The ladies compartment turning to gents after 10pm is a source of worry for many of us who have to travel late. It drives me wild to see empty trains pulling in, with the largest concentration of men in the 'Ladies' bogies.
On one such day, when I boarded a train, I had to brush against many of the %#$^%@$# who were standing around, and get right into the bogie, which was relatively empty. There was a fourth seat available then, which eventually allowed me to sidle further along towards the window. This man,[ middle-aged, huge, fat, pan-chewing, asshole] stood above me. I was wearing a salwar kameez and had taken special care to use my dupatta to wrap my upper body up. Yet, everytime I looked up, he was staring at my breasts or trying to look down my neck. After around 30 seconds after the realisation, I asked him what the ______ he was looking at. He shrugged, murmured something incoherent and looked away. Five seconds later, he resumed his ogling, and this time I screamed loud enough to make sure everyone within earshot got a good idea of what he was doing.
This time, he had the audacity to say "Kya Hua?!" and then blatantly look into my eyes and then down at my breasts repeatedly, even when all the while I was screaming. The rest of the people in the train said nothing. [How very typical of our junta]
As is the case with the general public, they just stared. Then he started to move out, into the aisle. As he went, I kicked him in the shins. Not much of a comeback, but I got the pleasure of seeing him wince, and then he was out of the train. As soon as he got off, he came to the window and let loose a string of abuses and a lot of stuff about how he'd get me and kill me.
Anyway, my way of getting back at these people is always making a scene. I'm getting better at it. At first I used to be very self-conscious and would just mumble some stuff and let them get away. So now I yell and tell them to come with me to the cops and that they can be arrested and stuff. This makes them move away real quick.
I'm sure this story sounds familiar to a lot of people!
Thanks for listening.
Posted 22nd March 2007 by J
