Rain Cure

Angry Young Woman-I


XX, who's enjoying a break from her husband, and I watch the rain slantingly fall on the manicured lawn at City Centre. A PYT in a black spaghetti top and tight low-waist jeans screams into her shocking pink Motorola in a trilling voice: "What do you mean you are on your way? I have been waiting for you for more than an hour, looking like a fool! People are staring at me!"

XX & I exchange knowing glances.XX, who has had many a wild affair before her tame arranged marriage, smilingly says: "Haven't I been through all that?"
I nod sagely: "Yea...This too shall pass!"
XX seeks an explanation.
I offer: "Ah, I was referring to the girl. What I meant is that this agonized waiting will soon be over for that girl. This incident will find a pride of place along with others in the dustbin of her memory!"
She understands: "Hmm...Isn't it nice... Just sitting here...Silently?"
I agree: "Yea! It's nice...Watching life pass by..."And the drizzle continues...

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Angry Young Woman-II


Wearing worn out sneakers, I set out in the rain at around 8 pm, with an old, solemn black brolly. Mom tries to stop me. Can't a soul venture out of the house without her questioning? Just because I have fever, a throbbing headache & sore throat, does it mean I have to stay cooped in that damned room for more than 48 hours? The cold biting wind freezes my feverish face and the rain mercilessly beats against my right arm, wetting the sleeve and slowly me. A chill runs down my spine. I feel weak; slightly dizzy and the head-splitting ache makes a stealthy comeback. Thunder splits my ear and a weird pain rings within my ears. Lightning streaks across the black sky and I feel lonely and vulnerable. Am sure any moment the lightning may strike me dead!

Once on the main street, I am astonished to see very few cars zooming past. A few street lights light up parts of the pavement; others are strangely covered in an eerie darkness.Most of the shops are shut, and there are hardly any pedestrians anywhere. The street's deserted and I curse my stubborness. As I walk, my head clears and something light and pleasant overpowers me. I am in raptures and a freshness tingles me from head to toe. I suppress an instinct to throw away the brolly and get wet to my heart's content. Reason tells me to chill; don't act crazy. I enter my own fantasy world and feeling elated, sing one of my favourite songs of innocence: "Bhanvra bada naadaan hai/ Bagiyan ka mehmaan hai/ Phir bhi jaane na/ Jaane na jaane na/Kaliyan ki muskaan hai..."

Suddenly, I feel something hard hit against my left leg from behind. I scream out in pain and turn back to see I have been hit by a goddamn bike. I fling the word "STYUPID!" at the motorcyclist and continue walking, despite the pain. I hear a creepy voice from behind say: "Did I hurt you?" I turn back scared; it's that young cyclist fella trying to chat up with me on a Bollywood-style stormy night. Four-letter words freely swim within my head.

Half-angry and half-scared, I turn around and walk ahead, quickening my pace, choosing to ignore this opportunist. I want to cross over to the other side; but barricades have been put up. So, left with no choice, I continue walking determined not to allow this cad spoil my lone evening out. He repeats the question all the while, following me and walking his bike. And I wonder how when the road's so empty, how he could sneak up behind me and hit me enough to hurt me, without maiming me for life!

Tired of taking it lying down, I decide attack is the best form of defence. I turn around, sweetly smile and then, I point my middle finger at him, saying: "Why dont you f*** off?" And he rides away, looking stunned and scared! Among friends we use the middle finger sign to show them we don't care about something for fun; it was for the first time in my life that I had actually used the sign as a form of aggression :) I surprised myself that night! I continued my walk, and decided not to venture out on a rainy night after 7 pm ever. And of course, not a soul knows about this incident!