A new word that I'm trying to accustom myself to. I don't think there's a substitute for it even in my mother tongue, though Kannada and Telugu are sister languages. But there's something about the word that does not just indicate surprise. And today, I found out what it was.
There I was, huffing and puffing, marching my way to office (late, as usual). I was wearing something "nice", but it was hidden beneath my blue jacket. Despite slow-roasting beneath the layers of garment, I was kinda assured that no one would say "She was asking for it".
But it happened regardless (surprise, surprise!). I walked past a parked auto. Two drivers having an animated conversation with each other stop to look at me. The second I pass by, there they go "BABOI".
I had ample opportunity to have a middle-finger moment, but what do I do? Throw my head back and chuckle. Also, blush slightly. Strange as it might seem, I came across to myself as "That kind of girl". But then again, it wasn't much of a shock.
In personal evolution terms, I seem to have gained the ability to both accept my body and detach from it. I am no stranger to sexual harassment- groping, "offers", advancements, violations, what not. But these have served to turn my mind into a pretty sharp weapon. I can smell a creep from across town, I can anticipate harm even when the violins are playing. I give no benefit of doubt and quickly avoid undesirable situations.
I guess it's because I feel so safe within my head that even without pepper spray, I no longer care who cat-calls at me, or what they might do. The auto drivers in question were actually quite harmless. Had I approached them for a ride, they'd have quoted about thirty rupees extra at the most (so says my intuition).
So, yeah. They said "BABOI". No, no. They sang it-- "Baaboooiiiyyy!". And I smiled. It's okay to live in the spirit of "I'm sexy and I know it". Right?
There I was, huffing and puffing, marching my way to office (late, as usual). I was wearing something "nice", but it was hidden beneath my blue jacket. Despite slow-roasting beneath the layers of garment, I was kinda assured that no one would say "She was asking for it".
But it happened regardless (surprise, surprise!). I walked past a parked auto. Two drivers having an animated conversation with each other stop to look at me. The second I pass by, there they go "BABOI".
I had ample opportunity to have a middle-finger moment, but what do I do? Throw my head back and chuckle. Also, blush slightly. Strange as it might seem, I came across to myself as "That kind of girl". But then again, it wasn't much of a shock.
In personal evolution terms, I seem to have gained the ability to both accept my body and detach from it. I am no stranger to sexual harassment- groping, "offers", advancements, violations, what not. But these have served to turn my mind into a pretty sharp weapon. I can smell a creep from across town, I can anticipate harm even when the violins are playing. I give no benefit of doubt and quickly avoid undesirable situations.
I guess it's because I feel so safe within my head that even without pepper spray, I no longer care who cat-calls at me, or what they might do. The auto drivers in question were actually quite harmless. Had I approached them for a ride, they'd have quoted about thirty rupees extra at the most (so says my intuition).
So, yeah. They said "BABOI". No, no. They sang it-- "Baaboooiiiyyy!". And I smiled. It's okay to live in the spirit of "I'm sexy and I know it". Right?
