“Study well dear. Give me a call as soon as you reach the hostel. OK?”
“Ok athai.”
“If there’s anything you need just let me know. I’ll arrange. Keep the murukku safe with you or else your room-mates might finish it off.”
“Yes athai, you reminded me about this at least ten times since morning.” Bala said with a smile.
Meena was walking towards the bus stand along with him. Bala is studying 9th standard in a convent in Madurai. Since Meena was residing in Kodaikanal he used to visit her for his holidays. Every time when she used to bid farewell to him, she had noticed the difference in his behavior. She thought maybe he was feeling sad to part with her; just the same way she feels. But this time when she keenly studied his face she concluded it was something else! He was looking as though he was about to give a speech in front of 1000 people. Nervousness was written all over his face. He was walking as though trying to withdraw himself into some invisible shell. There comes a change in his body language only when he’s outside, but he is very normal indoors. May be I should talk with him, she thought. She started walking towards her house when the bus Bala boarded was moving. This should certainly be discussed with Muthu Anna.
Muthu’s wife had passed away giving birth to Bala. The delivery involved so much complication. Bala was hence born with dwarfism. But mentally he was a normal child. Even above average, she could easily say. He always came within the first three ranks in his class. Muthu had a tough time raising him but with Meena’s support he had managed it. Since he was doing his textile business in Surat, he visited Kodaikanal quite rarely. He was able to be there in peace since his sister was taking care of Bala.
As soon as she reached home, she called her brother. After the initial conversations she gradually brought the topic of Bala’s behavior in the bus-stand today. There was a small pause and Muthu said:
“I know about that. I underestimated your observation power. I thought you wouldn’t notice.”
“Anna did you talk to him about this?”
“Why should I talk, Meena? I can very well understand the reason! He’s very casual inside home and whenever he goes out he behaves as though he’s possessed by something. He’s stepping into his teens. Its now he’ll be very conscious about his physical appearance. All these days he never bothered to look around – to see how people look at him. Its only now he’s beginning to understand the meaning of other’s glances. Is it my child’s mistake that he was born this way? Why don’t people understand this? If he were a bit older I would have taught him to ignore them. But now I’m even scared to discuss this topic with him! I don’t know Bala is going to get over all this.”
Meena could sense lots of frustration in her brother’s voice. Something has to be done about this. But do what? She was confused. She wanted to hug Bala and tell him, “This is a big bad world dear. There are so many murderers here, for they have killed the self-confidence and faith of so many little souls. But no matter what…I’ll not allow you to become a victim of these murderers!”
She could only imagine talking to him, as she wasn’t sure how Bala would take it if she discusses this.
Arguing to herself, she thought of going to the market to buy groceries. On the way she saw a lady walking with her differently-abled child. At the same time on the opposite side of the road there was walking a well-dressed woman who was staring at the child. “Blind woman!” Meena thought.
And then she immediately crossed the road and stood in front of the woman, who was now giving her a puzzled look.
“Yes?” She said to Meena.
“Why are you looking at that kid?” She didn’t want to beat around the bush!
“Which one?”
“The one right across the street. Don’t tell me you weren’t staring at her. I was seeing you”
“Look you have misunderstood me, I really feel sorry for the kid and her mother, I mean it!”
“Oh! Do you?” She paused “Fine, now tell me how would you react, if you catch someone ogling at you or in your language feeling sorry for you all the time”
“But why would someone do that? I’m just fine. I’m in no way handicapped”
Meena smiled ”Oh my poor dear! Now you are making me feel sorry. Aren’t you aware that you are blind? If you hadn’t been one, you would have seen the pain on the mother’s face! You are also deaf, as you were insensitive to the cries of that lady’s heart.” The other woman was stunned. Meena was aware that her voice was rising in decibel. “No one wants your sympathy here. Did she ask you? Since you can give it for free, you keep distributing it! What the hell do you think she can do with that feeling sorry of yours? Next time you see that kid at least pretend you don’t see her. You don’t have any idea what this stare of yours can do to her.” Her voice was now barely a whisper “I know what it can do" This time the woman wasn't blind as she saw the tears in Meena’s eyes, who now turned and kept walking towards the market.
