That Indian Woman | √

Chapter 3

Anvesha:

I slapped him.

And I do not regret it.

I cannot explain the satisfaction I got from it. I really wanted to do this last time, but it would have been extreme. But today, he deserved it.

Whatever the people around us were saying or trying to imply, I didn't care. I knew what I did was right. That man really needed to be shown his correct place. And I think that slap did the job.

After I slapped him, I left the place. I did not want to have another fight or hear his hypocritical comments.

When I left, he was in a state of shock. He had his hand caressing his left cheek, where I slapped him and was glaring at the ground. Even his friends were not doing anything. They were just standing there, one had kept his hand on the man's shoulder and the other was staring with his mouth open at me.

"Anvesha, look at me. Did you slap some British man or not?" my father asked me in a very serious tone. I snapped out of my thoughts.

My father got to know everything that happened between me and that British man from the people of the town. Of course, they didn't have anything to do of their own and always indulged in other peoples' matters!

"I did. He deserved it Papa! He was saying awful things about us Indians!" I said. Then I explained to him what had happened earlier today, in the afternoon.

"Do you have any idea what the people are saying? They are doubting the morals and ethics I gave you. I...I am in so much trouble." my father said, disappointment clear in his tone.

If a woman fights back for her self-respect, the people have to criticize her parent's morals, but if a man does it, then the people pat his back and tell him that he did well! I never understood this. Even my father didn't believe in this, because he gave me full power to make decisions, right or wrong, for myself. But I already know why he was paying more attention to other people today.

My father knows what this incident can result into. He can even lose his trading business because of this. Yes, the British are this cruel!

Now I was starting to regret my decision to slap him.

When I looked at my father's face, I saw deep worry lines etched on his forehead. His eyes were distant and he appeared in deep thought.

I couldn't see my father like this. What I did today was manipulation of the freedom my father allows me to have...and now I regretted it thoroughly.

As much as I hated to say it, I said, "Papa, what can I do to correct all of this?"

I cannot see my father in tension. The last time he was this worried about something was when my mother passed away. And to see him like this was really depressing.

"I...I don't know Avi. On one side, it's you and your self-respect. What you did, was not entirely wrong. But on the other side, you could have used your words than your actions. Slapping the man was an extreme action. And you know, we aren't allowed to do these things to them. They think they are above us, and to maintain that position, they can do anything." my father said, now appearing somewhat calm.

When I was small, my father always used to say that what you say has more impact on others than your actions. He used to tell me that we should have more power in our words because, even a simple word can turn the whole scenario upside-down. That's my father for you.

But I believed in the universal truth. Actions talk better than words.

I will do anything for my father though. As I took my father's hand in my hands, I said, "I apologize, Papa."