Courage Under Fire

I was at Adlabs cinema in the building that houses Big Bazaar at Ameerpet. I had gone there to watch a movie "Wanted" starring Angelina Jolie. A decent movie to watch at a not so impressive theatre. It was a perfectly harmless evening until after the movie got over. When I got out I found, to my amazement that my bike was towed away by the traffic police from the Big Bazaar Building premises. Why and how?? Here's the story..

When I drove in I was not allowed to go to the Parking in the cellar of the building. The reason, I was told was, the parking was full. I had to watch the movie and I had to park the bike somewhere to watch the movie. So I asked the Security Gaurds there and they directed me to a corner on a lane adjoining the Building which was very much inside the building premises. I must have asked atleast 5 different guys if it was safe to park the bike there? They all noded in conformation. And so with a lot of doubt in my mind I parked the bike there. It so happened that the place where I and a few other people had parked their bikes was in a corner close to the main road. The reason the cops gave me for towing away my bike and the reason why I was so apprehensive before finally deciding on parking my bike there.

I had to pay a fine of Rs. 200 for getting my bike back. I was obviously angered by the whole thing. I mean how can my bike be towed away from inside the premises of the shopping mall. Why was I directed there, if they knew that this problem would arise. Why was there no board to say that it was a NO Parking area. What were the security guards doing when my bike along with 6 or 7 others parked in the same place were being towed away? Mind you there a were atleast 50 other bikes parked in that same place.

I confronted the Operations Manager who happened to be at that very place the entire evening. I made it rather easy for him to understand my displeasure. I simply went up to him and said - "Why the fuck did my bike get towed away from your building premises? I had to pay 200 fucking rupees to get my bike back". A heated argument followed, words were exchanged. All this in the presence of a Traffice Police Inspector and a Havildar. After calling each other names and exchanging profanities for 20 odd minutes right at the entrance to the mall, I finally decided there was no point talking to some lame asshole who will never admit that he was at fault. I was just about to get on to my bike when Bang!! That fucking idiot caught me unawares and boxed me on my face. Boxed me in front of a crowd of 50 people, a Havildar and a Traffice Police Inspector. It din't sink in until a few seconds later that I was bleeding from my nose and I was bleeding quite a bit.

I was simply overwhelemed by the whole incident. All I did was walk off from there. I just walked off. There were people urging me to file a complaint. There was my brother asking me why the fuck did I not him back? And I simply walked off.. Why did I not hit him back.. Why did I walk away, atleast at that time, without filing a complaint. What was I thinking. Was it just cowardice on my part? May be? What would you have done? Would you have got yourself in that situation in the first place?

I eventually filed a complaint only to withdraw it 12 hours later. I did not have the energy to fight a legal battle. My self esteem was hurt and was hurt bad. I still can't digest the fact that I didn't do anything to retaliate. I did not do anything to make that sorry Son of Bitch understand that what he did was wrong. Its been 2 days now and I still can't get over it. I want to do something. I don't know what. My ego is hurt. This is playing on my mind way too much. I have to put an end to it. And the only I can do it is if I confront that guy.

What do I do?

All this said and done.. I learnt a very big leason from this unfortunate incident. I will probably never speak to anybody else in the way I spoke to that guy. I should get a grip on my self. I must control my temper. I understand now that the better way to make your displeasure felt is by talking calmly(as opposed to exchanging profanities).

But I will never again in my life let another soul dent my self esteem, the way I let the Big Bazaar manager do it. I will stand up for my self. And if I have to I will fight. This incident is the only regret I have in my life and this probably will be the last one.

This is a promise I make to myself, more than to all of you - I will get a grip on myself and control my rage if I ever get into this kind of a situation again. But if for whatever reasons another man lays his hands on me, i will not think twice before giving it back to him.