LOVE IS LOVE - OUT AND ABOUT BLOG HOP
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“Oh, we have been friends forever!” Mansi said airily to the
gathering of new friends she had made in college in the first week. “Samar and
I grew up together and we can read each other’s thoughts.”
The girls tittered as they glanced at her enviously. Samar
was the best-looking boy around and many of them had gazed at him from beneath
their long eyelashes. Yet, he seemed impervious to their glances, and now they
knew the reason why. Mansi smiled at their glum expressions. She was used to
girls throwing themselves at Samar, but then, he and she had always had a
special relationship, right from when their parents had been best friends,
which made it easier. They had moved on from childish delights to teenage ones,
and now that they were almost adults, their parents had also begun making plans
to bring them together in wedlock.
Nothing could go wrong, or so it seemed. Till the fateful
missive arrived, one that cast a pall of suspicion around. It was addressed to
both sets of parents and written in crude verse form, in a handwriting that had
obviously been cleverly disguised.
“Open your eyes and look at what is before you,
The one you love does not love you,
There are days of darkness and gloom nigh,
Your so-called love will desert you, leave you high and
dry!”
The missive caused pandemonium in both households. There was
an emergency meeting of all the parents who stared at the two youngsters, who
sat in silence, obviously unsettled. For once they were tongue-tied, unable to
explain this bolt from the blue. Who could have written this, and for what
reason? Was it someone who wanted to break the strong bond between the two
families?
Hours earlier, the two had gone to a restaurant so that they
could talk alone. As they sipped at their lemonades, Samar began, “Mansi, how
do we address this problem? My parents are extremely put out.” Mansi nodded in
agreement. It was an unforeseen situation, especially now that their parents
had been dragged into it as well.
Meanwhile, the parents were distraught. The missive gave out
no names, no clues. Mansi’s mother wept on Samar’s mother’s shoulder. “What is
all this, Sheela? Who could write something so vicious?”
Sheela looked at her, a frown on her attractive face. “I
have no idea, Madhu. Maybe it is just a gossipmonger, wanting to stir up
trouble. Or someone jealous of how close we are!”
The fathers sipped at their whiskey and grumbled in turn. “I
wish I could lay hands on this villainous letter writer. He will not survive to
tell the tale!” Mansi’s dad was vociferous. Samar’s father nodded vigorously as
he downed his drink.
“Well, what explanation is there for this nonsense?” Samar’s
father asked belligerently. Samar and Mansi looked at each other. It was time
to let the cat out of the bag. Their faces were set, and they were aware that
they were going to shock quite a few people around. Samar cleared his throat,
fumbling for words because he knew how delicate the topic they were going to
broach was… a dream that was going to be shattered.
As he began to talk. The colour faded from the faces of both
sets of parents.
“Mansi and I are the best of friends, and have always been
so. We love each other dearly but not in the way you think.” After a pause, he
continued. “Mansi is in love with someone else, someone who means the world to
her. Santosh is a wonderful person, just right for her. Their interests, their
mindsets, their ideas match. In fact, they are the quintessential
made-for-each-other couple.”
Mansi’s mother interrupted, her voice quavering. “How is it
that we have never met this Santosh? Is he from her college? Her workplace? How
did they meet? And why didn’t Mansi tell us about him earlier?”
Mansi could not hold back any longer. Her eyes brimmed with
tears as she looked at her parents.
“Ma, Papa, you have never met the love of my life because
Santosh is a girl, not a boy. We love each other with all our heart!”
It was as if a dagger had been thrust into their hearts.
Mansi’s father stood up with a jerk and advanced towards her. “What… what… how
is that possible? We have brought you up in the right way. How dare you betray
us like this? How can you fall in love with a girl?” His voice exploded in
disbelief. Her mother burst into tears.
“How will we explain this to our family? We will not be able
to hold our heads up in society ever! This is not natural.”
“There is nothing unnatural about our relationship, Ma,”
Mansi replied, clinging on for support to Samar’s hand. “People are wired
differently. For me, falling in love with a man would be unnatural.”
Samar’s parents had been looking on, shocked at the
revelation.
“Why did you stand for this charade, son?” Samar’s father
asked.
“Dad, I have known Mansi all my life. She has never hidden
anything from me. I knew about her preferences very early in life. She has been
my best friend, my confidant, and often she has guided me with my relationships
because she knows the kind of girls I would fall in love with.”
His parents gave a sigh of relief as his mother remarked, “Thank
God you are normal!” Realising what she had said, she looked apologetically at
Mansi’s parents.
“Mansi is normal too,” Samar interjected. “Society has begun
to accept alternative relationships. Being gay is not something to be kept
under wraps any more. Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalized
homosexuality was struck down by the Supreme Court of India in 2018. Ever
since, so many people have come out of the closet.”
He put his arm around Mansi who was still pale, but
unafraid. A burden had slipped off her shoulders and she realised that it would
take time and effort to bring her parents around to her way of thinking. At the
moment, the wound was raw, but she hoped that they would accept her decision in
due course of time. Her own mind was firmly made up, and her heart, which had
its own reasons, even more so. She looked forward to a beautiful life ahead
with Santosh and she hoped that her parents would be there to share it with
her.
