So much for chivalry!

Dear God

Sample this:

A group of us were recently returning from a short official trip and my house was the farthest. The one who got off last simply asked me to drive to my home and let him know once I reached. Neat arrangement? God, everything was ok with this arrangement except for the fact that it was 2:30 in the night.

As I dropped him home and started braving my journey home, I was having mixed feelings. On one hand I was well aware of the fact that he had driven for more than 200 kms. and was now visibly tired to continue further. On the other, the prospect of hitting the streets alone in the dead of the night for the first time was haunting me. I am a liberated, free thinking person and believe firmly in gender equality. Yet when I chose to drive those last few kms. at that hour, my hands were shaking and prayers were constantly coming out of my lips.

I was really expecting him to call me back and insist to accompany me home. Yet I was feeling bad for him as he would have to double back home when he had already exerted so much. With these mixed feelings I drove on and by Your Grace I reached home. 

I am still confused about whether he did the right thing. He later offered to accompany me on my ride back home but I did not have the heart to say yes. The next time when I confronted him, he said he was only kidding when he asked me to drive home. The joke was on me though. Free thinking women like me are fools God. I risked my life and safety that day.  

To this day I can’t forgive myself for being so stupid. At the same time, I can’t help thinking the men in and around our lives deserve a break. However, with all these issues about women’s safety, I could not help but think “If it was his sister or mother in my place, would he let them do what I did for him?” I already know the answer God. Just because I was not a family member, my security was not a concern for him. One thing is clear in all this dilemma. I have no one but myself to depend and lean on in times of need.

PS: Welcome to Club Expendables…