Friends are for

Friends are for

Manasi stood before the mirror studying her reflection. Yes she is attractive and why attractive, to be frank, she is beautiful, with a heart shaped face , a straight nose, dark , frank and big eyes, a head full of shiny black hair and a dimple on each chick, on the other side of 35 , mother of two , she still looked young enough to be mistaken as a college student. She dresses beautifully and has the curves at the right places. Yes she is very attractive to the other sex. But is that a crime?

The new Manager of their branch was quite attractive and quite young but a little overbearing. Any way Manasi hates to be dominated and she tried to be at her ease. While taking notes Manasi would look up feeling his eyes on her a little too insistent and she would look back hard, Manasi would find him too near behind her back to be comfortable while helping her take out a file from the closet. But she could not be sure as otherwise he was very courteous, he had dropped Manasi home on a few occasions they had to remain at the office late but what happened the day before today was like a thunderbolt to Manasi. Manashi went to bring a file from his chamber and she felt his eyes on her, she looked up and saw him giving her a slow and deliberate wink. She stood routed to the ground, not believing her eyes, and then turned back in disgust almost running out of the room. Once seated in her place she took some time to compose herself. What should she do now, she cannot take this insult lying down, she must protest, how cunning how obnoxious , how demeaning . Next time she went to his room to take notes he behaved normal as if nothing has happened making it quite clear that he is a habitual flirt but why should he pick on her, is she a flirt, is she cheap? Manasi brooded over it the whole day and the day after telling nothing to anybody not even Bipin. After two days of mental agony Manasi, determined to make a protest, even if belated, went to his chamber . He looked up from the file that he was studying and looked at her. Manasi mastered all the courage she had and blurted out

"Why did you wink at me the other day? The next few minutes were nightmare Manasi wanted to forget. He stood up from the chair, towering over her and shouted

"Winked? How dare you tell lies. I have never done any such thing in my life. What is behind your mind Mrs. Ghosh? Have you gone mad. I warn you to be very careful in future. I won't let go ¦. making accusation¦. , get out of my room at once, I say.

Manasi came out of his room drenched with humiliation and anger, an utter fool.. Once outside she realised everybody was looking at her, they have obviously heard the Manager shout. Manasi looked at them and said '

"You must have heard what he said but I will tell you what happened. The day before yesterday he winked at me slow and steady like I have never seen before, quite simply like telling me 'I Want to ¦. You.' I came to protest , won't you support me and ask him to apologize she pleaded but her heart sank even before her appeal fell flat, she saw most of them looking down.

Mainak. A relatively new incumbent, said

"But Mrs Ghosh, how do we know you are telling the truth. We have seen him dropping you home quite a few times. If he was that type why did you allow him. You have never said anything about him. How do we believe he has become a lecher all on a sudden and how do we know that you have not led him on?

How typically mean & foolish - Manasi felt like slapping him.

"Manasi, said Jibanda, you must have been mistaken

"How can any one be mistaken on such a matter Jibanda! Manasi wailed.

Manasi looked at others but every body avoided her eyes. She could not believe her ears, these men are her colleagues, they have worked together for almost 7 years now. The manager has joined for 5 months only and still they are not to take her words against his. How can it be possible! And she even quarreled with her husband for these spineless creatures. She believed they were her friends. She regretted all her association with them, all their togetherness, friendship seemed loathsome to her. What a fool was she, believing that she and these people were like minded!, what a stupendous error of judgment on her part to have faith in them.

What would she do , where does she stand, now that she had been befooled by the Manager, betrayed by her colleagues, should she fight for justice and make him apologise - if only there was an inbuilt camera- she thought. The manager is a coward and not man enough to be bothered about and her colleagues were a herd of sheep and Manasi will have to accept the situation as it is and go on taking notes from this beast and go on mixing with her colleagues as before but she will never be the same with her colleagues. What a situation to be in ' but should she have remained silent ? could she have respected herself if she did ? Not all her humiliation could have made her remain silent, even if it happened twice in her life.

Manasi decided she should write about it¦¦¦