Hi Hivers,
Hope you guys are taking great care of yourselves. Already, thankful that you are taking your time read this out.
A few of my school friends had planned for an outing in the nearby café. They invited me but I felt somewhat out of league with them. They all were from the science stream and I studied commerce. As they insisted more, so I had taken out some time to join them.
I used to love this café, I had been there several times due to business meetings and sometimes to enjoy my own company. This was a cool, distant, peaceful place, where you could sit for hours, read a book, capture the scenic beauty and bless your taste palate with their freshly brewed coffee.
Soon after I joined them, I understood that this place presently, is the worst place for me to be in. These people were discussing how well they were earning and how they were spending the earned money. GOD!! To cut short they were just flaunting how so called successful they are. I was sitting at the corner silent, awkward, just smiling at everyone. Thinking of why in the world, I was there.
Finally, the friend who had invited me had a look at me and got the expression I had on my face. LET ME GO!! OR I WILL KILL MYSELF!! She made it even more awkward by saying “Guys! Let’s not just be mean to Shreya. Let’s know her story!!” Wow, what a help!!😔
Another chad from the group asked, “Shreya, I heard that you were doing some business. Is that true?” I nodded, not even helping myself with a word(So Rude-I thought to myself).
“This must be hectic for you, being a woman.” said the same guy. I tried to maintain my calm on the statement.
“What can be tough for a girl, at the end she can just cry and the client will have to apologize for asking her something. Just Kidding!" another guy from the group said, winking at me.
That’s when I lost the reins I had on my nerves, to not pass words I had in my mind to my tongue.
I said in a complete sarcastic voice-“See, I am not as lucky as you guys are, you guys have responsibility of only a particular section of the project whereas I have to catch with the client, understand details and then discuss with my team, to cut short I have to handle the complete project. You get a salary at the end of the month but I on the other, hand get profit which I have to share with the team. You have a boss to guide you, train you, with of course whatever he has in store, but just look at me, I am my own boss, I don’t have to report to anyone but have to take reports from others. So, YESSSSS! that’s really hectic.”
Then I cut my conversation with that boy and shifted my attention to the ‘cry’ comment. He gulped, he was intimidated with the answer he was going to get. “Dude, I think you have been with really wrong girls all your life and I would suggest you to change your company, so that they can help you be a better person. ‘Crying‘ is a strong expression and you should never ever associate it with a gender, you should cry often so that you don’t accumulate these frustrations in your mind, which by making unnecessary fun of others probably makes you empowered. Whereas you are just hiding your own sorrow and I will pray for your fast recovery.”
The group fell silent and finally I concluded by saying ”Look I wasn’t here for this but if you are trying to let me down, then sorry but I can’t bear the site and that’s what an empowered woman does. And that’s what empowered men should also do! STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND RESPECT YOURSELF! I chose this profession for myself like you guys did for yourself and I am happy and proud unlike many of you.”
I bid goodbye to my friend and left the place, happy and hearty, to be myself and stand by it.😊
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Thank you so much guys for reading!