
the harm if I use your space for an hour?” she demanded.
“But
the space belongs to...”
“...
people who go out in the morning and come in the evening. At this time it’s free,” Madam completed
Prabhu’s sentence.
“That’s
not fair,” said Prabhu. “The people can come at any time. It’s their right...”
The
argument went on for a moment more. Then
Madam said, “Look here, mister. If you
argue any more, I’ll file a case against you for trying to molest me. You don’t know who I am.”
She
might have been a Panchayat Member, or the wife of some party worker, or the
sister of a local goon.
Prabhu
was glad to have encountered an empowered woman as he walked back to his flat
with the decision to erect a wall with a gate in front of Prabhu’s Apartments.
Great view :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation.
DeleteI read another article similar to this. On one hand, we have real cases of molestation that get overlooked because some women cry "wolf" for no reason, thereby making all women lose credibility.
ReplyDeleteMen and women, both 'species' contain the good and bad elements, Sreesha. This story is just one way of looking at a problem. Your point is all the more valid because there are so many other kinds of men and women.
DeleteWhat is private and what is not has been made a joke by this lady, which includes her own respect as well.
ReplyDeleteThere are quite a few women who have taken their 'empowerment' a little too seriously, Athena.
Delete"There are quite a few women who have taken their 'empowerment' a little too seriously"
Delete- I totally agree with you, Tomichan. I have personally witnessed a couple of incidents where women (a few, like the lady you mentioned in the story) take full advantage of their so called 'empowerment' in the other way (just like the incident mentioned by you).
Very good read :)
Thanks for informing me and the readers that the lady presented here is not a rare exception. After all, a story would lack universality if the character is a mere caricature of some exception.
DeleteAh, she parked there because the space on either side of the building wasn't enclosed. Prabhu wanting to erect a wall seems like a practical solution.
ReplyDeleteArmy people are very practical, aren't they? Of course, Prabhu's character is as it has been imagined by me.
DeleteSir, The way women can threaten these days! :) True story indeed.
ReplyDeleteDon't worse things happen these days, Anita? Every good effort, good law, good anything can be misused.
DeleteAny idea that does not allow opposition to it is dangerous. The funny thing is that even such a rational post could easily be dubbed sexist by a feminist.
ReplyDeleteYes, Sid, this was one problem I had foreseen. Thankfully my readers seem to be very objective.
DeleteYou mean to say, this actually happened? :O
ReplyDeleteNot in the way I have narrated it, Pankti. But the incident took place in Kerala.
Delete