The Nest

“I found it!” said Mr. Pigeon.
Mrs. Pigeon got anxious and instantly questioned, “Where??? Besides are you sure that is harmless??”
“Harmless??” thought Mr. Pigeon. “Well I am positive about that! I have been closely watching it for about more than 8 suns. And I haven’t seen any humans there?”
“If you are sure, we should start at once! Time has come!”
Mr. Pigeon and Mrs. Pigeon had a flight at once.
They landed into a balcony, where there were no signs of human dwelling. There was a small garden full of pots. All the plants into the pots were cheerful!
Mrs. Pigeon said, “if there’s no human dwelling here, how come the plants are so alive? Are you sure this place is the most harmless of all the other places?”
“Yes” assured Mr. Pigeon, “nobody is seen here, for the last few suns!”
“May be they are just out of the dwelling for what they call a vacation”, wondered Mrs. Pigeon.
“That might be! Then?” Mr. Pigeon sounded unsure.
“Then?? Need not to say, this is not a safe place. Nothing can be more dangerous than humans. We have already experienced that.” retorted Mrs. Pigeon.
“But now we have no option! Its already late. Watch out for yourself!” exclaimed Mr. Pigeon
He was right. Mr. and Mrs. Pigeon are expecting their first eggs. Mrs. Pigeon had to lay the eggs now. Already 10 suns passed, since they had mated.
As advised by the elderly pigeons from there ethos, they had been looking for an innocuous place for their nest for a very long time. they had built a nest of straw and sticks. It was on the window ledge of a construction, which they believed, was free of human dwelling. They have been decorating the place by different sticks found everywhere. They were excited and were eager to lay their first eggs.
But, once during the sun time, while returning to their nest, they saw, some humans had entered the dwelling and though the nest was not disconcerting the human dwelling, those humans had not only removed but flung their nest.
After all the hard work they did to find a place and decorate the nest, it was just for these humans to think of their nest as unwanted and throw it away!
All the elderly pigeons from their family had advised them not to choose any construction for the nest. But Mr. and Mrs. Pigeon thought that it would be a need of just 30 suns. The ledges were high enough and were covered. Hence they thought of it as a protection from the crows and falcons. But still after all the research and efforts, they were left homeless.
Mrs. Pigeon broke down.
“Our nest is not the sticks and straws. It is us. We shall rebuild the nest” consoled Mr. Pigeon
And now it was almost 8 suns since the mishap they were finding a place for a new nest.
“Are you sure?” enquired Mrs. Pigeon and expressed her concern “Nest can be rebuilt but eggs….!?”
“Mrs. Pigeon! Don’t worry! We won’t let anything happen to the eggs!” Mr. Pigeon tried to calm her. And may be to calm down himself.
At last, Mrs. Pigeon laid down a single egg into one of the pots, which they believed was the cosiest one.
Now, they were to brood the egg.
For nearly about 15 more suns, they were going to be into that human dwelling incubating their egg. Frightened and nervous were they.
“We would find another place before the time our little one comes to this world,” assured Mr. Pigeon.
All through the sun, till the moon emanated, Mr. Pigeon incubated the egg. And during the moon time till the sun moved overhead, Mrs. Pigeon was in-charge of the incubation.
During their shifts of incubation, Mr. and Mrs. Pigeon were busy finding a safer place for their nest.
“Instead of looking for a construction place, I am looking into trees for a harmless place.” reported Mrs. Pigeon while having lunch with Mr. Pigeon “There are nets, called ‘Pigeon nets’ attached in almost every balcony of these human houses, to evade pigeons. It is tough to enter, hatching is impossible.”
“But what about the falcons and crows? if we choose for a tree?” enquired Mr. Pigeon
“yeah! That’s why it’s been difficult to find a tree” replied Mrs. Pigeon.
“In this world of humans, we can get to eat, here or there, but we cannot find a place to survive into these weathers!” Mr. Pigeon expressed his concern.
While they were lost in their conversation, they heard the balcony door open!
At once they both flew away, but didn’t lose the sight of their egg.
They saw humans entering the balcony. There was a mother and the squabs of the humans.
Mrs. Pigeon got terrified by the sight. They saw the human squabs near the plant pot where their egg laid silently. One of the squab went away and was back with his mother, showing her the egg and was almost lifting the egg. Mrs. Pigeon felt dizzy and scared.
But the mother did not allow them to lift the egg, and took them inside closing the balcony door.
“They touched it! Now? What are we supposed to do?” For a moment, Mrs. Pigeon considered returning to the egg.
“What are we supposed to do? Are you out of your mind! We are returning to the egg! That egg still needs us!” scolded Mr. Pigeon.
“But the rules laid down by our ethos says to abandon the egg if humans touch it!” reminded Mrs. Pigeon.
“How can you even think of getting rid of your egg!! Only because some stupid human squab touched it! I understand humans are evil but C’mon Mrs. Pigeon that’s our egg! We have been struggling so much to make it survive. You should not let these superstitions come your way! Besides nobody from our ethos is visiting this place to check the humans have touched the egg or not. So do not mention this to any of the elders. Rather forget it!”
They returned to the egg. But they saw the human squab were watching them from a distance. The doors were closed.
“Mrs. Pigeon”, said Mr. Pigeon, “Let us, for once trust the humanity into these humans!”
Scared Mrs. Pigeon agreed with no choice. It was already 8 suns they were staying with the egg into that balcony. And she now understood the urgency to find a tree at the earliest. These humans might be ‘humans with humanity’ but still pigeons were birds and they have to lead their living differently. In just 6 more suns, they should find a new dwelling.
The humans were certainly good. They abandoned the balcony for a couple of suns. And later they started entering with prior indication, so that the Pigeon would get alarmed. There shifts of brooding were still the same. But now, neither of them moved while the humans entered the balcony.
Occasionally it rained, but they didn’t budge. The heat of the sun hardly reached the egg. Still both the parents were trying their paramount to keep the egg warm.
It was the sixth sun from the arrival of the humans. Mr. and Mrs. Pigeon were successful in building another nest, into the trees. The tree was situated into a human crowded place, hence there was less fear of Falcons and crows.
Now the most difficult task. Carrying the egg to their new nest, before it hatches and that would be at any time.
“Ready?” asked Mr. Pigeon.
“Yes!” came a determined response from a mother.
They waited for a while so that the humans would abandon the place. They didn’t want to entertain the humans anymore.
Mrs. Pigeon lifted the egg into her tiny yet strong legs. Her heart started thumping faster. She was afraid. But she knew she had to do that. Mr. Pigeon was silently flying with her. Protecting Mrs. Pigeon and Praying for the safety of Mrs. Pigeon and their egg.
Finally, they reached the tree. Both breathed a sigh of relief.
That indeed was a place where the falcons and crows would not visit and though crowded by humans, free from human dwelling.
During the moon time Mr. Pigeon did not leave Mrs. Pigeon alone.
As the moon was leaving and the sun was rising, Mrs. Pigeon, still brooding the egg experienced something was happening with the egg. She flew to the borders of the nest. Mr. Pigeon joined her, one of his wings around her. They were witnessing the hatching of their first egg.
Mrs. Pigeon welcomed her little squab into her wings. With tears in her eyes, disremembering all the struggle for a while. Till the time their little one would learn to fly, it was safe in their nest.

