I know the project says to post your experience on March 8th but knowing me and my swiss-cheese memory, there is a better than good chance that I will forget to post it on that very day. I am not taking any chances with this one! So here is my post, two days early.
The year was 1995 and the movie Karan Arjun had just been released. I got together with two other friends to go see the movie as my favorite actor, Shahrukh Khan (!!!!) was starring in it. We got into the theater quite easily even though there was quite the mad rush for this movie. But as soon as we got in, we got separated by the throngs of crowd. While I was looking around for my seat and for my friends, I felt someone grope my breasts. I wasn't sure but in a few minutes there he was again! I waited. Like a lioness waits for her prey :D The next instant, as "the hand" groped me again, I grabbed a finger and TWISTED it with ALL my might. And I didn't let go when he tried to yank his hand back. I kept twisting and almost broke his finger off - all the while calmly looking around for my friends. Then I hit another person, who was trying to get "too close for comfort" squarely and solidly in the chest with my helmet (I used to ride my BAJAJ SUPER FE Scooter all around town with a Full-Mask helmet!) Quite a few people caught that exchange (well - the exchange of the blow and the "ow") No one bothered me after that! I still get a rush of satisfaction when ever I think about that incidence. I wish I had done something similar to EVERY ONE who ever dared to lay a finger (or even think about it) on me.
Well done. I was too young and too docile when we were growing up to have tried to protect you, but if you need any help now I will be more than willing to let out my negative energy. :)
ReplyDeletegood job!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thankfully, I have escaped such crap inspite of living in Delhi through my college years but I'd like to hope I could have behaved with the same courage and assertiveness that you did.
ReplyDeletegreat!!! i wish we all had more stories instead of just the odd one of two that stand out.. that itself says something ... thats its so rare to have been the hero that you can actually recall the incident....
ReplyDeleteexcellent
ReplyDeletethese stories are very inspiring
S: I would probably have clonked you on the head if you'd tried to protect me back then - I was fiercely independent as you know :) But I would have appreciated the gesture too. I appreciate the thought now.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome to take your negative energy out on anyone who bothers me - and I think the time may soon come with my delivery ;P (hint, hint!)
Unmana: The helmet sure was handy in such situations :) But in the city that I lived in, it also generated many wolf-whistles and derisive comments. It was so unusual for a girl to wear full-mask helmets in my town then that there were only two girls, includig me, at that time who owned one.
The Girl From Ipanema: Thanks. And thanks for dropping by.
Rohini: Good to know that at least one of us didn't have to go through it. I am sure you would have stood up for yourself pretty well under similr circumstances.
The Mad Momma: So true! I could recall more incidents than I cared to remember about harassment but this was the only one that came to my mind where retaliation was concerned. I wish I had had more courage earlier in life.
Art: Thanks.