Bus Kya – Part II
BEST buses have their own way of creating parity. They have seats reserved up front for the ladies, senior citizens and the handicapped. Off late these have been imposed with some force and seem to be serving their rightful purpose.
Today I witnessed the downside of this. A middle aged couple were occupying a ‘ladies’ seat and soon the man had to give it up for another woman. He wasn’t amused and started blaming his wife for having drawn him from another ‘neutral’ seat into sitting there. The wife, not one to give up, argued loud and clear about how it wasn’t her insistence and how he always had a choice. Suddenly the phrase dirty linen in public was being enacted much to the amusement of all and sundry. The man, now a mixture of embarrassment and anger explained to everyone at large and no one in particular that how he was actually questioning only the “principle” of it all. For non Indians- this is usually what an Indian man does when he wants to blame his wife but doesn’t have the balls to do so squarely. He blames the principle, system, thought etc. The wife meanwhile had had enough of her harangue and she switched to chatting up the woman sitting next to her. An eerie silence ensued for the next five minutes, with almost everyone consciously waiting for “what will happen next” Nothing dramatic occurred. In true Mumbai style, the next non ladies seat to get free was offered to the ‘principled’ husband by an “all knowing” smile flashing gentleman. Hope their fight ends there.
Postscript: While the ladies seat rule is strictly followed, I am all for fighting for the neutral seats when there are women who want to usurp them too. I’ve seen this happen usually with ‘lower strata’ men who’re intimidated sometimes into giving up seats. The other controversial aspect is whether a man is allowed to sit in the ladies seat all, even if there’s no woman within 5km of the bus? I think he should be. There is no justifying an empty seat with a ‘virtual lady’ traveling while hordes of men jostle for space.
Meanwhile women also have this tendency to occupy seats reserved for senior citizens. This is primarily due to those seats being adjacent to the ladies seats. I absolutely detest nubile nymphets who are busy on the phone occupying these seats while older people cling onto rods. BEST has sensed this problem in advance. Its sign above the senior citizens’ seat says “Fakht jyesht nagarikansathi” (ONLY for senior citizens) but then who follows signs and symbols in India? (or for that how many understand Marathi)
Today I witnessed the downside of this. A middle aged couple were occupying a ‘ladies’ seat and soon the man had to give it up for another woman. He wasn’t amused and started blaming his wife for having drawn him from another ‘neutral’ seat into sitting there. The wife, not one to give up, argued loud and clear about how it wasn’t her insistence and how he always had a choice. Suddenly the phrase dirty linen in public was being enacted much to the amusement of all and sundry. The man, now a mixture of embarrassment and anger explained to everyone at large and no one in particular that how he was actually questioning only the “principle” of it all. For non Indians- this is usually what an Indian man does when he wants to blame his wife but doesn’t have the balls to do so squarely. He blames the principle, system, thought etc. The wife meanwhile had had enough of her harangue and she switched to chatting up the woman sitting next to her. An eerie silence ensued for the next five minutes, with almost everyone consciously waiting for “what will happen next” Nothing dramatic occurred. In true Mumbai style, the next non ladies seat to get free was offered to the ‘principled’ husband by an “all knowing” smile flashing gentleman. Hope their fight ends there.
Postscript: While the ladies seat rule is strictly followed, I am all for fighting for the neutral seats when there are women who want to usurp them too. I’ve seen this happen usually with ‘lower strata’ men who’re intimidated sometimes into giving up seats. The other controversial aspect is whether a man is allowed to sit in the ladies seat all, even if there’s no woman within 5km of the bus? I think he should be. There is no justifying an empty seat with a ‘virtual lady’ traveling while hordes of men jostle for space.
Meanwhile women also have this tendency to occupy seats reserved for senior citizens. This is primarily due to those seats being adjacent to the ladies seats. I absolutely detest nubile nymphets who are busy on the phone occupying these seats while older people cling onto rods. BEST has sensed this problem in advance. Its sign above the senior citizens’ seat says “Fakht jyesht nagarikansathi” (ONLY for senior citizens) but then who follows signs and symbols in India? (or for that how many understand Marathi)
Comments
ABSOLUTELY! I just hate it. And these nymphs are probably on their way to some 'equal rights' seminar.
Incidentally, i have been the 'victim' of this thing once. I was peacefully sitting on the top deck of a double-decker and i get a gentle tap on my shoulder. Some PYT accompanied by her friends. I didn't get it. So we stared at her for a few seconds. Then she points upwards. I hadn't realized - the seats at the *end* of the top deck are reserved!
What irritated me was that this was probably some 'proving' thing because she looked at her friends with a 'see - i told you it can be done' kind of a look. And her friends were all giggling.
Maybe it was just a persecution complex i hd developed, but i also was in our traditional dress - mundu and all - on the way to my Veda class. So i just felt i was picked on. Anyway, i just got down and took a rick.