As I lay snuggled in my comforter wondering about the unexpected dropping of mercury in this moderate climate zone, I heard loud voices from outside. Who could it be at this late hour? I tried to strain my ears to hear. There were multiple voices all speaking in high agitated tones simultaneously . Should I get up and see? NO firmly said my comforter and I agreed with it. But my sleep was gone and my attention was glued to the voices. I identified the father’s loud voice, then the son’s business like voice, the daughter too pitched in sharply utilising all her excess energy and some unknown gruff responses. Then came the mother’s meek voice... "MA, Tumi bhetore jao." The immediate retort from the daughter instructing the mother to shut up and go in was louder than them all. I could not enjoy my warm comfortable refuge, so got up unlocked the doors and peeped down from my balcony. It was a dark winter night with some foggy street lights trying to provide the necessary illumination and warmth. A truck was perched in front of the house to deliver the furniture packages of the daughter who had just moved in with the with the parents in anticipation of moving out again as soon as possible. The family was having a huge argument with the delivery people over some paper work and payment details.
I did not think I could be of any help so just came inside. But the sleep evaded me so I decided to rest on the recliner, my mind still involved in the current events. The daughter who posed to be a strong feminist and wrote columns on the subject always conversed as equals with the father and brother snubbed the mom at every possible opportunity although at times she emerged as her protector but never her equal.
The fallacy of it all turmoiled my mind. These days many a women took asylum in the word 'feminism' to attain freedom from their natural responsibilities. The term had lost its essence and become a sure shot path to opportunism. I pulled a shawl over myself and sat thinking about all those who had struggled through a tough fight with the patriarchal society setting examples for the generations to come. The crease on my forehead relaxed as I slowly slipped into a slumber.