The Signal

"Are you not ashamed of yourself?" I enquired, devoid of realising that I am standing in the middle of the road and questioning.

"Ashamed? Of what?" He responded.

"Ashamed of what you are?" I said in almost repulsion.

While the conversation was going on, the signal got green and I left that place trying to look into the mirror at him.
He was a transgender. I was spotting him at the signal almost every day.
Wearing a saree and begging for money!
Trying to pester the male travellers.
Nevertheless, I had noted that he and most of the transgender never bothered the female travellers.
I always wondered what could be the reason!
May be because most of the females express a feeling of disgust towards them.
Nonetheless, I thought even that was also justified, as most of them were so over dressed with extra make-up every time, in order to get easily noticed.
But why should anybody notice their existence?
Why can't they be just as normal as the other two genders in this social system?
These queries used to bug me whenever I thought of them or saw them!
But today, even before I could realise I had interrogated him. The question, had at once prompted me!

Next day again, at the signal, I saw him, but I didn't get the red signal for more events.
After a couple of days, I got a red signal and as soon as I stopped. I was looking for him!
"Madam!” Commencing from behind, came his speech, “Yes, I am ashamed of what I am!"
"But why?" I interviewed.
"Because people in this civilization have no respect for us!" he answered serenely.
"I understand! The structure of our society is so substantial that you have to earn your respect and if you don't earn it! There’s a possibility you would not get it!" I tried to advise him.
"And to earn it is what is difficult for people like us." He said with the same tranquil.
"You mean a transgender?" I questioned again.
"Off course! Who else?" he reacted.
"Being a woman I understand how you would be feeling, because at some or the other point of time in our life, even we women’s have struggled for getting respect in this male dominating structure". I said influentially.
"Yes. that is the reason we are trained to try and influence the males!” I got the answer to my question as well. He further inquired, “And how did you deal with those situations where you felt that there is no respect for you".
"I don’t care who is respecting me. I did that myself. I respect myself.” I made a statement questioning him, “Do you respect yourself?"

