Visual Trigger

Madam Rani has been standing outside the building since noon. It is three pm now and she is still standing there. The scorching sun never seems to stop tormenting Madam Rani, soaking her orange sari in perspiration. One by one she sees them go into the building, all with the desire of getting a new job. They are all ordinary people, indifferent from the rest; but the building they walked into looks grand and posh. The class difference is obvious, but nobody seems to mind.

Madam Rani is adamant. Despite standing there and looking at the door of the building for three whole hours, she is bent on standing there until she sees him. One by one the people leave the building. Still no sign of Rajan.

Madam Rani thinks of the worst, and her fears from the past returns. No, it can’t be, that incident has already past for close to two years now. Madam Rani shakes off the terrible thought and continues waiting, hoping that Rajan will appear at the door the next minute.

A minute has passed. She gives him and herself another minute. And one minute of waiting leads on to another. In the blink of an eye, it is already four pm. Perhaps this is how Madam Rani managed to wait there for three hours; standing there still, oblivious to the surrounding and living every minute and second in anticipation. Every minute leaves her in disappointment and as well as bringing her new hope.

Time creeps by slowly and once again, Madam Rani’s horrid past resurfaces to haunt her. This time, no matter how hard she tries to ignore these unpleasant thoughts, she is not able to. A voice in her is telling her that something is not quite right.

But surely Rajan will not do this to her. No, not the smart, handsome and capable Rajan. No, not the Rajan she has spent her five months with. And no, it is definitely not the Rajan whom she loves so dear. The past reenacts in front of Madam Rani. Although she refuses to accept this possibility, she cannot get it out of her mind.

Time has made her slowly realize that she is very much in actual fact, cheated- again. Why would a 24 year old get into a relationship with a woman 30 years older in the first place? Why did she allow to get herself cheated again? How could someone she loves so much do such a thing to her?

The feeling is unbearable, but undeniable now. It is 7 pm in the evening. Rajan has escaped with her fortune. Madam Rani slowly falls onto the ground and breaks down. Passers-by notice her but pretend not to. It takes some time for Madam Rani to sort out her emotions before getting up on her feet again. She starts walking home. It is going to be a long way home, but she knows it is nothing for she has already stood and waited for 7 hours.