Monday, June 18, 2007

Prejudiced Reaction?

After a long day of work, I was thrilled to get back into the subway to start my journey back home. Lucky me I found a seat, and I gladly took the chance to sit down, and read the days paper, glad that it was not another computer screen, that I was staring at.

In the middle section of the paper, there was this really interesting article about money management, more specifically loan management. Being in a reasonable amount of debt myself, I was engrossed in the article, desperately looking for a way to manage my credit cards.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a bright pink and white kurta, pass in front of me, and sit in the next seat. The Kurta was a stripped pink and white kind. It was I think made of either silk, or was a synthetic material, not sure didn’t really pay attention to it too much.

But since the kurta’s colors had caught my attention, I kept looking. Only to notice, that the person sitting next to me was wearing a long necklace. A trendy one too, with stones wrapped with metal and spaced apart.

Suddenly the sandal the person was wearing caught my eye. Flat sandals, with golden straps and Rhinestones. But the feet looked big, by girly standards, but very well maintained.

With those thoughts in my mind and the curiosity to know who was sitting besides me, I broke the unspoken rule of the New York city commute. I looked at the person beside me.

Normally I would look away, but then, this time, it was not so. I looked for a good 30 secs…and not deliberately, but blank, just couldn’t look away.

The person sitting next to me was a guy!...and he was reading one of the PRIDE publications….I guess that explains a lot…..

Now sitting here I wonder, even though I consider myself to be a very broad minded, liberal person, is there a chance that might not be true…I mean I was not disgusted, I was a wee bit shocked…So what made me keep looking….was it just the shock…or is there something more to it.

I would like to believe that it was just the surprise of seeing a man dressed like a woman, that made me stare…I mean reactions cannot be termed prejudiced right? Or can they? If so what does that make me?

9 comments:

DC said...

That makes you just another human. Just the other day I was watching this scene from an old movie called Midnight Cowboy. A cowboy from Texas is walking on the streets of NY and finds a man lying dead with all the hustly bustly public walking around with their usual pace. But nobody has time to even glance at the dead person.

So in a City like NY, you can expect anything.

Only after spending a good 3 years, I can kind of guess the gravity of the situation of cross-dressing or Gay/Lesbian culture here.
So ab aisa hain tho.... Kurta kya pyjama Kya?? But 30 secs.. I wouldn't ever dare that much of a glare;-).

Angel's Flight said...

Hey Thanks for stopping by...and leaving a comment

I was shocked for a sec...but then after that didn't pay much attention to it...Apart from putting my thoughts down here !

Again...Thanks a ton for stopping by

smisbahuddin said...

We are humans
We are compassionate beings.

It is very important for me to understand how others feel than, what my feelings are for different things.

My feelings are my heart and my joy and my pleasure and my excitement is within my grasp. So I am not bothered very much about it at all. I am too much bothered for others, I like to think I want to do anything possible to make others happy.

Probably it is a mistake, but a moment of pleasure on others face is my orgasm.

Nice penning of thoughts.
Misba

Angel's Flight said...

MMisba,

Beautiful words....Grateful to you for taking the time to write those here

Cheers

Deepak Ahuja said...

Just trying to think brain reactions which captured your attention...

well don't you think had it been someone with some other traditional clothes you might have overlooked.. but since that kurta pyjama looked a typical indian dress which you brain recongnised amd have NOT expected someone to wear on a busy weekday evening..

So I guess your brian gave it attention because it was something unusual...

Angel's Flight said...

Deepak,

Maybe you are right...I think the Kurta would not have caught my eye ...if it was not a kurta!

Thanks for stoppinbg by

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Nice topic, but something I am not good at to comment :(
But just wanted to comment coz I landed on your blog as well, from Mouthshut

Smiles,
Vinayak
(Envyram @ MS)
Just a line on this post of yours: I just think it was a natural reaction! Other day you might not spare a 30 sec glare ... !

Angel's Flight said...

right u are!!

sad but true