I was probably 12 years old, i.e. 7th std. My
elder sister and I would go to Bharat Natyam dance classes in the evening near
our house.
We could walk via 2 routes to the class: one on
the main road with traffic, one through a safe residential quiet lane.
One fine evening for some reason my sister did not
accompany me. Maybe she had an exam in school the next day, and I didn't. Who
knows?
So I am a girl, all of 12 years, walking
through the quiet residential lane in the night back from my class.
When WHAM!
A stone hits me on my upper back.
It’s obviously come from a precisely aimed shot
from one of the homes around.
Did they want to hit my eyes? My face?
Did they miss and it hit my shoulder-upper back
region fortunately?
Why do they want to hit me?
They have never in the past 6-8 years pelted my
sister or me with stones when we used to walk hand in hand to class.
So they have actually been waiting all these
years to find me alone and hit me?
They hate (only me) so much?
I walked back home. Ashamed. Knowing there is
someone out there in this world who doesn't like me.
For a curious chubby child of 12 years,
"I" felt guilty for being hit.
Guilty enough to not discuss it at home nor
take any further action.
I distinctly remember the sequence -
Hit by stone --> My head falls down in shame
--> I walk back home.
I didn't even shout in general "Aye, kaun
hain woh?" (Hey, who's it?). I didn't even look up and squint in the
darkness searching for some human figure.
I just walked back home.
Now I'm 12 + 14 = 26 years old.
There is a lane between my college and the
watch-making factory beside it.
I live in a building in that lane. In all
together another city, another state from my hometown.
Day before yesterday, I was returning home in
the night after giving my Bharat Natyam post-grad exam.
I had a school bag on my back.
When WHAM!
A stone hits me on my shoulder.
Hmmmmmmm…
I don't look up.
I continue walking home.
I'm thinking:
So there is still someone who does not like me.
Only me.
And fortunately this time too my face and eyes
are saved.
So basically Stone-Throwing-Hater, you work in
a watch-assembling factory in the night shift.
So technically speaking you are a manual
labourer.
That makes you a slave in my eyes.
And you want to throw stones at me?
It makes you feel better?
That's fine with me buddy.
I'm always a stone's throw away.
I will walk by that lane daily.
You can pelt me daily.
I will save my face and eyes daily.
You can hate me daily.
But you will still be a slave because of your
brain.
And I will still be a Smiling Buddha because of
mine J
