Tuesday, March 8

Women and Women's Day!

Every morning when I go to work, I walk 5 mins. from the Parliament Station to my office. Somedays I catch the tram instead of walking 3 tram stops...somedays, when its nice and beautiful, I just walk!

And there is this lady, this old Oz lady (around 50 yrs old.) who sells this mag called the "Big Issue". This mag claims to have current affairs with a twist! A bit of humor and laugh etc. And well.. I'm not sure but I think its a weekly mag for $3 or something. I never buy it.

Why I'm writing about it today... because every morning, I see this woman and I see her every evening when I'm walking back to the station. Not matter if its summer/winter...no matter if its rain or storm she's there. She greets most of the people walking by. She smiles and they smile back.

But she never smiles at me. Never ever!!
I tried smiling at her a few times when she was looking my way, but no! She just stares. Looks at me up and down and then I have walked past her.

Its been months now. We even look at each other now - right in the eye and stare, or may be just I stare at her. And I walk away. Its as if she dosen't like me, for something that I don't even know what?! *wierd!* Those eyes saying, "I am watching you!"

I don't dress different, I am usually in a work suit like most girls at offices are.
I have never even spoken to her, so its not possible that I have offended her.
Then what on earth is it?! Whats her problem?

Is it because I'm not Australian? Is it because I am, where I am, dressed as I am and she is where she is, dressed as she is?
Discrimination? Racism may be? *big words those!* But why?!!
Havent we grown out of all that? Or may be its just her and few like her. They will never change. They will never accept.
OR
Is it just a female thing! That one female just cant see another do better. But what the hey! Guys are like that too... so its a human thing!! Oh whatever it is....... even I dont know what it is..why I'm writing it down... have u felt anything like this..ever?!

Fine, I will walk past her this afternoon.
*My eyes are watching you!!!*

BTW
A very Happy International Women's Day to all you beautiful ladies out there.
We ROCK!! - Don't we boys?! ;)

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey Nupurji..... Wish u a Happy Women's Day... :)
and reg the staring..... I've also heard a few incidents like that... might be cos of racism.... but my friend, who studied in RMIT.... said he found most of the Oz ppl very friendly... and very rarely he finds someone like that..
hmm, on a lighter note... she might feel enviable to see such a pretty lady in a officer's suit.... going to a very big office.... where she can't be :D

Fundoo said...

I clicked the link to post a comment anticipating to be the first one to comment on this post!! Grr... but your fan following is so huge that by the time the comments window opened up, there was already a comment sitting there. Pheww.... (I will be first to comment on your posts... someday! *sigh*)

Ok ok back to the post... hmmm Big Issue is sold here too! Poor homeless people supposedly earn their bread, selling this magazine. Guess probably not being happy from within makes her behave that way? A feel of being poor and helpless probably haunts her? It could be some of the reasons that you have listed too. But then if that behavior appears annoying, the best way forward will be to ignore her, what say?!

Has the comment already been of the size of a post? :O) I better sign off!

Sangeeta said...

Happy Women's Day to u too!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm..interesting incident...No..i have not experienced anything like that! May be she is not taking u as one among them..

Anywayz..Happy Women's day..

and yes..U r pic is still not visible to me!!

arvindiyer said...

Wah wah...Nupur ji...Nice suprise when I came to ur blog...Nice pic u have there and u have a pretty smile!!!
Happy womens day to u and have a wonderful day...cya around!!!

Archana Ramesh said...

Racism and discrimination...havent heard about that a lot nowadays...and havent experienced it at all...keep walking past her!!
Aloha....Happy International Womens's Day to you too [but sometimes I like men more :P]

Archana Ramesh said...

Hey......may be its because you did not buy her magazine yet.....try it once and buy the magazine. Maybe then she'll start smiling at you!

