An accident back home ...

Came to know today that parents had a fall from their two wheeler a couple of days ago and luckily nothing happened. Also that a small boy ran in front of my father's scooter some other time, and got injured as he got confused and fell. Both unfortunate incidents.. the first left mother shaken up at the state of roads, and the second read to harrassment by the boy's family .. first his uncle, then mother and finally father showing up and trying to get money out of my father.

This has left me quite disturbed, not that i've not seen such things. It's the usual case of people putting the motorist at fault by default, and definitely so if the injured is a woman or child. Luckily the constable who was brought with by the family realised that they were trying to pull a cheap one and set them straight. This didn't stop the boy's father talking rudely to my mother in the guise of enquiring about father ... Another case of people taking lone woman of the house for granted. Sad to see this done to people who went out of their way to help a neighbouring lady facing domestic abuse by her grown up son & family and on the verge of being driven out of the only shelter he had.. Feel sad that indian women lose all status and protection once they lose the husband. I wonder if this is the case in other societies as well.

To add to all this, the news was kept from me as i'm far away and couldn't really help much in the situation. Feeling quite sad about the turn of events last week ... Also about what kind of security we offer to grown ups. Feels like i'm in a different world full of young people in a comfortable and secure environment. Lot of admiration for my dad in taking all these things in his stride. Though i'm sure it has left my mother shaken up...