I remember that was an extremely hot and humid period,
temperature almost soaring to 45 and to add more substance the humidity level
was 96 that day in Kolkata may be it was then when the almighty thought enough
was enough and suddenly out of nowhere the clouds went overcast.
We looked up at the sky smiled and felt the cool breeze.
There wasn't a single human complaining...everybody wanted this.
I was at home and it was around 9 when it started. I am
always mesmerized by rain fall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the
heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running,
splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the
worries of my day.
The rain pattered and the wind rapped against all the
windows in the entire area as long as my eyes swept. Although it was a chilly, dreary
day, something pleasant could be felt in the air. The clouds shrouded the sky
with an eerie, ominous blanket.
From my bedroom window, a couple could be seen walking
against the unnerving storm. They were laughing and awfully cheerful, despite
their umbrella had blown away, and their clothes were being soaked. Judging by
how they had dressed, they were undoubtedly coming back from a restaurant, or
some other occasion. Their faces were too far away to be closely described, yet
their smiles could be seen from miles. The man had his arm around her; the rain
was dripping down both of them.
I stretched out beneath my blanket, trying to catch some
memories of childhood. I heard the rain hit the roof and drops hit my through
the window. There wasn't enough money around to get actual glass, so we used
plastic, but sometimes it came undone from the wind, today was no exception. I
got up and pulled the plastic off entirely. I looked out, as rain hit my face,
making me blink and turn away for only a moment. I always had loved rain... it
meant father would stay inside and read to us or talk to us about his days and
we were ever interested to hear him.
With all the thoughts in my mind I thought to step out as
the rain slowly stopped it was around 11 if I could remember. The weather was
amazing. There was a change the leaves looked much greener .I went to the foot
bridge over one of the most busiest roads in the city. It was quiet almost no
traffic and the lights were dull.I sat down at the steps when I saw a slim
figure approaching me from the other side of the road,carrying a backpack,
dressed casually walking on the steps she looked like a college girl, the only
thing which did not permitted me of thinking that was the time.
I saw her going past me. She restlessly went to and fro on
the foot bridge. It was not usual for a girl to be there this late at the first
place. I was thinking the possible reasons of her being there and finally
decided to speak her and as I approached her before even I could have uttered a
word she said,"1500 bucks for the night. Please don't bargain.".
I compared my thoughts about her and the reality and then I
could only smile nodding my head down.
"No Thanks",I replied.
"Ok come on now a 1000 is fine.",she told with her
eyebrows raised.
"No,I said no", I replied immediately.
"800 Ok lets go.Which area?", she was desperate
this time.
"I already said you no. Why don't you
understand?", I almost lost it this time on her.
"You want it for free now, isn't it...first of all the
weather and then customers like you...just".
"Excuse me, did I ask you anything, why you calling me
a customer"...I cut her in the middle and spoke out.
"Then what are you doing at this time on the
bridge...wait a minute are you just like me?",curiously she asked.
"Oh Please shut up will you.Just leave me
alone.",i went down to the steps and sat there.
After some time she came and sat on the same step as far
from me as she could. I saw her and started
to leave the place.
"I am not going to eat you...and please don't behave
like a doodh ka dhula person.You
would already had thought of nailing me when you first saw me. The only fact
which stops you from doing so is the fact that I am a call girl. I tell you all
the men are same. Nobody wants to pay.", she finished taking out all her
frustration.
"You know everything don't you.",I replied with an
annoying look and clapped.She looked away from me.
After a few moments of silence she searched something inside
her bag,I tried not to look but couldn't help and looked through curiously and
finally the activity stopped and her hands came out of the bag with a Classic
Milds pack of 20 in one and a lighter in another.
I smiled as she took one out and lighted this. It was my
brand. I looked at her with a tempting look and then she fired back.
"What now, here's have one now come on don't tell me
that you don’t smoke...".I was more than happy to take one from the pack
and light it. I thought may be I should have been a bit polite.
"So where you are from?", I enquired.
"Dohrighat, its a small village in UP you wouldn't have
heard.",she replied.
"And how come you are in pro...I mean..."
"Prostitution" she intervened with a loud,clear
and instant word.It was surprising how easily she uttered it.
"Yes ,whatever",I agreed.
"Forget it that's a long one...What do you do...where
do you work or are you a student?".
"I work as Programmer in...".
"Wait, I see a potential customer coming.I can't waste
the whole night chatting with you.",she told me looking at the person
coming over the bridge.I saw her at some distance talking with the man.The man
replying and then moving forward and she following him to some distance and
then she gave up.
"Mothe******r you want me for 500 go and f*** your
mother at home she is up for free.",she yelled.
The person came back to her throwing all his stuff and
slapped her as hard as he could and then grabbed her by neck.I immediately
rushed to the scene and removed her from his grip.
"Take it easy man,it's ok. You may leave".,I said
him covering her.
"I'll kill you bitch...It will just take a push from
this bridge and you will be gone...Bloody slut.", he approached her
shouting. I came in between and asked him to leave.
I took him by his arm and gave his belongings telling him to
leave. Finally he left. I turned back to see her sitting at the steps smoking
another piece. I went and sat beside her.
"Are you alright?", I enquired.
"Ya don't worry it's usual." she answered taking a
deep puff and pushed the packet and lighter towards me.
