15 MINUTES

It was all a result of our monotonous life that on one fine night with stars shining and boredom haunting. My three friends and me decided to explore something that doesn’t come under the domain of the status we posses in the society. But we were all far away from home and society and hence fear of status wasn’t a worry. It was twelve in the night we somehow came out of the college gates giving all lame reasons. Signaled an auto to stop asked about the red light area and then told him to go. Again we signaled an auto to stop asked him whether he will become the part of our journey he agreed for 400 bucks we too agreed as money at times is less important.

We finally reached there small independent house built, prostitutes standing in front of  their houses and signaling to come. The auto guy stopped at one of the house, my friend shouted “move, she’s ugly” hearing this, the prostitute replied “if I’m ugly then fuck off u asshole”. He became frightened and told the auto to move further. We saw a big house under construction. We came out from the auto, a middle aged woman came out from the house with her daughter, we told our motive and she agreed for 400 bucks for a person.

We four did a kind of the toss similar to what we did in our childhood to decide whose going bat first but this time intentions were far too big. One by one all the batters went in and came out tired. Lastly, it was my turn. I went in the room and closed the door.

Madhu : so what is your name, cutie?

Me : ankit, and your ?

Madhu : Madhumita.

(she pushed me against the wall)

Me: ah please, leave me. I’m not here for all this.

Madhu (leaning over me): then what for are u here?

Me (shouting): please, can u just remove your hands from me.

Madhu : oh (winkling) you are such a darling. I say no, then?

Ankit : please, I’m writing a book on prostitution so I came here to gather some data.

Madhu : oh really.

She withdrew her hand from my shoulders, sat on the 6 by 4 bed. I followed her and sat there too.

Madhu : so u are not local.

Me : no, I’m from jabalpur studying in NIT warangal

Madhu (excited) : NIT, what was your AIR?

Madhu : good, I’m impressed.

Me : it hardly matters

Madhu : branch?

Me : electrical engineering. Since when are u in this business?

Madhu: the day I was born.

Me : oh so u don’t have any tragedy as a result of which u took this profession.

Madhu : every time a man walks from here satisfied I feel tragic. Every time I open my two legs wide I feel tragic, every time a man feels his orgasm I feel tragic , every time I see someone handing money to my mother I feel tragic and every time I buy something for myself from that money I feel tragic. What more tragedy do you want? I’m born in a caste that follows prostitution. So I being born is the biggest tragedy

Me : in this caste precisely

Madhu : whatever

Me : what is your age?

Madhu : 18 years 11 months to be precise

Me : and since

Madhu (interrupting): 11 months

Me : how much do you earn

Madhu : 3000 per day. You won’t ask how much I loose.

Me : people of what age come here

Madhu : 16 to 50 or even 55. It hardly matters and here we don’t have the right choose or discriminate on the basis of age.

(In India, where at every single step you feel discriminated, a 19 year old girl says she doesn’t)

Me : what about love?

Madhu : well, love for me is a page from the book of life which has been tore the day I was born. But I live with the hope that someday someone will come with that torn page and I will kiss him.

(kiss for a prostitute is sacred meant only for his love)

Me : your educational qualification?

Madhu : none

Me : then how come you speak English?

Madhu: the simplest thing in life is learning.

(I thought it was the toughest)

Me : do you dream?

Madhu : every human does so I’m no exception!

Me : what’s your dream?

Madhu: someday I’ll learn to write and then I will write a book describing my feelings. This world and people out there consider me tawdry, my profession is an abuse for many and I want to tell them what does it feel when you see things from my side.

Me: u are very different from all other who are in the same profession .Do u also think the same!

Madhu : maybe yes because I don’t demand extra money to free my accessories nor do I steal something while one is busy quenching his lust. Do u have a girlfriend?

Me : till now no.

Madhu : any one u love?

Me : let it be. She will never understand nor will you.

Madhu : you are here not to write a book , I know , all your friends came in here had their part of pleasure and went, but u are discussing love. Stupid go tell her otherwise she’ll loose something which can’t be replaced. Love is not only a feeling but also an enclosure which keeps you away from all sins.

Me : yeah I will tell her someday but I don’t know when. U don’t feel sometimes u have a hard time.

(suddenly she became nervous and pain in the form of tears dripped from her eyes)

Madhu : during (gasping) menstrual cycle. U don’t know what it feels only a women can understand.

Madhu’s mother knocked the door and shouted its time now. She told her mother something in telugu. I stood up from the bed opened the door and came outside it all felt so different. My friends jumped over me asking how was the experience to which I replied it changed me. Madhu told them that we dint do anything they were thinking, followed by me narrating the whole story. My friends said nothing. We sat in the auto and were about to leave, suddenly Madhu came running instructed me to come out of the auto and handed me 400 bucks saying “ Its first time in my life someone has walked out from that (pointing towards the room we were in 15 minutes ago) room and I dint feel tragic. I know you will never come back but I will always remember u. please tell that girl how much u love her. God bless you. Bye good night.” Before I could utter a single word she ran back to her home. This was very important 15 minutes of my life when a slut taught me what love was and even what life is all about. It even reminded me that I still live in a male dominant country. And most importantly it changed my attitude towards women, now the word prostitute is deleted from my abuses.