This post is part of the Out and About Blog Hop hosted by
"What… what… how is that possible? We have brought you up in the right way. How dare you betray us like this?"
ReplyDeleteThere lies the entire problem. Wrong perceptions and perspectives.
Absolutely! That kind of perception is the crux of the whole problem!
DeleteWhen you have best friends who stand by you against all odds it is good. But sometimes, we need to find our own strength to fight the odd because society is never happy be it what or who you are.
ReplyDeleteFriends are all important and often help us to find our own strength when required!
DeleteAh the judgment we pass on other humans just because they don't toe the line or do something not expected is too real. You portrayed it so well in your story.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Suchita! Being judgemental can lead to so many issues between people.
DeleteThe root of evil in our society is the prejudice that love between same gender or love with both the genders is unnatural. Hope the families of today's generation become more accepting and open towards their children’s choices.
ReplyDeleteI hope the day comes when parents open their hearts to choices that may be unique without prejudice or discrimination. Thanks, Zenobia, for your comment..
DeleteThis post captures the struggle and courage it takes to embrace one's true self, especially within the context of societal and familial expectations. A powerful reminder that love, in all its forms, deserves to be celebrated.
ReplyDeleteYes, Neerja, love in all its forms needs to be celebrated and people who love must be given the freedom to open their hearts to one another.
Deleteoh. the normal dialogue hit me in the gut so hard. I feel like throwing something at the person every time someone says it. Boils my blood. A sentiment that has its core in the heteronormative culture that has not let people the way they want because at the end of it all love is love.
ReplyDeleteThe sad fact is that, over the decades, only people who follow the norms of the world have been seen as normal, which is unfair and discriminatory to all other kinds of love.
DeleteHomosexuality is always considered something that can be fixed. Families rarely accept it and would rather the person live a farce than accept that their child is queer. Loved the way you brought all this out in your story.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Ritu, for your encouraging comment. Over the years, people have considered homosexuality wrong and have looked upon it as a condition that needs to be treated. It has taken so many years for the laws to be changed, and it will take even longer for mindsets to do so as well.
DeleteMansi's story is a touching and brave narrative of love, friendship, and the courage to be true to oneself. Mansi's heartfelt confession about her love for Santosh is a poignant moment, illustrating the struggles many face when their truth challenges societal norms. Mansi's courage to stand by her feelings and Samar's unwavering friendship are truly inspiring, reminding us all of the power of authenticity and the hope for a more inclusive future.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jaideep, all that we can hope for is that future generations are kinder and more understanding towards one another. May we turn into a more inclusive society. Thanks for your supportive comment.
DeleteOh, often its the upbringing that gets questioned even my your own parents. So happy that Samar stood by Manasi and gave her the courage to face the world.
ReplyDeleteVarsh, often parents are also part of the same society that question upbringing and culture when such matters are brought up. Thank you for your comment.
DeleteThis was a good read. The twist was expected, but I like how you portrayed everybody's reactions. I loved Samar's support for Manasi.
ReplyDeleteI am happy that you enjoyed my story, Ananya. I wanted to portray Samar and Mansi as really close friends to prove that a boy and girl can love each other platonically. Mansi was the one going through the tougher situation, and Samar was willing to stand by her.
DeleteMansi and Samar's story shows the struggle and courage needed to embrace one's true self. Love should always be celebrated.
ReplyDeleteI so agree with you. Love should always be celebrated in all its glorious forms. Thank you for your comment.
DeleteThis is probably the tory of many quuer individuals out there. What is rare is probably an understanding best friend, a confidante. I wonder where the missive came from, that mystery remains. It's hard knowing that being queer demands courage for the simplest of things.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment, Careena. I left the missive as a mystery because it could have come from anywhere... an envious friend, a nosey neighbour or a nasty stranger because I wanted to focus on the issue of Mansi's love and Samar's friendship that gave her strength.
DeleteThe truth that many parents refuse to accept has been brought out very well. In fact, some of our generation are not in favor too. I wish a future where one can make choices without being criminalized for it. perhaps it will happen one day.
ReplyDeleteI do hope that day will come, Janaki, when we can all make choices without being hounded for them. The world is definitely changing, but we have a long way to go still.
DeleteWe grow up in the set rules, anything apart from that is wrong, that's what is ingrained in our heads. High time we change that. A good read this is.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Nilshree! Rules need to be amended when they become outdated. The time for change is nigh!
DeleteThat "Thank God you're normal" said so much. I'm glad Mansi had Samar's support through her teenage when I'm sure she must've been struggling to figure out her sexuality. I just hope her parents too, someday, stand by her.
ReplyDeleteYes, Manali, the word 'normal' is used with so many connotations attached to it. The fact remains that the older generation finds it almost impossible to accept changes that embarrass them. It is always the concern about how society will view them.
Delete