Pritam's Blog
She Dreams With Her Feet
Despite my deep love for the art of photography, I have always had a certain dilemma about it. I believe a photo that tells a good story violates ones right to privacy in some way or the other. I think it is for this reason that my DSL is gathering dust on it.
But sometimes, I can’t help it. This particular photo is a testimony to the creepy, perverted side of an otherwise shy and ethical, wannabe photographer.
This girl, I would see her very evening, around 5-30-6:00, while waiting at Sony Signal to catch an auto back home. She would cross the road gracefully, walking like the world was beneath her feet. Her lofty steps would reveal her beautiful, long legs, adorned with anklets. She would stand just next to me as the man with her would try to catch an auto to Shantinagar.
The girl, probably 23-34 years old, and the man in his late 50s, looked like an unusual couple. Of course, I do not mean ‘couple’ couple. But there was something odd about them together.
From the bits and pieces of their conversation that I picked up, it didn’t seem like they were father-daughter or anything of that sort. The man, always carrying a big bag in his shoulder, looked a bit aloof from her even though he would act like a guardian. He would be the one trying to catch an auto, bargain with them while the girl stood there like a princess, and she was not a princess; it’s obvious from her attire — those’re cheap but she had made the best use of them. She’s stylish, you see, and she managed with whatever she had — not just the cheap dress but the way she smiled, spoke, walked and stood, revealing her beautiful feet - to look like a princess.
So, yes. She would stand there. Sometimes, our eyes would meet, for a brief moment. I knew she always noticed me noticing her. But in all these months, we never spoke.
But some days, when they would get an auto before me, probably, the same one that rejected me seconds before, she would get up on the auto and then look at me, give a playful smile, which was flirtatious and said ‘hey, you loser’ at the same time. I always found it extremely annoying.
And if I got an auto before them, I would take one last glimpse at her beautiful feet before getting up onto it.
It has been months since I last saw her. I miss the way she would dream with her feet.