"That was a painstaking task. You are an ideal example of what
a woman is today and will be in the years to come. Thanks for spending your
valuable time with us. I m sure our audience have liked you very much and I wish
all the great success to you and your family", the journalist complimented and
ended the talk show. Ruhina recalled the days when she was in college and how
glamorous life looked back then - Easy, accomplish-able, good-sweet-magical,
happening, etc. She used to drive the old Fiat at 90-100 Km/Hr on the National
highway, played music which people at a Km's distance could listen to, talking
obnoxiously and taking more number of friends in the car than it could
accommodate.
They had been to this trip in Dehradun where she thought she
met the man that she was looking for in life. Everything seemed right at that
point of time and they were tied into the wed-lock as soon as she graduated.
With a degree in Sociology from LSR, she had never thought of dis-continuing her
education. Things changed all of a sudden and she was unable to pursue her
dreams. Apparently, he was not the man he had pretended to be and life lost all
the charm within a few days. She had fought hard with her parents and family
convincing them that he was the right man for her. This man called up his
friends every evening and they drank and enjoyed while she wept in a corner of
the room. He used to wake up every morning and beg her for what he did last
night. But the evenings never changed and living life under the same roof became
difficult. She did not file for separation nor did she raise her voice, instead
she left him and found herself a job in Delhi. Facing society in a typical
Upper-middle class environment was not so easy and with a child in her arms, the
first few years of her work life were as difficult as trying to clap with a
single hand.
Life moved on, nothing extra-ordinary happened in her life. She
brought up her child, got her married, retired with a pension and created her
own circle with whom she can talk and interact till one day when she saved a
Politician's daughter from an accident and she came into limelight. That's when
the journalists did a background check and called her up for an interview. Else
she would have died unknown as the wife of the man who never tried figuring out
where she had gone. She got a few assignments from the Television industry post
the interview and the old man came running and said 'You know how much I
searched for you. Where were you?' to which she said 'I can never forget you,
you know why. You remind me of my lifetime of a mistake'.
-------------
I hear loud noises coming from the balcony. I come out to see
what is happening. The good old Physics teacher is again scolding one of his
sons. 'How dare you say such a thing. I will throw you out of the house' the
teacher said. 'Its not me who is telling. The whole school knows about her. Why
don't you leave my mom and let us go out of this house', the son replies. 'You
are not entering this house from now. Go wherever you want but don't show me
your face ever again'.
The teacher's wife continued staying with him for the sake of
society, for the sake of her children, for the sake that she was not financially
independent, for the sake that she did not want her mother to die an early
death, for the sake that she could not believe in second marriage, for the sake
that 'it only happens once', etc.
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In the Indian context, marriages (Arrange or paired doesn't
matter) are an irreversible reaction. Once into one, you can't think of another
unless you are a B or a C Khan. You love it or hate it, there is no second to
it, that's just it.
Separation and mutual split-up still happen but people are
afraid to walk to the Judiciary. Primary reason being its expensive nature and
secondary being the social habitat that doesn't permit one to come out from the
same even if one wishes to.
'Happiness: are you kidding me. That's the last in the
list'.
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