Nitin Mishra
Standing amidst massive buildings and bustling shopping malls is a 29-year-old prostitute, around 8 in the evening. As the saying goes- Even heaven has a rainy day, there are some days for her where she must return home with no earnings, completely penniless. The arrival of new young prostitutes caused her to be increasingly overlooked daily, as her skin lost its tenderness, and her body underwent noticeable deformities. Thanks to the entire transformations and advanced cosmetics that pledge to preserve her beauty for a few hours, at the very least. Every few hours, she would rush to the nearby mirror to ensure her appearance was intact, especially her eyebrow that needed frequent touch-ups.
The day after, the first day of the month, was when she had to pay her rent. Her landlord never failed to collect the rent on the first of every month. He was an old man of around 70, with a big fat belly, rough face and stinking armpits. People often said that he only showered once in a span of two weeks, causing him to smell and look miserable like a gutter rat. Additionally, he was not consistent with shaving. He made a big fuss over even the tiniest shortage, as if the tenants were refusing to pay any rent whatsoever.
On that day, she was still short of three thousand rupees to meet the rent amount. The memories of her landlord’s torture made her increasingly vexed and irritable. In case of a lack of funds, free sexual favors were used as compensation. He was not a pleasant individual to engage in sexual activity with. In the past two years, she had experienced this situation twice already, and going forward she was adamant about avoiding a repeat occurrence. Just the idea of engaging in intimate relations caused her lips to contort in abomination and revulsion.
As Monday night approached, darkness descended swiftly. People were leaving the streets quicker than on other days. All she wanted was three thousand rupees, nothing additional. Reluctantly, she took a small mirror from her purse and checked her face, whispering reassuringly, “I still look sexy.”
She glanced in both directions towards the street, but even the men passing by seemed to overlook her that evening. They didn’t bother giving her a proper glance, unlike other days.
I need to collect the rest of the rent money quickly since it’s getting late.
She couldn’t bear to think about what would happen if she couldn’t come up with the rent money. She felt quite hesitant.
She patiently waited for another 30 minutes. Not a single person showed up and the malls and shops were close to shutting down. All were busy getting done for the day. Again, she waited for another 20 minutes and still no one came. Now she was really overcome with a feeling of depression and cowardice. She felt rejected by the rest of the world. Thinking and rethinking about the unwanted touches of her pathetic landlord made her sick, even the very thought made her feel puke.
Out of nowhere, a middle-aged cab driver stopped a little further from her. He looked really exhausted from the day’s toil. She could see him counting his day’s earnings. He had a stash of cash in his hands. She reached out to him, emitting a radiant glow all over her face, sashaying like a model on the ramp.
“Hello, how are you, my man… need any relief from all your pain?” she asked in a sultry tone, subtly flicking the tip of her tongue from the left corner of her mouth, trying to entice the cab driver. Perhaps the cabdriver was too tired to think of any sexual intercourse. He seemed really overcome by fatigue.
“Oh no, don’t even think of that now. I don’t have that money to spend on girls like you. Off you go now”. He replied full of negativity in his tone and an utter disinterest in his eyes.
“It seems you’re holding bundles, Sir… All I’m asking for is three thousand rupees” she said seductively.
“If only all of these belonged to me. The majority, over eighty percent, goes to the car owner, and I also have to refuel for tomorrow, which is costly nowadays.” Just giving another rapid glance to her, the cabdriver resumed his counting process.
With a mournful expression, he added.
“Money is not enough, and I have kids to feed and next week their school fees are also due plus grocery for the home is also pending, of which my wife complains every day….” he went on blabbering as if he was trying to convince the prostitute of something.
Suddenly, he added hesitantly, as if he remembered something out of nowhere.
“My daughter has been asking for a nice dress and my son is demanding a bicycle for long now and I am unable to produce enough funds to meet all my family needs.”
“Oh God, what a miserable creature I am who cannot even make his own family happy… take me away, please….” He suddenly contorted his face, expressing a mix of weeping, annoyance, displeasure, and resentment.
The prostitute’s focus was on cash rather than his wail. With an extra touch of gentleness and vulgarity in her tone, she began.
“My man, who is not unhappy in this world…. that is why I am here for… to steal all your miseries and depression… just look at this slender figure once and I bet you will love it and want to grab and fondle it.”
As she said, she gave him a glimpse of her upper chest slowly, which was quite augmented and erect. She slowly ran her finger along her busty, well built and voluptuous identical boobs.
He kept staring at them like a hungry lion to a meek deer with huge desperation and fondness, like a teenager who never had witnessed a woman’s breasts. He displayed a sudden gaze of emotion and desire in his eyes. He kept gazing at them, ignoring much for the cash he was busy counting a moment earlier. Lust had controlled him, and lusty thoughts completely consumed him.
He checked both sides, swallowed nervously, and mumbled softly,
“Can you recommend a place where we can do it?”
“We can do right here in your cab…but I have a better and a very secretive spot…. let’s go,” she replied and got in the cab without his approval.
As she sat, she said with confident and with a formidable tone,
“I need three thousand rupees.”
The cab driver was already brimming with sexual desire.
He said, “Where are we going? Tell me quick…” And quickly deposited the money in his right side of the pocket.
She directed the way and took him to the corner of the playground, which at that time of the night seemed deserted.
Hitting the brakes, the cab driver exclaimed, “Let’s jump back…”
She went to the back of the seat where the cab driver was already waiting for her. As soon as she was in, he leaped at her as if to devour.
“Money first…. now…no touching now…”
“Take these four thousand notes… now lay down and let me have a good time,” he rapidly summed up the four thousand bills, even though she had only mentioned three. He was completely consumed by his sexual urges, unable to exercise any control.
She lied, while he remained on top of her. While he absentmindedly touched her slender figure, she gazed at the gentle moonlight filtering through the car window and wondered about the father who once dedicated himself to supporting his family.
What happened to that father who was gathering money to buy his daughter her favorite dress?
What happened to that same father who was just a moment earlier making plans to buy his son the bicycle?
What happened to that husband, who was quite disheartened not being able to meet his wife’s expectations?
Was sex so strong that all his fatherly instincts succumbed?
He was so overwhelmed with sex that the intercourse lasted not over five minutes.
Because she never married, she never knew the love of a husband.
Once he was done, he brought her back to the same place he initially collected her. He drove in silence the whole way, as if he had just awakened from a deep slumber. She stepped out of his cab and began making her way home. The cabman’s wife, daughter, and son occupied her mind, causing sadness and nervousness. She came to the realization that he was three thousand rupees short.
She turned around, approached the cab and handed him back the rupees.
“Make your family happy first….” She had an affected smile lingering gloomily over her face.
She felt proud of her decision to give back the money to the cabdriver to make his family happy, but the thought of her landlord waiting for his rent money made her hopeless and desperate.
By the time she was home, she had made up her mind to make the landlord happy another time.
