Bangles

Train honks

“Run, Sunita”, Kalki shouted running towards the train, carrying a heavy bag on her one shoulder and adjusting her dupatta from other shoulder, her hair was tied in a braid and her eyes were covered with flicks, she had a big smile on her face. Sunita was running just behind her, she was younger than kalki and she also had a bag, but she was not smiling instead she was all determined to catch the train before it leaves the station. I was watching this scene from the window of my seat; I saw them reach near the train and then they disappeared in the crowd. A moment later, I heard second honk of the train, we were moving now.

As the train moved forward, I felt an ache in my stomach, not because of the train anxiety, but because I feared the interview. An interview I was waiting from a long time. Well not just this interview I mean I was waiting for an interview in general. If you are wondering I was a bad student well, I was but in 12th or maybe it was my luck, I didn’t get good grades in IIT. So, I had to choose between a career where I could do literature and had to deal with my parents’ lousy comments, or I could do engineering from a lousy college and had a future exactly like what I was having at this very day. I was in a train all by myself and was going for an interview in Delhi, the national capital. I had never been to Delhi before and had absolutely no idea, but I had the address and my father’s money and of course I knew how to book an uber. Honestly I didn’t even want that job, but I didn’t have the courage to tell my parents.

As I was going through the interview questions in my head with all the frightening thoughts of my situation, I heard an argument from the next seat.

“Madam, 50rs is so less. At least pay 70rs.” Kalki was convincing a lady. And I wasn’t sure what she was selling. So, I moved forward, she looked bummed and a little greedy, her hair was messier than this morning and she looked tired. She took her hand and showed that to me, her hand was full of beautiful glass bangles, colorful and she said.

“You tell didi, is It only worth 50 bucks?”, as I heard this, I shifted my gaze from the bangles to her face and she asked me again, but this time just with her eyebrows and I wasn’t sure what to say.

“Yes, you are right”, I said as I wasn’t sure about the price, but I knew that she deserved money for her efforts.

“Then you buy it” the woman sitting across me taunted and all the women started laughing. But I didn’t because I saw Kalki and she was looking at me with a hope in her eyes.

“I don’t wear bangles”, I said and turned to sit. As I sat on my seat, I kept on thinking about the incident that just happened, it was good that I forgot about the interview at least for an hour or so. I kept on thinking about those beautiful bangles and kalki. And in background I could still hear the voices of all the women bargaining with Kalki for the bangles.

I reached New Delhi Railway Station and in fraction of a moment I forgot everything about the interview because I didn’t even know where to exit that station. There were like zillion platforms and finding a way out was tougher than I thought, because if I get out from the wrong gate I would have to get in the puzzle of stations again and would have to find a gate, any gate. So, I asked people and finally went out, I opened my mobile copied the address from my notes and booked an uber for me. But one thing was really weird, people kept telling me about taking a metro.

**After five hours**

Train honks

I was waiting for the train and there was this urge of reaching my home, the day was over FINALLY. I was distressed of course but was relieved because the day was over. My train arrived at the station and I got in and got settled on a window sit. There were two girls sitting across me one girl was showing another girl something on her mobile and they were laughing, probably some guy talks or memes, either way they were happy. Then I saw on my left two women were sitting, they seemed around 30-ish, one woman was trying some kind of braid on another woman and they seemed to be teasing each other just like sisters. And I missed my sister in that moment. That whole Ladies compartment was filled with emotions, emotions that I missed the first time I was there, because I was too busy worrying about my interview. It was so overwhelming to just sit and look at them, I stood up from my seat and went to the door, I lit my cigarette and started taking puffs. In that smoky air around me I could see my future, blurred.

“would you please put it out” I heard a voice from behind me, I turned and saw kalki was standing.

“Of course” and I rubbed in on the wall in front of me and kept in my hand, not to lit again, may be. Don’t judge me I was unemployed. “Does the smell bother you?” I asked

“Not to me, my husband smokes too. But my younger sister is with me and she can’t bear it” kalki said and sunita looked at me.

I leaned towards Sunita and said “Hello”, she was not at all shy, she smiled and said, “Hi”.

“I am Parul”, I stated

“I am Sunita”, she replied

“And you”, I moved my eyes to Kalki

“Kalki” she said

“Did she buy the bangles?”, I asked her to point out the morning incident

“Yeah, she agreed on 60 bucks”, kalki said with a smile on her face. “She is my regular costumer; she travels from her hometown to Delhi for work.” explaining the heat of the argument. “But I have never seen you here before, have you started a new job or college?” kalki asked in curiosity.

“No, just had an interview, job interview” I explained myself. “So, you travel everyday in this train?” I was eager to know.

“Yes didi, we both live in karnal. She is my younger sister, i am married now but we are doing this together from last five years and I asked my husband if I can continue doing it, he agreed. He is a nice man; he also has his own auto rikshaw. He earns good and he never stops me from doing work, he says, Women should be capable of earning their own happiness. Their pride should be their most expensive jewelry and that’s why I come here every day, even if I earn just 100 bucks a day I know it in my heart that I earned my food today. Even though my husband never let me use my money for anything, he is saving all that for future. But I am capable and that’s my pride.” Kalki said and I could see the sparkle in her green eyes, did I tell you she has green eyes. Her words mesmerized me just like her beautiful face. She moved me in that moment. I stood there with both and we talked about our lives. We laughed and I bought some bangles for my mother. I did bargain a little, because it was about her pride.

I reached my station and I saw my father waiting for me. I hugged him tight and he directed me towards the car, where my mother was waiting for me too. They always support me with their little gestures.

What? If you are wondering what happened with my interview well here is what they said to me, “We will let you know”. If you guys don’t know then let me tell you one thing, that’s the worst thing to hear after an interview, we will let you know means you will never hear from us. But of course, I didn’t want that either which states I wasn’t even prepared. But I was going to be, because it was about my pride.

**Two months, 4 days and 12 hours later**

Phone chimes.

I was already texting my best friend about the cake I made at home and how yummy it was. I happened to receive a mail, I opened it. And the subject said: Joining letter.

I did it.