My (Un)fair lady

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

The other day, while returning from office, I boarded the Delhi Metro at Jungpura Metro Station and moved to a relatively quiet corner to rest my tired mind and body. Suddenly, I heard a woman shouting loudly. At first, I couldn’t understand—since it was a ladies-only coach, eve-teasing was out of the question.

I looked toward where everyone was staring and saw a young, well-dressed woman on her phone, angrily shouting at the person on the other end. I couldn’t help but overhear her conversation. To my surprise, she was speaking to her father. And honestly, I was aghast at her arrogance and haughtiness.

The bone of contention? Her brother hadn’t come to pick her up from the Metro Station! Her father had instructed her to take an auto home, and she was furious. Twice she disconnected the call, only for her parents to call back. For the entire 30+ minute journey, she kept shouting at her parents, cursing her brother. Even when I got off at Botanic Garden station in Noida, she was still sobbing and shrieking over the phone.

Now, let’s think rationally. Is this truly a serious issue that warrants shouting at one’s parents in public? The woman seemed like a working professional, but even if she weren’t, can an adult not reach home independently? Why must a girl or woman always depend on men for pick and drop?

This incident made me question parenting and upbringing. Are we raising our children with proper values? Publicly shouting at parents demonstrates poor manners, lack of self-respect, and low self-confidence.

A message to all young women: Keep your volume down in public. Stop depending solely on men in your life. Take charge of your independence and get a life of your own!

Metromania