"I think you should have probably chosen better
words.",I said politely lighting my stick.
"Please now don't teach me manners. I have enough of
them.", she said annoyingly.
"Ok Ok fine.",I raised both my hands and then we
were silent for some more time. A chai
wallah appeared passing with a kettle in his hands and cups in his bucket.
"Simmy,what happened no customer's tonight?",asked
the chai wallah and poured a cup for
her looking towards me.
She looked at him and asked her to give me a cup as well.I
reached out to my wallet to pay but he refused.
"It's monthly account Sir.",he left picking his
bucket.
"So your name is Simmy,Is that your real name?"
She finally broke her silence after a few puffs.
"My name is Jyoti.Jyoti means light that's what baba
told me."
"Ok so tell me how did you come here? What
happened?", I carefully asked the question. As she was sitting at the ends
water droplets tricked through the shed of the foot bridge over her and she
moved a bit towards her left and then started.
"I am an intermediate.It was the maximum my parents
could have paid for.My father is a farmer.There was an advertisement in a paper
about a job interview.There was a telephonic interview and then they told me I
had come down to the city for the final round."
The water trickled from the other end and it was my turn
this time to move a bit right.
"My father arranged me some money to stay here and take
the interview.My mother gave me some extra from her savings.They had a hope
that I would earn some good money here which would support my 2 sisters for
their further studies."
We saw another person walking up the bridge.He came up and
asked her "How much?".I looked towards her and she smiled for the
first time."I am busy",she replied and moved a bit closer to me
making way for him to move up.
"Can you light another one please?"
I quickly pulled out one,did light it and raised it towards
her.She had a long puff.I quickly repeated the same for me.
She continued."I gave the interview and was asked to
stay at a place provided by the company.Two of the officials one of whom was
named Prasad turned up at night and asked me to follow them and you know what
they did.I was pushed into this then and there."
"You know I was sold to a man in his 40's at 15000 for
the night.They said a virgin fetched more.I was given 10000 after my first
night.I did send all the money to my parents.It was sufficient for them If I
would have earned at the same pace.I accepted it as it was the only left path
after that night." She talked about everything, about life and dreams and
her home situations.
"Three days later I was sold to another man for 15000
again I had to act like a virgin this time and then it continued."She
spoke about how she was hesitant in the beginning, but Prasad advised her that
many girls have sex before marriage. Also after girls sell their “first time”
they can pretend to be virgins to make more money.
“I wanted to make more money so I agreed.”,she said lighting
another one this was our fifth straight.Every time Jyoti slept with someone she
got 30% and he would keep 70%. “Customers” were to be introduced by the broker
Prasad; she only needed to go to the designated locations.She earned much
initially.Later Prasad asked her to just go the locations and he would settle
her share at the end of the month.
“Ever since then, I had to see 2 to 3 customers everyday
each time the price was anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 per night” Jyoti said
every time the customer was introduced by Prasad, she would go to the
designated hotel and have sex with the stranger. Every time she gave all the
money to Prasad, but Prasad never split the profit with her.
Jyoti recalled how she pretended to be a virgin every time.
“Price was very high for virgins.” Prasad and this other guy would go the
market and buy a duck, pigeon or other small animals. They killed the animal
and collected the blood. When there was a customer, after negotiating the
price, they would make her bring a piece of sponge soaked with blood and go to
the designated hotels.
Every time before she had sex, she would put the piece of
sponge soaked with blood in her, afterwards, if “customer” saw blood, they
would think she was a virgin and gave substantial amount of money.
“It was very disgusting. In the beginning I could not even
eat. I always feel the animal’s blood was still in me.” Jyoti said, but because
she needed to make money she still did it. And just like that, she pretended to
be a virgin sold her body for 6 month.
“In order to pretend to be a virgin, every time I had
unprotected sex” Jyoti said, she was always worried about catching sexual
diseases. But for the money she could not refuse “customer’s” demands.
We could hear the bird's chirping.It was around 3:30 and the
chai wallah returned.He poured
another cup for us and left.
"This is it.",she smiled and looked at me.
"And what happen with Prasad and the money they owe
you",I asked her.
"They never parted with it.I asked them once and got
beaten up regularly.So I fled the area and changed my name.Don't know how long
I would be able to?",She said sipping from her cup.
"Why don't you go to police. I mean they could
help."
"And what would happen next. Let’s say they will help
me with Prasad and what after that I am earning good for my family. Both my
sisters are pursuing MBBS from Delhi.My parents think I work in an MNC.I don't
want their dreams to shatter."
She continued "You see people love me at night and I
suddenly turn untouchable in day.People
fire weird remarks at me when I pass so I avoid getting out at daytime so
better it's time for me to get some sleep.You may leave as well."
She collected her stuff and got up to leave and watched her
descending the steps.
"Jyoti",I called her.She stopped and turned
behind.I moved towards her and raised my hand.
"It was nice meeting you."
"Hey I forgot to ask what's your name?",she asked.
"Kabir...I am Kabir." shaking hands with her. She
smiled and had a final look at the touch.
“I wished we would have met in other situations. ” , I said still
holding her hands.
We walked in opposite directions.
“Kabir” she shouted and I turned back “Thanks” she said
kissing her palms which I touched .
