as a woman, i am always acutely aware of any invasion into my personal bubble… these intrusions are not looked at kindly, while i don’t have the general gall like some other women to lash out at intruders, i glare. and at times yell at the guy in a loud voice…

recently just before crossing the road to phoenix mills  my phone rang. since it was a call from a friend who was buying me a book from south mumbai, i needed to answer the call and give her information… yes, it could have waited till i crossed over, but i picked it up without thinking…

suddenly i found a hand on my shoulder. it was tentative but it had made contact… as i turned with great anger, i found myself looking into the face a middle-aged man, bent a little at the back, with wrinkles on the face he said in hindi, “why are you on the phone and trying to cross the road… do one thing..” this was not a person getting into one of the biggest malls in mumbai, but the ‘common man’…  plain and simple…

post that quick reprimand, he proceeded to help me across the road… he looked old enough for me to be lending him a hand… but it was quite the other way. he stood to my right and stretched out his left hand blocking my path, waving it and saying loudly, ‘no.. no dont cross now…wait… wait..’ essentially, refusing to let me dart across like i normally would…

once across he looked at me and said, “life is precious, why do you not respect it?” and without waiting for an answer turned and walked away… the call long disconnected, i stood outside the mall and watched him walk away…