After my engagement, my dear would-be used to call me once or twice a week. On one of his call he asked me “Savita, where you would like to go for the honeymoon”. I was not ready for this question and questioned him back and said “I have no plans, do you have any?” He asked me how about going to North India like Nanital, Shimla, and Mussorie etc. I replied, “I am little scared of Heights so can we go for some other place?” He said then how about having a tour of Royal Rajasthan? I replied, “It is too hot, I am scared of heat and getting lost in Desert, can we go to some other place?” Ok he said. I could hear the frustration in his voice. He asked “How about Goa or Kerala?” I replied “I am sorry but I am very scared of Deep waters”. He said we are just going to explore these places and enjoy our time together. You are scared of everything so better we will have our honeymoon in Home itself. He banged the phone. I felt very sorry for him. But later he called me back and said “I have booked our tickets and you will know the place after our marriage”. That heavenly place was Ooty. I saluted his wisdom, he choose a perfect place for a person like me.
It is not that I am a coward. But really I am always preoccupied of the fear of unknown. I still remember when Escalators were first installed in Vadodara central shopping mall in Vadodara. There I was so much scared on going on those Escalators that I always wasted my time searching for elevators or walking up the Stairs. I think I would never be conversant with them till my small daughter challenged me. She said “Mamma be a risk taker….” Even my younger daughter walks up and down with so ease. I practised and now I am very use to of escalators. Once I heard one man telling his wife “Yeh Upar Jane wali Seedi hein aur woh neeche aana wali seedi hein (this stairs takes you up and that one takes you down)”. His wife replied “Bade he buddhu hein yeh seher wale, hammare yehen to upar aur neeche jane ke liye ek he seedi hoti hein (These people are so foolish, in our town we have only one stairs to go up and down)”.
Recently we were looking for a new Apartment. But I was so much scared after the recent earthquake that combined with other features the most important concern was the floor of the apartment. People generally prefer for the higher level apartments in the high raise buildings but we preferred for the apartment up to 2nd or 3rd floor because if earthquake strikes again we can at least try to run down the stairs.
You all will think that I am a big Coward scared of each and everything. But it is not so. Seven years back I was working as an Asst. Professor in a Degree College. I was very popular teacher in the campus and shared a very good repo with the Students. Once I was appointed as the examiner in an examination hall. All students in my Hall were appearing as private and not associated with any Degree college. As it was my first experience of acting as an examiner and not a student I was really very excited. After doing all sorts of formalities, I reached into the respective hall in which I was deputed with one more person.
Everything started fine. While taking the round I felt surprised looking at the appearance of many of the students. They were looking quite aged for the B.com II year exams. I was enjoying my new role and was feeling quite responsible. A boy should call man distracted me many times. He was every time looking back, pulling the sheets of the other student and copying the answer. I felt irritated and asked him to look in the front and do not disturb others. But he turned deaf to my words and doing the same thing again. I went up to him and warned him that if I saw him again doing cheating I will send him out of the room. Till now he was quite but now he turned up to me and replied “What is your problem MadamJI, Mind your own business”.
My temper lost all controls. I just snatched his copy and asked him to leave the room. He stood up and asked the other co-examiner to make me understand and give back his copy. The co-examiner came up to me and asked to give his copy back. I denied and warned him if he will not leave I will call the security. That boy gathered all his belongings and pointed finger towards me and warned “I will see you…” In the whole left time I was feeling very foolish of myself. Why I tried to act smart? What I will do now? He was looking like a Goonda. As the exam time was coming to cease my nervousness was going on increasing.
When exam was finished, I went to the principles office. He knew this episode in advance. He congratulated me for being brave. I told him that he has warned me and I am feeling scared. He said “Today do not go on you’re vehicle, I will drop you in my car”. I was evaluating the whole episode in mind and decided to go alone. As I drove to the college gate, I saw the same boy with four-five more goonda’s waiting for me. As I reached closer, He caught hold the handle of my bike and asked “Madamji, Kya problem hein Apka?” I was shaking like a dry leaf from inside. I told him that he was wrong and I was doing my duty. He replied “Madam you should take care of poor people, I will again fail this year”. He sounded as pleading to me. I was surprised with the change of his tone. To my utter surprise I turned back to see near about 20-25 bad students of my college standing behind me in the posture as if challenging those boys.
Those boys left just saying will avoid making mistake in future. I turned back to see my students still standing behind. I thanked them and went my way in peace. On my way I was thinking that if today I would have got scared and took lift from principal, those boys would have intercepted me somewhere else but now I felt very safe and was having a faith in my heart that I was right and little brave also. What’s say???
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