Hey Guys..!
The 11th episode of the novel, Disguised is here.
Episode11:
“Hey, Laila!!” Pradeep
exclaimed noticing the familiar face.
“Hello, Pradeep. It’s
been a week since I last saw your face here”
“Hahha! Yeah. Was a bit
busy”
“Hmmm” She nodded in
acknowledgement.
“Well, this is my buddy,
Sandesh. And Sandesh, this is Laila”
Sandesh, who was lost in
thoughts, on hearing his name came back to senses. He looked at her face and
gave away a warm smile. She responded with a much wider smile, almost showing
her entire set of teeth. Then she continued with Sandesh,
“I think you’re new to
this place”
“Yes” was all Sandesh
responded. Pradeep stared patching up Sandesh’s weird response.
“He doesn’t come out
much. Office and his home are his only world”
“I see”
Pradeep got up, drinking
the beer completely and signalled Sandesh to get up saying,
“C’mon, bro. Let’s go
dance”
“Ah! No, I’m fine. You
carry on”
“Arey! I didn’t bring
you here just to drink beer. Loosen up and have some fun, Sandy”
“I’ll be just fine. You
go on”
Sandesh’s tone got firm.
Understanding the situation, Laila interfered,
“You go have fun,
Pradeep. I’ll keep his company”
“You sure?”
“Yes, I am”
She replied with a
gentle smile. Pradeep walked through the dancing crowd and disappeared. Sandesh
and Laila sat there, looking at the people dancing to the beat. Suddenly,
Sandesh became conscious. He turned to Laila and spoke out choosing his words
carefully not to insult the lady in any way,
“I really don’t mind
being alone. You don’t have to be with me leaving your work”
Laila smiled noticing
his decent words and replied,
“Well, it’s my break
time. Actually I was looking for a company myself to kill time. If you aren’t
comfortable, I’ll leave you alone”
“No, no. It’s fine. I
didn’t mean that way”
“I’m sure you didn’t”
Again there was silence between
them. Laila started building the conversation.
“So, Sandesh, right?”
“Yeah”
“My name’s Sukruthi”
“Sukruthi? I thought I
heard Pradeep calling you Laila”
“You heard correct.
‘Laila’ is my stage name. ‘Sukruthi’ is too decent for this job, you know”
“Oh! I see. So,
everybody here got a stage name?”
“Yes. Almost everyone”
“Hmmm”
“You talk very less. Are
you always like this or you don’t talk to people of my calibre?”
“Your calibre?”
“I overheard you talking
to Pradeep. I’m not that kind of woman”
“I didn’t get you. Which
kind of woman are you talking about?”
“About the ‘prostitute’
kind”
“Oh! That! I...I’m
sorry. I didn’t know much about these places”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s
okay. That’s how people see us. They are often misled by the women who prove
them right. But, such women don’t have much choice left. All they want is to
earn money. That’s all”
She fell silent. A guilt
feeling took over Sandesh. He turned to saw her face. She looked innocent. But,
what would push a woman to work in such places? He tried asking the same to
her.
“I didn’t mean to hurt
you”
“It’s okay. Words don’t
hurt me anymore”
“Why do you even work
here? You can get better, respectful jobs outside these walls”
“C’mon. We both know how
difficult it’s to find a job even for a graduate. I didn’t even complete my 7th
grade. Even if I get a job for that qualification, it won’t be of much help in
taking care of my family”
“You’ve a family?”
“Yes. A big one”
“And they don’t mind you
working here?”
“They’d consider me dead
if they ever know about it”
“Wait a minute! How long
have you been working here?”
“From past eleven years”
“And how come your
family doesn’t know about it from that long?”
“It’s complicated”
“I’ve seen much
complicated things”
“You aren’t like others.
You’re different. You look trust worthy”
“Can we go outside? This
noise’s killing me”
“Ha-ha-ha-ha. Sure”
They both got up.
Sandesh looked around, trying to find Pradeep. Laila (ah well, Sukruthi)
noticed it and said,
“You won’t find him now.
He’ll get back to you when he’s done with today’s quota”
Sandesh gave away a wry
smile and headed towards the exit. Sukruthi got hold of his hands as if to stop
him and took him in the opposite direction of where he was headed.
“Not that way. I can’t
come out now”
She took him through a
small door, along a narrow corridor. It was similar to the one he used to enter
the pub. But, the only difference was there were several doors along both the
sides of the corridor here.
“What’s this place?”
“This, my dear, is where
the girls give you private dance”
“Private dance?”
“Well, that’s what they
call it”
“But, you said you guys
are different from others”
“I didn’t say all are
different. There are over fifty dancers in this pub. And, about forty of them
are PACIFIERS”
“Pacifiers?”
