I did not do it – it just happened one night
we could have slept easily in separate rooms
but she said a single room could be cheaper
she also felt lonely and needed someone near
it was she who had told me to accompany her
on that trip – it was she who had started it all
flirting all the while, it was she who had bought
that bottle of wine, which she made me to share
with her in that bedroom. What do you expect
a man to do when a woman gets fully drunk
with him in her bedroom, with no clothes on,
in the middle of night? Had I wanted, I could
have done it much earlier, for opportunities
were galore – we had travelled together, dined
together, played together, laughed together
she never even minded undressing before me
completely, down to bra, panty and stockings
she even kissed me on more than one occasion
why should a girl kiss a boy unless she wanted
it, and desired it? Did I love her? Maybe… yes
I loved her. Would I have married her? Maybe….
Yes, who knows. But she spoiled it all with that
one foolish act of hers. It was misunderstanding –
just plain misunderstanding, that’s all. She gave
all indication that she was in love with me,
but when this thing happened that night she
simply deserted me, not only deserted, but…
but she accused me… of all…. of… this? ?
And for this thing they put me in jail, you know
how things are in this country. All the bloody laws
favour the women. What chance did I have, my life
was finished – I had to take this chance – I was
not going to rot in a lonely dark cell. I was
tortured, I was given what I wanted – mutton
biryani, chilly chicken, egg fry twice a day – yet
my soul was tortured and – and so I escaped.
I do not blame my father, he played no role in it
He just helped me to escape – any father would –
I forged my mark sheets
That I admit
I got a job on a fake identity
That I admit
But I swear before all the Gods, one and all
And the Supreme Almighty Puttaparthy Babaji –
that I committed no other crime.
Note: – Based on the fascinating story of Bitty Mohanty (see below) .
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