The signal got green and I left. But I saw him crossing the road with a thoughtful expression!

May be I spoke too much.
I noticed other people standing at the signal were staring at us. Some were surprised. Some were in disgust. Some were neutral. But none failed to grasp that I was conversing with a transgender for a complete minute. Women are not seen doing that!

Nevertheless, my curiosity about their (transgender) feelings forced me to enter into the conversation!

We are always taught about equality. But that equality was always about male female equality; it was never about the three gender equality.
Why are we not taught “Equality” in its pure form?
Other things aside why are we not taught to respect other living beings. Is that so difficult?

That day I decided, I would at least smile at the transgender showing my respect to them or at least expecting them to feel that.

I was never at the signal for the next few days.

One day while waiting for the green signal, I saw him coming!
I smiled at him. He smiled back.
I could sense he was pleased.

"Yes you are right! I have no respect for myself. Since the last weeks I have realised that very few of us would be having respect for what we do!" He confessed.

"Yes! I can understand. That is a product of our social system!" I agreed with him.

"But I want to respect myself!" he urged, as if asking for a solution.

"Then stop begging for it!" I answered instantly.

I left with the green signal.
It was too crowded and I could not see him from the mirror.

Later for couple of weeks, I didn’t see him at the signal. I thought of enquiring, but could not! I felt awkward!

I got busy with my priorities and his thought went to the back of my mind.
After few days I saw him at the signal.
His appearance was different.
He was not in a saree. But was wearing a pant and a kurta.
He was happy to see me. And was not begging for money!

"Can we talk?" he questioned
"Yes. Sure.!" I answered.

"After the signal gets green can you stop to the side of the road?" I didn’t guess that question. I was reluctant to say yes!
I had never thought of stopping out of my way to have a chat with a transgender.
"I am not overdone today! Nobody would realise that you are chatting with a transgender!" I was shocked, he had actually read my thoughts. I felt embarrassed!

"No! I was just thinking about the office time but okay will wait!" I tried to cover it up.

While he was crossing the signal I realised he was not doing the weird cat walk he typically did. He was walking as normal as others.

I too crossed the signal and went where he was waiting!
"Thank you!" He said with a cheerful smile.
I just smiled.

"Somebody like you sparing time for a person like me is itself overwhelming! And you have been so nice to me". Humbly he complemented.

"But I didn't give you anything!" I said.

"May be you gave me something I needed!
Respect! And taught me to respect myself!
I must mention that there are things and persons who force us (transgender) to do the things, I did.  But I have quitted all that. I have decided to struggle with them. All my friends have started respecting me. And I am respecting them as well. I had realised that the thing we were waiting from outside to come was so within us. Thank you for helping towards that realisation!"
I smiled but I couldn't say anything. I was amazed and listening.

"Can I give you something?" very politely he asked.
That was a surprise request.

"Sure" even before I could realise, I had answered.
He was holding something in his hand. He opened his hand.
It was a friendship band!

I lifted my hand! He kept the band in my hand, without tying it.

“I won't tie it.” Said he.

“But still this would always be with me. Thank you that you thought me as your friend!" finally I found some words.

"Because you thought me so!" He said with great respect. "And don't worry I won't be putting you in any awkward situation in future as well. I don't even want your contact.” He clarified urgently and continued “I just wanted you to know that I respect you."

I had never ever felt so appreciated.
I too thought of giving him something.
I took the keys of my bike, removed the key chain and handed over it to him.

"Thank you! This means a lot" I said to him pointing towards the band.
With a wide smile he accepted the souvenir.

"I got a house keeping job in a company, far away from here. Won't be seeing you again. Hence asked you to wait today."

Wow! he is having a job!
All the curiosity about his past, his childhood, his education ran towards me!
But considering his future was on the way I ignored my curiosity.

"Congratulations! And all the best!" I said happily.

"Thank you! Hopefully we would see each other some time again!" He responded.

"Yes! Sure" I did hope for that.

He said good Bye and left!
I kept the band in my valet.
As I started to leave all of a sudden I realised, I had never asked him his name! That unnamed fellow certainly had changed something within me.
I understood the importance of respecting anybody and everybody. I understood the importance of respecting self.
That day, I didn't receive a friendship band but I received a responsibility.
I may have affected his life a bit! But myself got a lesson.
A “by the way” conversation resulting into an “all the way” lesson for life!