“Ok athai.”
“If there’s anything you need just let me know. I’ll arrange. Keep the murukku safe with you or else your room-mates might finish it off.”
“Yes athai, you reminded me about this at least ten times since morning.” Bala said with a smile.
Meena was walking towards the bus stand along with him. Bala is studying 9th standard in a convent in Madurai. Since Meena was residing in Kodaikanal he used to visit her for his holidays. Every time when she used to bid farewell to him, she had noticed the difference in his behavior. She thought maybe he was feeling sad to part with her; just the same way she feels. But this time when she keenly studied his face she concluded it was something else! He was looking as though he was about to give a speech in front of 1000 people. Nervousness was written all over his face. He was walking as though trying to withdraw himself into some invisible shell. There comes a change in his body language only when he’s outside, but he is very normal indoors. May be I should talk with him, she thought. She started walking towards her house when the bus Bala boarded was moving. This should certainly be discussed with Muthu Anna.
Muthu’s wife had passed away giving birth to Bala. The delivery involved so much complication. Bala was hence born with dwarfism. But mentally he was a normal child. Even above average, she could easily say. He always came within the first three ranks in his class. Muthu had a tough time raising him but with Meena’s support he had managed it. Since he was doing his textile business in Surat, he visited Kodaikanal quite rarely. He was able to be there in peace since his sister was taking care of Bala.
As soon as she reached home, she called her brother. After the initial conversations she gradually brought the topic of Bala’s behavior in the bus-stand today. There was a small pause and Muthu said:
“I know about that. I underestimated your observation power. I thought you wouldn’t notice.”
“Anna did you talk to him about this?”
“Why should I talk, Meena? I can very well understand the reason! He’s very casual inside home and whenever he goes out he behaves as though he’s possessed by something. He’s stepping into his teens. Its now he’ll be very conscious about his physical appearance. All these days he never bothered to look around – to see how people look at him. Its only now he’s beginning to understand the meaning of other’s glances. Is it my child’s mistake that he was born this way? Why don’t people understand this? If he were a bit older I would have taught him to ignore them. But now I’m even scared to discuss this topic with him! I don’t know Bala is going to get over all this.”
Meena could sense lots of frustration in her brother’s voice. Something has to be done about this. But do what? She was confused. She wanted to hug Bala and tell him, “This is a big bad world dear. There are so many murderers here, for they have killed the self-confidence and faith of so many little souls. But no matter what…I’ll not allow you to become a victim of these murderers!”
She could only imagine talking to him, as she wasn’t sure how Bala would take it if she discusses this.
Arguing to herself, she thought of going to the market to buy groceries. On the way she saw a lady walking with her differently-abled child. At the same time on the opposite side of the road there was walking a well-dressed woman who was staring at the child. “Blind woman!” Meena thought.
And then she immediately crossed the road and stood in front of the woman, who was now giving her a puzzled look.
“Yes?” She said to Meena.
“Why are you looking at that kid?” She didn’t want to beat around the bush!
“Which one?”
“The one right across the street. Don’t tell me you weren’t staring at her. I was seeing you”
“Look you have misunderstood me, I really feel sorry for the kid and her mother, I mean it!”
“Oh! Do you?” She paused “Fine, now tell me how would you react, if you catch someone ogling at you or in your language feeling sorry for you all the time”
“But why would someone do that? I’m just fine. I’m in no way handicapped”
Meena smiled ”Oh my poor dear! Now you are making me feel sorry. Aren’t you aware that you are blind? If you hadn’t been one, you would have seen the pain on the mother’s face! You are also deaf, as you were insensitive to the cries of that lady’s heart.” The other woman was stunned. Meena was aware that her voice was rising in decibel. “No one wants your sympathy here. Did she ask you? Since you can give it for free, you keep distributing it! What the hell do you think she can do with that feeling sorry of yours? Next time you see that kid at least pretend you don’t see her. You don’t have any idea what this stare of yours can do to her.” Her voice was now barely a whisper “I know what it can do" This time the woman wasn't blind as she saw the tears in Meena’s eyes, who now turned and kept walking towards the market.
