Be Prepared!

Scary! - Went for dinner and catch up with friend and their child. Good dinner, good icecream. A bit late, they got into their taxi, and i waited for mine. Three cancelled. Heavy traffic road, but no one i know. I waited at the Old Cab Pick up point… no cab came. by… then some guy in a car, came close to the bus stop and said “Eh, kitna?, bartiya?” - What?  I wanted to slap him.. he thought i was a sex worker. but also a chill descended my spine… I could not stop thinking of all the sex workers and how vulnurable they would be. I have seen them near Cubbon Park etc… poor people. 

The chill lingered. All girls have felt this chill, I know.. this was a familar yet forgotten chill. I quickly walked into the space I had gone for dinner, and waited by the door inside. It was also 10.40, my house was 6 kilomters away, yet, i felt like i would not reach home. Everyone I knew was far away. I would not call Puppesh, I think I would have alarmed him, and made him anxious. I tried, thinking of whom I could call… The first person who came to mind, I can not call. The second person, my nephew Barry, is far away. Now he, he would have come to get me. Made a mental list, and then realised, fuck! There is no one I can call, at this moment to come get me.  It was my fauly. I had planned dinner, but not planned how I would go home. that was fool hardy! 

I soon caught a running auto, and go itn A few meters away, the auto guy leaned back and said, “So, what are you doing so late in the place? What was happening? Chill again. I said, “Sorry, Sir! oh call with father” then i went on to have a fake phone call, loudly with father, listing every place I was crossing by, and every landmark, and where I saw police, wondering why they were there… and if he had his dinner, meds etc, till i came home. 

Then i bolted and locked up. Sigh of relief, went to Puppesh and told him everything. There is something about father, that I want to confess everything to him. He gave me that reproachful, all knowing look - “Why…” he began… I completed the sentence. "Why did I not dress better? Hello, I am in jeans and an oversized tee, - no bits of me are seen.. what are you talking about?”.. he said, “it would not matter to a creep, a creep is a creep!, also why did you not plan better? Next time, take the car, a rental, something to stay with you… and for god’s sake in a trackable auto, next time please.” he said. "Yes, Sir” I responded before walking out of the room. We both heard each other sigh out heavily in relief.,