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The bus to Theni entered the bus stand and turned round the crowded corner. Some people passed handkerchiefs or towels to the passengers inside to reserve the seats.
Radha
spotted an empty seat, ran to it and sat down. Then she saw the water bottle at
the corner of the seat.
“How
dare you sit on the seat I booked!” A woman of about forty thundered.
“There are two seats by my side.” Radha moved her legs to provide the woman a way.
“An object on the seat means that three seats are booked. Don’t you know that?” she asked, a hand on her hip.
“ I sat on a vacant seat and I entered the bus before you. Your water bottle can only represent a single
seat.”
“Don’t
talk too much. Just get up.”
“No way. If you don’t sit here now I’ll ask someone else to sit here.”
The woman turned towards the
aisle.
“
Mother, come here and sit down quickly. Nirmala, where are you? You ass. Sit
here now."
“But
Sharmila,” the mother protests. “You should sit down. I’ll stand. It’s hardly
two weeks since your operation.”
Radha was confused. “What operation?” She asked the mother.
“Uterus
removal” the mother confided.
“Then
let the younger girl stand.” Radha suggested.
But
the younger girl sat down, unmindful of anything else.
“We’ll
see to it. You needn’t advice us.” Sharmila retorted rudely.
“I’m
sorry. I don’t need this seat.” Radha got up and walked away.
