DECEPTION

It took me some time to understand why those girls had to hit the restrooms right after arriving and before leaving the university. They would come from home, covered up in huge scarves all wrapped up, in public buses. They would go to the restrooms after reaching the university, before classes, remove the scarves and spend time doing make up. After classes, they would wash off their faces in the restrooms and board the buses after wrapping themselves once again in those giant scarves.
The first year when we had to organize a university function as a farewell for the previous class, none of those girls wanted to participate. They were awkward on stage and in spotlight. I was the only female in a group of boys who arranged the function. I've described the shocking experience of that night in another blog. http://shamsasays.blogspot.com/2013/12/oh-shame.html
By the next year, when we had to throw a welcome party for the incoming class, the same girls overtook the stage. I was not able to attend the function due to my own engagements with my in laws, but next day I found some girls crying miserably in the class when I went to the university. A small group of our male class fellows was trying to console the young damsels in distress.
On inquiry, I came to know that the local newspaper had run the coverage of the function on the front page. Those girls were prominent in the pictures published in the newspapers. The girls were afraid to return home as they had not told their parents where they were the previous night. They were crying on the shoulders of the boys about the shame their fathers would feel on seeing them fully made up, without head covers, on stage, with boys, in the pictures.
I did not use to wear any head cover in those days. I had already appeared twice in television programs by then. I had my own car, freedom and no restrictions. I was all about women lib and expression. Yet, I had out right refused the offers of "friendship" from my male peers as I knew the "mentality". Those girls were surrounded by the same guys they now called their close friends. I did not feel any compassion for the girls as they bawled. I only felt disgust.
I was not against makeup, friendship with the opposite gender or gaining confidence. Those were things all closer to my heart, except friendship with the opposite gender as I always had a lot of reservations about that. What I failed to understand was the deception. Either be strong enough to own up to your freedom or simply accept the circumstances. It's the lying that gets me. Lying is cheating to ones own self. http://shamsasays.blogspot.com/2013/12