Kaps said...

hey!.Happy Women International Day to u!!.yup women rocks!.but *who makes them rock?* :D

okay.a lil incident happened with me 2 days bak.me n my fren went to this supermarket to get some beer n stuff.the gal at the counter very nicely asked for the ID.(which is pretty ok.!)she and my fren got talking abt us coming from india n all.later she said "your english is good!!", i just beamed at her "Its not supposed to be gud or wat?".she was kinda taken bak.said "oh no.no.not that way!.".i dint say.but thot."then which way gurl!?".watever.she kept staring at me with those guilty eyes until we left..

in ur case.it cud be nething.may be just buy the mag! she wil be all smiles.$3 for a smile?.come on!go ahead :).watmore,u get the news with the twist too:P

Unknown said...

Racism? Why not simply ignore such souls.. Or it cud be simply business for her..

Anyways.. Happy Women's Day!

khwaish said...

Happy Women's Day!!!...I was totally oblivious of that...:)...and don't worry too much about people like that...its thier problem if they can't be civil..

AAA said...

I remember those people. When I used to go to Uni, they used to be standing there :D I've never bought that magazine from them either :D

Pallavi said...

I would not like to think about this but I think its because of the colored skin they think we have !! :( ignore her yaar !! and go on about your job..

i have also read pretty negative attitude about the aussies in the remote areas.. specially about an indian woman cop who faced a lot of trouble inspite of being born and brought up there.. she was never accepted in the society and it was next to impossible to go on about her job !! SIGH !!

manuscrypts said...

maybe because u r conscious abt it ??

Colors said...

Hey...noticed ur link to shiokfood.com. Had come across it some time back and have loved the cooking tips. Incidently, one of my friend has been to the restaurant in Bangalore and it seems to be a damn neat place with great food!

bablu said...

Hey maybe its bcoz U dont buy from her. Or as U said maybe sometimes people just dont like sombody of their own gender for no obivious reason Or Racism... 1st and 2nd is OK,, 3rd point makes me angry...

Nupur said...

@Prasad: Pretty Woman!! :D
*sigh* God only knows....whats on her mind. I think I have stopped worrying myself now.....

@Fundoo: Ur here dude... thats nice enough. First or not..!! :)

Not happy from within.... probably, but every day of the year??! *God bless her!*

Nupur said...

@Sangeeta: Oh same to u gurl!! :D

@Gaurav: Not one of them??! Guess..I'm happy the way I am. :) My pic....I'll do sumthing abt it...soooooon!!

Nupur said...

@Arvind: :D Oh...thankyou thankyou!!
Take it easy dude!!

@Archana: Yes....still walking past her!
---u like men more?! *hehehe* ;) ...............

Nupur said...

@Archana: Buy her magazine..or buy her 'smile'??!
I'll pass.....

@Kapil: I ain't got no $3 for no grumpy woman!!!!
That incedent such a cliche! I used to get that all the time... starting from the first interview at KFC till today..!!!
:)

Nupur said...

@Sumit: Yeah.... $3 per smile - It sure is a good business. And I've seem many people feeling guilty n buying off her. Not me!
:)

@Sanaja: Yes.... Their loss indeed!! :D

Nupur said...

@Khushee: Good on you girl! :D

@Pallavi: Colored skin - Oh! I have a very hilarious poem on that topic. I will have to post it. :D
Its is quite sad indeed. But its upto us ...right?! How we deal with it all.
Its not different than being born a Martian for some!!!

Nupur said...

@Manu: That is so true!!!
*hmmm...didn't think like that*

@Colors: Yes...it is. But he hasn't updated the site in ages!! :O

@Bablu: Yaaa... but no intentions of buying in future!
:D guess lets just forget abt her! And all the people like her - Shame on you!!!

Jax said...

hmmmm....you dont know about subtle australian etiquette ?...you are supposed to stick your tongue out once before u start exchanging smiles. i read it in an 'oz' culture website, an old aboriginal tradition.try it out and let us know if things are okay between the 2 of u!


and yes,women rock!!