“Rag cloth balls dipped
in sweet syrups which are thrown away after the need if fulfilled. Only
difference is, these are human beings”
“And they’ve kept the
name of the Father of the Nation to this area road. How ironic!”
“That’s the thing. Once
you’re great, your name will be everywhere, till it reaches the worst place
possible”
By then they were
outside the pub building. It was the back way into the pub which the employees
use. Being outside the air-conditioned, loud noisy room made them think they’re
in a different world. They silently enjoyed the weather for a while. Then,
Sandesh spoke recalling their previous conversation,
“Okay, then. Tell me
your story”
“You won’t let me till I
tell you that, huh?” she asked in a mocking tone. It brought smile on Sandesh’s
face.
“Nope. I’d like to hear
it”
“Well, then”
She paused, thinking
where to begin and continued.
“My home-town is
Gollarahalli, in Kadur Taluk. I hardly remember that place now. But, it was
very backward in every aspect by the time I left it. Ours was a family of five;
my father, mother two younger sisters. We lived in a small house. We were economically very poor. Our only
source of income was my father. He worked in a steel factory in Bhadravathi. He
visited us every Sundays. He was a good man. He wanted us to study well and get
better lives. All of a sudden he fell very sick. He was struggling to breath;
some kind of respiratory problem, I guess. Our local doctors couldn’t
understand and diagnose his disease. We couldn’t afford to take him to town for
better treatment. So, he stayed at home. After four months, he left us all”
Her voice was heavy.
Tears were rolling rapidly down her cheeks. Sandesh’s heart sank watching her
in that condition. He moved close to her
and held her shoulder; soothing her. She took a deep breath and continued,
“My mother worked hard
to raise us. She started working others fields and every other work she could
find. But, it wasn’t enough to feed four stomachs. So, I left school and
started working with her. My mother didn’t want me to leave my studies. But,
there was no other option. I heard people saying that big cities have more
money. And, it’s easy to find a job here. I wanted to leave for this city in
search of a job. But, my mother wouldn’t allow it. So, I ran away from home, so
that I could feed my family. It took very less time for me to understand that
city life is not that easy. And, finding a job is like running behind a mirage.
I couldn’t go back to my family in that condition. I had no money. I was hungry
and terrified. Then I met a man; I don’t even know his name. I explained my
situation to him. He assured me that he’ll get me a job. He brought me here to
work. At first I resisted. Then I realised its easy money. It was five times
bigger then what we earned back home. So, I thought of working here for a while
till I found a better job. But, this place won’t let go of us that easily.
People misbehave with us. But, we can’t slap them. We’ve to slip away smoothly.
Some even found it as a way to earn more money; by selling themselves. But, I
had decided not to go that deep. I won’t say it’s bad. Just imagine, nobody’s
in the house and you’re coming out of bathroom. Do you dare to come out without
covering your body even though there is nobody in the house? Of course, you
won’t. If a woman is ready to drop off her clothes in front of a complete
stranger, just imagine what all she might be going through in her real life.
Nobody wants that life, believe me. I had a choice. But, many won’t”
Her sobbing face was
becoming aggressive every minute. As a reminder to her that she’s off tracks,
Sandesh asked,
“Did you go back to your
family?”
“No, I didn’t. I
couldn’t. I kept working here, send money every month without fail along with a
letter saying I’m happy. I was certain that nobody would follow my letters
here. They’re doing well now. Both my
sisters are studying well. I don’t want them to suffer like me. Now, I’m the
only strong economic support to my family. And I don’t regret the way I earn
their bread. So, here I am, working from past eleven years”
She might have been
waiting to put out all these frustration and feelings, Sandesh thought. Her
face was calm now. She rubbed away her tear lines and turned to Sandesh. She
smiled at him and asked,
“So, how was it?”
Sandesh couldn’t say
anything. Maybe, he didn’t know what to say or to put his exact feelings in
words. He just smiled back.
They had lost track of time.
Sukruthi realised she’s late for work.
“Well, duty calls. Come,
let’s go back inside”
“I think I’ll stay here.
If you find Pradeep, tell him to meet at the parking place”
“Okay, then. Nice
talking to you, Sandesh”
She stretched out her
hand for a hand shake. Sandesh smiled and responded back. Then, she moved
inside swiftly. Sandesh walked around the building towards his bike, thinking
about the things happened in past one hour. He had met a complete stranger and
had spent the time with her talking as if they knew each other for ages. He
felt relieved now. His problem seemed silly. Well, that’s the beauty of life,
isn’t it?
* * * *
