DAY EIGHT!!

Gauri looked out of the window!! She had been running from one bridge to another to catch this local and with her sheer efforts managed to get the most precious 'Window Seat'. She tried to calm herself down from the struggle at the platform arena. She sipped some water. There were 10 mins now for the train to depart and people were still rushing to get to their destinations. Gauri closed her eyes and took deep breaths for a moment. But she heard some quarrelsome voices near the ladies compartment door. She opened her eyes and watched out the window. There was a man and a woman on the platform who were quarrelling. Both apparently seemed husband and wife. The husband shouted at his wife and not at all cared of all the people around watching him. The wife on the the other hand was sobbing and trying to get away from him. But the husband held her hands tightly and tried to forcibly take her away from the platform. This was happening at the rush hour and no one was interfering.. rather were ensuring that they were getting a good view of what was happening. The husband spoke something and then angrily grabbed his wife's face with his hands and started threatening her to get beaten if she didn't obey him. She was still crying and trying to get away from him. Moments later she was able to free herself from him and quickly jumped into the ladies compartment door. The husband caught her hand again and was forcibly trying to pull her down on the platform. Gauri no longer could resist herself from interfering. She got up from the seat and went towards the couple. With a sharp tone she asked the husband to free his wife .. he didn't budge and said to Gauri to keep herself out of the way.... that this was a couple's matter and he could misbehave and do anything to her as she was his wife. Gauri surprised by his statements spoke sharply.. "It would have been just a personal matter if you were quarrelling at your home.. but now you are in public place. You yourself have made it a public matter now. You are assaulting her and this is not acceptable. Leave her hand!!" The husband hesitated. She said " I will call the RPF(Railway Protection Force) then." The husband released his wife's hand. The wife ran inside the compartment.. sat down and cried again. Gauri stay put at the ladies compartment door. She looked at him in anger and the train started departing. She stood there till the train had left the station. The other ladies started consoling the woman and asked what was the problem. The woman said that her husband was having an affair and on confronting him.. he started beating her.. so she was trying to run away to some safe place but he wasn't allowing to let her go. Gauri listened to this and was glad she could help someone in distress. The other women kept talking to her and tried to calm her down. Gauri looked outside the train... She felt as if someone had applied ice on her burning wound. She could not be less happier. She had made a difference by speaking out...to the woman in distress...and to herself!! Gauri's station arrived.. she smiled at the woman and signaled that everything will be alright...the woman thanked her in gesture...and Gauri stepped down on the platform. In that moment... Gauri realized that it is indeed a courageous act to step up to something that one feels is wrong and unacceptable. The more she tried to avoid it.. ignore it.. forgive it...hush about it...the more it grew on her and weakened her. But now she had to speak up.. rise up.. bring attention to it...let people know the truth... Only and only then there was a slight chance that the world would change for better!!