She stood there at the bus stop, impatiently in the corner, clutching her purse under one of her arms and holding a huge bag filled with numerous files on the other shoulder. A closer look on her face would reveal the hollows under her eyes. Clearly, work had kept her up all night. She switched her gaze swiftly from the watch on her wrist to the empty spot where the bus was supposed to be. Her fists were clenched tightly around the handles of her bag, as if it was time and she was trying her best to hold it in place.
As the watch’s needles moved past twelve, her isolated little corner became crowded with all sorts of people. Some were like her: women who stood segregated at a side, and the rest were men of all sorts, some holding briefcases trying to compel her with their plastic salesmen’s smile, whereas others with paan residue trickling down from the corner of their lips smirked fearlessly at her. She stepped back a little but felt someone nudge her to the other side. Trying to prevent the contents of her bags from tumbling all over the place, she caught a glimpse of the offender passing by, so indifferent towards his own actions. These were the sort of men her mother had warned her against.
Finally, as if her wish was fulfilled the bus arrived in its own grandeur with the conductor hanging from one its bars, urging the passengers to hop on quickly. Finding this moment as a blessing in disguise she made her way, pushing through the crowd to that little door. She realized that it was too late to grab a seat for her in the small women’s section of the bus, thus she held on to the little triangular rod for dear life.
‘Two more stops; just be patient’ she told herself as the bus roared away dismantling every joint in her body.
‘MashAllah!’ she heard.
Startled, she turned around and saw him glaring at her with those eyes. She had seen them before. What a disgrace it was to such a beautiful word. She looked down at her trembling feet. You were not supposed to gaze back, she was taught.
To her merit, this time, the bus stopped with yet another jolt and she rushed outside for open air. Scanning the road, instantly she huddled into the first rikshaw she saw.
Her mind filled up with images of the show she watched on National Geographic the day before; the one where the wolf chased the lamb before preying upon it. It was then that she knew where she had seen those eyes.
‘Baji main 500 rupay loun ga’. She nodded, knowing that the ride actually only cost the half.
