DISCLAIMER: ABUSES AND STRONG LANGUAGE ALERT!
I was in the bus, waiting for it to start, with irritating thoughts running through my head. How long it would take for the bus to start? I wanted to talk to the bus conductor. That’s when it hit me. A sudden clap! This clap was so distinct that it was trademark of them in this country. The folded notes of Rs. 10 or 20 were stuck in between her fingers.
“Money.”Her, as she announced herself not that she was a female, hand landed on my shoulder. As I told you, the experience with them didn’t go well.
Her short hair, like a boy or a bob cut hair girl, were heavily oiled and neatly combed backward. Her forehead was broad and her eyelashes were neatly trimmed. The white of her big eyes were pomegranate red and the color of her pupils was dark brown, just like her complexion. Her nose was pointed at its tip. Three black hairs lurked out her nostrils. She was clean shaven and her chin had a depression. Overall, her face was like an apple but with a hard coat, as her skin had hardened a bit. She tried her best to look like a girl. I could see the uneven powdery whiteness on her face, as if she hadn’t properly applied some whitening cream. It would be no brainer to guess which cream it was from its smell: it was the best selling fairness cream in India. Her perfume hit my nose and I sneezed hard. It reminded me of one of the first perfume I had ever bought. I had been told that it’s so powerful that if you put it once, you don’t need to put it again for another three days. Because of my sneeze, her hand was off my shoulder. When I raised my head, she stood tall here in her red sari and deep cut blue blouse. There was nothing in her neck, like a necklace or a locket. I searched for it as I had grown seeing something in the neck of women. I felt like something was missing but then she wasn’t really a women. Though her hands had green and red bangles, but her hands were heavier than a women’s.
Her mouth again opened up with the demand, “Money?” No please or anything simply money. Her teeth were stained rusted red. In between the words, she covered her mouth to avoid leaking the paan juice, with fingers, where the blue nail paint was coming off, suggesting that she had painted them long ago. I thought about giving some money to her but next moment, her demand turned rude, “Give me the money.”
I looked away. She slapped the shoulder, that got me jumped in my seat. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Money, honey?”
“Which money? Remember giving me?”
“Honey… just 10 rupees.” She grabbed my cheeks with her fingers which she brought back to her lips, in a figurative kiss.
“Get away from me.”
“So, you will not give the money?” She clapped in their trademark fashion.
“Why should I?”
“You want me to show you.” She put her fingers in between her blue blouse. I turned to other people in the bus. A middle class couple, sitting right behind me, looked at her and then started whispering each other. On my opposite side, two teenagers passed a smile. The elderly gentlemen sat contemplating behind teenagers.
“Why do you want to humiliate yourself for just10 rupees?”
“I don’t care.”
“So, you really want to see.”
I remained silent. The bus conductor had gone out, trying to bring more customers and the bus driver was watching all the proceeding from his rear view mirror.
“Look, what the God had given us.” She pulled my shoulder and dragged me to her bosom. The sprinkles of paan juice splashed in my eyes.
“What the fuck? Get away from me.”
“Haa…Haa. I bet you like it.”
I got up from my seat and she pushed me down.
“Madarchod, now you will give me everything? Just wait.” She started taking off her blue blouse. I stared at her.
“Hey driver, are you going to sit and enjoy it from there?”
“Hey get out.” The bus driver said from his seat.
“Bhadwe, don’t you dare to say anything or else I’ll strip in front of you.”
The teenagers started giggling. I didn’t notice the change in the expression of the elderly gentlemen. The discussion of the middle class couple continued.
“Do you want your mother and sister to strip in front of crowd like me?” She had taken off her blouse. The whites of her eyes got redder. The corners of her lips were stained red. Her nostrils inflated in anger.
“Who said you are my mother or sister?”
“Hey give him 10 rupees,” the male from the couple said to me.
“If you are so willing, give her the money.”
“Come here” he said.
“Just wait. First, I want money from this Madarchod. ” She was naked from the top. Her chest shaven, so like men. I couldn’t control my laugh.
“Sale Hijre, is that what you want to show me?”
Just when she started to strip her skirt, three of her people stormed in clapping, and yelling, “What happened sister?”
“He said ‘Sale Hijre’ to me.”
“He said Madarchod to me first.”
Two of them pulled me down from the seat.
The passengers didn’t move from their seats.
“Let’s go from here.” They said.
“Take out his wallet.” One of them advised. I had put it in my bag long time ago.
They brought me in the aisle and started slapping me. I threw my hand in every direction until I got hold of my water bottle, which had been stuck outside of my bag. I kicked them in my self defense when I was on the ground. When they tried to snatch my bag from me, I heard a roar.
“Stop it.”
They dispersed away from me.
A pot-bellied constable stood in the bus gate with his bamboo cane. He had handlebar moustache. Behind him stood the bus conductor, who must have brought him here.
“What happened?” the constable asked. I got up from the ground. They told their version of story. I remained silent. I was so out of mind that it all sounded gibberish to me.
“Why?” the constable looked at me.
“She asked me the money and abused me when I didn’t give.”
“Come out, all of you.”
“But I have taken a bus ticket.” I resisted.
“Come out for a minute.”
I followed them out. He stood there for a moment, adjusting his dirty cap. They surrounded me.
“What’s wrong with you? You seem from a nice family. Why didn’t you give her money? Look for 10 rupees what mess you have created.”
“What are you talking about? You are taking their side.”
“There is no side, son. You want to settle it here or you walk with me to police cabin there.”
“Settle? What? I don’t want to settle. Take me anywhere.” I yelled loudly, as I saw people gathering around us. I hoped someone from the crowd would help me.
“All of you disperse!” He brandished his bamboo cane.
“Take out your wallet.”
“No. Why should I?”
“Okay. Listen and understand it clearly. Why you want to miss your bus for 50 rupees?”
The bus conductor whistled and yelled for passengers.
“Come on bro, if you want to go. I can’t keep the bus waiting for you.”
***
Sitting in the bus, the male from the middle couple put a hand on my shoulder, almost in shock, I turned around, “What?”
“If you had given 10 rupees…”
My fist almost reached to his face but then I stared at him, “It’s my fucking money, I will do whatever. My your fucking business!”
Never in my life, I felt like hitting someone.
