It's a cool evening, the sun started it's journey towards west. Ramya got down from the school bus, she saw the apartment children were playing volleyball in the campus ground.
There were four blocks in that gated community, they were constructed in such a manner that they have an empty space in the center. It's mainly used as play area by the resident children.
She saw, again that guy, Vijay, chitra sister's cousin, was also playing along with them, it appeared that he was guiding them about the rules of the game.
'He had that charisma attracting the children towards him. Even though It's only 5 days after he came here, adhira got very much attached with him', Ramya thought. Both of them were happily laughing whenever she spot them together.
She felt guilty for wrongly judging him on their first meeting. She wanted to thank him for that timely help, but something inside her inhibiting the casual talking with him, till now she didn't even have a word with him.
She knew, 'Adhira found her new friend is much more fun than her mummy, she is now enjoying her new bike rides with him, going out to the new places, a relief to her boring life inside the apartment. She is very happy about the candies and chocolates she was getting from him while going out, whereas earlier Ramya won't allow eating much of them. She liked the new piggy back game introduced by him. She also loves to be tossed by him in the air. And above all he was having that 'talking Tom' in his 'iPad', that big cat is repeating all whatever she says, that attracted her too much'.
As a mother, Ramya understood well her baby's state of mind and she had to admit, his arrival made her kid's life more colourful and cheerful.
Ramya brought her sleeping baby from chitra's house and placed her on the bed gently without waking her up from her afternoon nap. After refreshing herself, she started her daily routine. She took the dust bin, went down to empty it in the big garbage bin, kept by the corporation out side the apartment gate.
There were some street rogues belong to nearby slum area, sitting on the sidewall of the compound and it's a routine, they used to tease the girls who were passing by. This was happening for the past 3, 4 months. The apartment people got very much annoyed by this nuisance. But because of their appearance and rude behavior, nobody dare to question them.
While Ramya, approaching the garbage bin, one of the guy said, "oops....such a soft hand, specially designed to touch my body, not the dust bin, wanna try it....?!" There's an ugly burst of laugh from all of them.
Ramya gritted her teeth and acted like a deaf as usual, after emptying her bin, she took fast paced steps and quickly approached the gate to avoid further comments from them.
"Hey.... school teacher, don't run, I am not like him, i actually want to teach you something, the subject is love, full of love and love only....." Another guy shouted following her.
"Don't you know, she is an expert already, having a 2 year old proof in her hand....", next one countered him. "Wooo wooo...." they started cheering with ugly noises.
With uncontrolled anger and emotion, Ramya's eyes filled with tears blocking her vision of her way. She blinked her eyes many a times to clear it, took at most care not to show them off, as she doesn't want to make it a big issue in front of others.
She closed the door behind after entering into her house, went to wash basin, flashed water over her face 2, 3 times to calm her down. "Please train your mind to ignore all these obnoxious things Ramya, if you're too labile like this means how come you able to face this world as a single woman?!" she told herself. She closed her eyes and did some deep breathing, made up her mind not to worry about these unwanted things and some what felt better, after that she got into her work.
*********
Next day morning, Vijay went to meet the apartment Secretary, after introducing himself, he straight away came to the point.
Ragavan, the apartment Secretary, a man in his late forties, asked some more details about him, then said, "You are right, it's a big issue, many of them complained about it already, since they are street rowdies, we couldn't handle them directly, once our previous security quarrelled with them, they broke his head by throwing a stone, then we filed a complaint against them in local police station, but the authorities didn't take any action, they just advised us "don't get involved with them, just ignore them". That old watch man then stopped coming for work because of this issue", he let out a sigh. Scratching his chin he added, "mm....Once again we can try complaining to the police...", thoughtfully.
"What about complaining in women's station sir?!" Vijay asked.
"That's a good idea and first we have to find out, our area comes under which station and where it's situated...", The secretary said with much appreciation and everything happened in quick succession. They both went to meet area's women police station SI, and gave a written complaint, she agreed to take action immediately.
*******
Next day evening, the same guys were sitting in their usual place and talking something. A middle aged woman in chudithar crossed them with a basket in her hand, a guy shouted "hey, huge lady....why are you carrying that small basket, instead carry me in your lap...", with a burst of laugh from all of them.
The lady approached him saying, "that's what I have come for, you raskal..", she slapped him hard on his face in an unexpected moment which made him feel 'block out' for a second, at once she pulled him by his collar and threw him on the ground, before all of them get oriented to what's happening, 3 to 4 lady constables suddenly appeared from nowhere and caught them all, beat them using 'lathi', cuffed them, everything happened so quick, they didn't get time to run and escape, then the police jeep came along, they were all thrusted inside by the lady constables, and secured with the Jeep handlebar.
Vijay along with the apartment Secretary approached the lady SI who was in chudithar, greeted her and thanked her for that immediate action. "No..no... it's our duty, i will take care of them, no need to worry here after..", she said while placing her Cap over her head and climbing the front seat of the Jeep, she nodded and the Jeep had gone.
***********
"So....he did that... which couldn't be get done by local people in all these months....he, who is an unknown person came from somewhere else, unrelated to this, accomplished this....", Ramya was thinking on lying down in her bed in that night.
She saw that whole thing happened in the evening from her balcony, eventually Vijay and the secretary talking with the lady SI....She understood then...
she, herself complained to the secretary many times, the secretary replied that he complained to the local police, police didn't take any action, now it happened means person behind this whole scene was 'him'....he took the responsibility and he has that ability to get done what was taken in hand...
She felt much relieved....no need to worry about that rogues hereafter, a big relief from their ugly comments daily producing unwanted mental stress, tension, unnecessary anger everything....
That guy, Vijay, he noticed everything happened on that day.... she thought he was just playing with children...."did he notice my tears then?!"... the sudden thought bothered her the most, "Ouch... acting clumsy all the time on seeing him and now acting very weak in front of him, and showing not having enough strength to omit some bad comments from rowdies, very good Ramya!!! your self pride much honoured...what will he think about you?! where had been your courage gone Ramya?! What's all these stupidity?!..." Her ego mind raised questions... She felt ashamed.
"Why do I care this much his opinion about me?! Chitra sis told, He only completed his schooling, yet to join college, such an youngster.....but more matured and very genuine in character... he didn't even glance at me once...." she was getting much impressed regarding his behavior and manners. Her respect for him was increasing day by day....
"I was thinking about him almost daily...why?! What happened to me?! I haven't thought about a man like this before.... " Her thoughts about him were flowing like a river endlessly.
"No Ramya!! This is wrong, dangerous also.. it will hurt and bring only confusion in your water clear life.....stop here!! you have to learn how to control your mind and more than that you should not let your face show your emotions like a mirror", a voice echoed some where inside her.
She felt it was right, so she decided not to think about him hereafter, if possible not to meet him at all, she 'vowed' herself and started sleeping.
*******
"Emotions aren't logical, they don't follow rules"- isn't it? After all there is something called 'fate' ..... will see what happens....
To be continued.......
