A QUEER INCIDENT

Q is for Queer:

                  

Sometimes one experiences such a queer incident that one ends up being traumatized considerably.

One such incident happened to me a few years back. It shook me and scared me about my vulnerability. Sadly my faith in people got a slight beating.

We were putting up in the hills during the summer. One day we planned to go shopping in Solan (one of the important cities in H.P). It is situated at a distance of about 12 km from our place. With sufficient cash in my purse, we drove in our car to Solan. Since the narrow main bazaar was always buzzing and overcrowded with all sorts of vehicles, we preferred to park our car at a safe distance and boarded an auto rickshaw to reach our destination.

After finishing our errands, we again boarded an auto for our return journey. As soon as we sat in the auto two dark-skinned women wearing gaudy outfits, seemingly belonging to the lower class hurried towards us to get into the same auto. Though there’s space for only one the auto driver did not object. I protested mildly but thinking it was public transport didn't make it an issue. On hindsight, I realize  that they sensed a potential naïve target in me and that is why they ran to get into the same auto.

I felt very uneasy adjusting but bore it somehow. The din on the road was deafening besides it being a bumpy ride. It was painfully funny because in the small space the women were partially slipping and adjusting all the time. I just avoided looking at them and caught hold of the rod above to stabilize myself. In a vague manner, I remember the woman next to me constantly eyeing me. My purse was in my lap unattended. The duo to my relief got off on the way. 

I had not imagined in my wildest dreams that I could be robbed.  When we sat in the car, I rummaged my purse for something and found to my shock and disbelief that all my money was gone. The women thieves did it to me.  I even suspected the auto driver was part of the conspiracy. I still get goosebumps when I reminisce about the incident. It took me a few months to restore my self-confidence.

Now I act like the proverbial 'once bitten twice shy'. Whenever we go there, I prefer to walk rather than take an auto.

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