Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Phone abuse and gender bias

I saw a couple of missed calls from an unknown number on my cellphone last evening. When I tried calling back, the number was busy, so I didn't try again.

This morning, the person calls me again and I realize it only after I see two missed calls. So I call back and he picks up at the second attempt.

Here's how it went...
Me: Hello?
Caller: Kaun baat kar raha hai? (Who's speaking?)
Me: Aapne phone kiya, aapko pata hona chahiye. (You've called, you should know.)
Caller: Maine missed call dekha. (I saw a missed call from this number.)
Me: Aapka call aya tha, jo maine return kiya. (You had called earlier and I tried to return the call.)
Caller: Accha, kaun bol rahe hain? (So, who's speaking?)
Me: Aren't you supposed to know that when you are calling a person?
Caller: Theek se sunai nahi de raha hai. (I can't hear you clearly.)
...and he cuts the call.

In a couple more minutes, he calls again...
Me: Hello?
Caller: Kaun baat kar raha hai? (Who's speaking? [Again!])
Me: Arey, aapne phone kiya to aapko pata hona chahiye na ki kisse baat karni hai?! (Dude, you called, you should know whom you wish to speak to.)
Caller: Accha, aap kahan se baat kar rahe hain? (So, where are you speaking from?)
Me: (Too exasperated to continue in Hindi) How does it matter where I am? You've called, you should state your identity and purpose before you say anything.
Caller: Teri choot marunga. (I'll fuck you. [Or something to that effect, or worse, I didn't care to imagine.])
Me: (Previously half-asleep, now too dazed to continue) Bloody asshole! Fuck off!!
...and this time I cut the call.

What I should have said occurred to me a few minutes later: "Kyu, teri maa ki khaali nahi hai kya? Jahan se aaye ho, wahin waapas chale jao to accha rahega! (Why? Isn't your mother's [vagina] available? It'll be better if you go back to where you came from!)"

What pisses me off is the first abuse that comes to mind is that of a woman's genitals. Which should ideally be held sacred by one and all because they are the very gates through which such bastards enter this world. And why aren't men's genitals ever abused like this? Because we women don't stoop to such levels. (Most) men are nutjobs!

I had checked last evening itself and am pretty sure I had not dialed his number even by mistake. My phone keypad is usually locked to prevent such things. This conversation should have ended with an apology on his behalf and an "it's alright" on mine, if he accepted that it was a genuine mistake. Or, a simple "bewakoof" from his side, which would have resulted in me calling him an idiot, and that would be the last exchange between us.

What he did simply proved his worthlessness as a human being.

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