The Third Person Amidst Us – A Short Story
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
“Dayal…..wake upp……. its getting too late”, Leela alarmed her husband from kitchen, busy preparing breakfast. Dayal ignored his sweet wife’s alarm and continued his nap adjusting his blanket..which made him feel warm by the morning breeze.
Appa Dayal, who is a chief accountant in mid-level performing company, was hurrying up to kick off his day for the work, after his wife’s 3rd wake up call..
Leela came to the bed room to wake-up their only daughter. But Leela was missing from her sight. To her surprise, Anu was getting ready with her uniform ironed stiff. “Amma, you surprised orrr…… shocked seeing my punctuality(giggled)?, Lets go and have breakfast… today you are going to feed me Mamma…”
Leela was wondering how this change within Anu has happened in a single day’s time, murmuring in her husband’s ear, “Dayal, is this our Anu?? Can you believe this???”. Apparently tears rolled out from Mamma’s eyes…
Just rolling back of a year ago; heart full of pain, eyes full of tears, Leela was holding her husband’s hand in front of Anu on bed, who was admitted in hospital for consuming poison.
It was not for the first time that she was teased in her school, both the boys and the girls that she was a nature of Tom-Girl(context:girls who are rugged, sporty and less interested in clothes, makeup). Many times and many days, her behaviour made her stand out from the girls’ crowd. But she never minded about their comments.
On an evil’s day for Anu, two of her friends were talking behind her back thinking that Anu was not there, that,
“Hey Swathi, now-a-days, Anu is behaving weird which is not seeming good to be with us… its better we stop talking to her, what you say”…
The other friend, Swathi, “Yeah yeah Maitri, you are very correct, even I was noticing for the past few months.. but why should we stop talking to her…we will always be friends as we are…there is nothing harm being a friend as Anu…”
Anu started thinking though she was angry on her friends’ conversation. She was actually observing her physical changes which was not an usual one. Though she was a girl, her body was not of fully girl’s. Slowly she was realising that she was abnormal.
As any teen-child do have, this innocent girl also had curiosity of knowing what that abnormality was. Internet a boon or a bane, served her curiosity that she was growing as a transgender. The internet results showed the negative NEWS items on top of the search results.
Her heartbeat was high as never. Her mind filled with inadmissible thoughts. She started experiencing lonely days and hallucinating nights which led her to finish her life.
Their only daughter was home from hospital and the parents did not question her even once. Days and months passed by but nothing happened except Anu was dumbfounded… One fine evening, Anu’s friends, Maitri and Swathi visited Anu’s mother.
Li’l girls were hesitant to ask and hence the mother started the conversation..”Enna ma, you came to see your friend?”
Making her voice clear, Swathi said, “Yes, Aunty…but…” a pause “Can we meet her?”.
Leela nodding her head signalling no, said, “She will be alright and she will be coming to school in few days dear… OK?”
After a terrible agony, Swathi, started that, their conversation was the reason for Anu’s act and felt guilt. But Anu’s amma, in a pacifying tone, “No problem dear ones, you don’t worry what you had talked but be her friend even at her back, hereafter… Go on little girls..”
Anu who was listening to all these things, was shocked and again her curiosity aroused. She walked towards her mother and stood with a face only WITH QUESTIONS.
After a long time, Anu contacted her mother through those tearful eyes and at once, Amma embraced Anu, with loads of love around. Anu confessed and Leela said a statement that Anu never thought about, “You are our blessed child and you are always OUR child… we will leave you alone only after our death and its physical departure..”
Being a transgender child(person), its no one’s mistake. Do not discriminate them and it starts from their parents. Please share this if it deserves to reach many…
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