Free Bird Part 1

Sneha was like the morning crimson sun, always smiling and full of life. So when her brother Sandip said that her newly carved eyebrows with a dot of bindi between them looked like a painting of the sun rising from the lap of mountains, she just giggled. It never came to her mind that Sandip was pulling her leg and mildly pointing that her eyebrows job was in fact shabbily done. She took it as a compliment.

What others thought of her seemed to never have any effect on her. That was the reason why she continued wearing cherry red lipstick, when others were of the humble opinion that it simply didn't suit her dusky complexion. 'I like it.' She would say and throw the unsolicited opinions and advices out of the window.

When Sneha laughed, she guffawed and that happened all the time. All those who were of the opinion that girls at the most could smile with a downward gaze, but never have a loud, boisterous laugh were shocked to hear her laughter. In their opinion it was brazen, bodacious and of course unladylike. Moreover, the red over done lipstick appeared to be a sore in the eye. But nothing mattered to Sneha. 'It's my life and I will live the way I want.' She would say.

The other day when she was returning home from her office, a man on his bike brushed her on the wrong side. Under the pretext that the street was narrow, he had groped her breasts. Yes, Sneha liked calling a breast - a breast and no other name. So when the man touched her, on an impulse Sneha caught hold of his collar and pulled him down and landed a tight slap on his cheek. Meanwhile, his motorbike skidded and finally fell into the gutter. The onlookers had their mouths gaping open. This appeared to be a straight lift from those south Indian dubbed action movies which they saw on the television. But this was real.

The man got up massaging his swollen cheek. 'Madarchod, the next time you do that I will chop your...' Sneha said. 'Sorry didi.' said the man and left leaving his motorbike on the street.

'

Who will marry her if she continues to behave like this.' Said the woman as she stood winnowing the grain in front of her house. She had witnessed the scene on the street. Her husband quipped. 'If I had been her father, I would have married her off the moment she stepped into teens. Such boldness is not good for girls.' He said. Nodding her head in agreement the woman went inside with the winnowing fan. 'Hey Ram! God only knows what more days we have to see.' She said as she crossed the threshold.

Before Sneha reached the house, the news had reached her father's ears. Sneha buttoned the cuffs of her shirt and gingerly entered the house. Her stern father stood in the verandah. Before she could say anything, he patted her back and said. 'Shabash beta! I wish your mother was alive to see this day.' Sneha exhaled the long held breath. Now that her father had mouthed his favourite line she was relieved. No matter what Sneha did, whether she topped the examinations or cooked a delicious kheer her father would inevitably say, 'I wish your mother was alive today.'

'He misses Maa a lot.' Sneha had said to Sandip.

'Don't tell me that you are conspiring with him to bring us a new mother.' He said.

'Shut up. Don't speak nonsense.' Sneha said as she threw pillow at her younger brother.

Read the next part here