Beautiful. - An original short story

 

BEAUTIFUL

 

 

 

 

 

She peered through the thick glass of the window in the train waiting at the station to look at the bustling, ever busy platform. The overlapping sounds of footsteps, the crowd’s noise, loud announcements over the PA, hissing of steam, and trains whistling off used to make her feel at home. She used to travel on the passenger trains almost every day for work and the sounds and the sights of the station were something she could never forget. Every train journey used to excite her like a child but that feels like a previous life, she thought. Leaning back into her seat while taking a deep breath, the train lurched forward beginning its hour long trip.

ARUVI

 

Thoughts about my past form a whirlwind in my mind. Trying to push them away, I take a deep breath and lean back into the hard seat. With an uneasy feeling of dread settling in my stomach, I begin my journey as the train screeches into motion. 

The sounds of loud sighs, phones ringing and newspapers rustling fill the air around me. I try not to look around and attract attention but with my curious and over imaginative mind, it was close to impossible. I carefully turn my head to look around and all I can see is hatred. The mixture of disgust on faces, the piercing stares and words that are anything but compliments follow me like a shadow. The only thing I see around me is resentment and loathing – a mother protectively pulling her child closer to her when she sees me, a man looking with desire and hunger in his eyes, an old woman staring at me like I was a monster. I could hear them whispering, saying things about me. More heads turned my way, to look at the “alien on the train”. Not wanting to see any more of this, I quickly put my head down and try reading the newspaper I bought from the station. But the words blur in front of my eyes, swirling around. I close my eyes and all I can see are the faces of everyone on the train.

KAYALVIZHI

 

I’m really excited to be on my first train journey! Amma said that we are going to Patti’s house and I can’t wait to meet her and the cute black dog, Lila. But, right now, the only thing on my mind is how the train goes chooga-chooga-chooga when it moves and the clickety-clack when it takes a turn. I wanted to freeze time and stay on this train forever.

Tired of sitting in one place for so long, I eventually find a hobby to keep me occupied. I ask amma for permission and start running up and down on the aisles of the train and look at the different people. There are a group of akkas and annas, who are singing and playing card games in one compartment, while in an another there is an old couple eating murukkus and whispering to each other. I see a lot of other people too. There is a man working on his laptop and a young girl like me silently looking out the window -  I wonder what her name is. A ticket collector goes from passenger to passenger asking for the ticket. There are even vendors who sell hot masala vadais and tea. But, the most interesting person on the train is a sari clad aunty with a newspaper on her lap and her eyes closed. She didn’t look like all the other aunties I see every day but she was very beautiful.  

I cross the aunty’s compartment again and realize that there were tears coming out of her eyes. Though amma has told me not to speak to strangers, I remember that her motto is to help people when they are in need. So, I go and sit next to aunty and ask her why she is crying but she just hugs me and tells me that I won’t understand. I keep insisting and she finally tells me that nobody likes her because of who she is. “But what is wrong with who you are” I ask and she tells me that people don’t like her because she was “a man who changed into a woman”. People don’t like me because I am ugly, said aunty. I wonder why people would think that because you can be who you want to be and it was plain to see that aunty was one the most beautiful people you could have met. I tell her what I think and aunty’s face lights up with most pretty smile ever.

I run back to amma to tell her about the new friend I made and the conversation I had with her. Amma first sternly reminded me to always tell her if I go somewhere and to not talk with strangers. She then, gave me a tight hug and told me how proud she was. It was the best journey ever. 

ARUVI

 

One small girl had the compassion, consideration, kindness and understanding to accept me when no one else did. Everybody is busy with their lives and jobs they don’t stop to acknowledge anybody else. They don’t realize how a smile and a few kind words of comfort can make a difference. One sentence from the young girl in pigtails changed my life forever.

“You’re beautiful just the way you are”, she said.

                                                     

                                         

                                          

                                         -  A short story by C.A.Mayuri Yaazhini

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