Who the hell defined Women are weak?

Sunday, July 27. 9,45 pm , Chennai.

I was waiting for my friend. I left home telling that I have to board the bus at 9.30, two hours earlier than the actual time; simply because I wanted to spend a decent time with him. Exactly opposite to the Koyambedu Moffusill bus stand is the Police station. I was standing in front of its gate and called my friend.

Gowri: Yes macha… How are you?

I: You idiot, I told you that I am waiting in Koyambedu for you. Where the hell are you?

Gowri: Oh ya. Sorry. That should have been ‘Where are you?’ :p I’m on my way. Tell me where you are waiting.

I: I am waiting in front of the Police station.

Gowri : Done. I’ll be there in 15 mins. I crossed Guindy.

It actually takes at least 45 minutes to reach Koyambedu from Guindy , during Weekends. 

Gowri is indeed new to Chennai.

‘Go .. Go and get me the papers. Or let me file the case’, Shouted in anger , a mid aged COP.

Going inside the Police station were 3 men carrying a bike, towed. It was a Black Honda Shine.

I was looking at them, turning my head slowly towards them.

‘Anga paakadha thambi. Vedikka pakradhukku kuda Fine poduvanga’ (Don’t look there, my boy. They would fine you for even staring at them), uttered a lady voice.

I turned and threw a smile at her. She is an Auto driver. In Chennai, it is very rare to find Lady Auto drivers. And finding one, being active after 9 pm is almost impossible.  I got an insight that I have met the impossible J .

‘Yenga poganum thambi?’ , She. (Where do you want to go?)

‘Bangalore’, I. She might not have got impressed with that answer.  I was sure that she was expecting someone who could do justice and help her for why she is there even so late.

She gave a very hopeless reaction. Taking off her Khakhi shirt, which she wore on top of a typical south Indian Saree.

She started counting her day’s income. I saw her face. Not the money. She was so curious, expecting few hundred more than the previous day’s collection.

‘Seems you had a good day. Why would you suffer more? You can leave to your home and sleep peacefully’, I said.

‘Peace? :D haha. Peace, Happy, Luxury .. We people who struggle for survival, cannot imagine of all these, my boy’ She worried.

I personally don’t believe it. I believe every living being in the planet is equally blessed with Happiness and sorrows.  It is just a matter of how weak we are, which makes them sound so complex and complicated.

‘Where are you from?’ I asked her.

She was calling for some people, looking for her next sawari. She didn’t listen to me.

‘Akka, Where are you from?’, I did again.

‘Ayanavaram thambi’ , She.  It is little far from where we were.

Ting!! Blinked my BlackBerry.  Message from my friend, asking whether I have started. I replied No and saw the time.  It was already 10.15.

 I wondered how she could go back to her home at this time. 

‘Family?’ , I.

‘Two boys and a little girl’, She.

‘Husband?’, I.

‘No more’, She.

I wish there exist a minute of silence, for me to take it. But she continued.

‘That mid aged Fu*** COP who was shouting a little while ago, was the one who killed my man.’

I needed a break now. My friend was calling. He would’ve reached. I didn’t mind.

She continued, ‘He was a drunkard. Used to sell vegetables here in this area. He was arrested as a witnessed individual during a local riot here last year. Came back as dead body from this Police station.’

She told it so casually, like narrating a comic to a kid. I was stunned. Completely forgot the luggage I had. It was a CPU cabinet, stuffed inside a big shopper bag by my uncle. I had to hand that over to my cousin who stays in Bangalore. 

‘Take care of your luggage, my boy’, She. ‘You must be careful. Chennai has got some clever thieves’, she smiled.

‘Even my boy wanted a box like this’; (She was pointing the CPU). 

‘Need 3 more thousand to buy that for him. Probably next month, I shall try getting it for him’ she murmured.

I didn’t have any clue why did she tell all this to me. Later I realized she was telling that to herself and not to me. I was just there listening her blabbering.

I wanted to ask about her family. But I hesitated. 

July maadham vandhaal……. Rung my blackberry. My friend from Bangalore.

‘Started macha?’, He.

‘No da. Waiting for the bus’, I.

I cut the call intentionally; only because I wanted continue talking with her.  It was 10.40 then. When I did cut my call she was on another call. Possibly talking with her children. 

She cut the call and started leaving. ‘Akka, your name?’ I queried.

‘Leela’, She replied.

‘Ok akka. See you’, I told. And I couldn’t stop asking her ‘But, Why didn’t you appeal or file a case against the injustice that happened to your husband?’

‘I enquired about all those. I was asked 2500 bucks to file a case. 15000 as Advocate fee, 5500 for registration. I have just started. I am left only with this Auto, for which I have to pay EMI every month.’ She replied.

What could I reply?

I was staring at her. Wondering how could she be so bold enough? How could she feel that confident even after losing his husband for doing nothing?

How a 35 year old lady can accept all these and still starve for a life with so much confidence, when we cannot even digest watching a celebrity crying on a television reality show?

She is so sure that she will fight against her husband’s murder. She didn't get any support from the media who could help her big time. She doesn't even seek for that. And being an auto driver, she cannot help her family, children’s education and also spend money for the court.

Precisely, the point is, Women were called the weaker sex. They are no more as such.

I always use to say, Women are stronger than men. Men adore their mom. They learn braveness and courage from their mom. Fear from father. Men can teach fear. Not courage.

Being courage demands mental toughness. Not physical fitness. 

Men are good in the latter. Women, in the former.  That ideally proves Men are weaker mentally.

From the Stone Age, men go out to hunt. Women remain at home.

It sounds like men are brave. Yes they are. But to remain isolated at home till the man comes back, needs more courage and mental perseverance. 

What if I say you that men never go for hunting all alone? J That is true, by the way.

It was already 11.

‘Auto, Ashok nagar?’ asked a college student.

‘Yes sir. Let’s go’, Leela akka.

Wore that Khaki shirt again and kick started the auto. With the same confidence of getting her son a Computer, and fighting against the Police. She would earn a mere 80 to 100 rupees in that sawari. But I then realized , how crucial that matters for her.

RRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmm… Auto left. I saw the back side of it. TN 04 MK 1948

‘Women have to be brave and bold enough. They must be allowed to be so. The one who shows or uses Physical ability against a woman is considered to be the coward’s king. That is why none of the world’s greatest war has happened with Women and children. 

At the same time, almost all the wars came to an end with an influence of a woman.

The time when a lady can walk on the streets of India without any problem, then comes the actual freedom.’ – M K Gandhi, 1948.

I was still watching the direction by which the auto left, even after it was no more visible.

There was a hand on my shoulder. I turned back.

‘You stupid.. What are you doing here? I was searching you, all around the Post office’, Gowri.

All I could do is smile and said ‘Thanks to your bloody ears’...