Anger

"She gets angry very fast. So I don't talk to her much. She is at home today. Don't know whether she will come to work or not. What to do madam, if she doesn't go to work, I will have to bear her food expenses!"

Her aunt works as household help at my house. The tall and atheletic seventeen year old girl was working in a neighbor's house looking after the children of the house till yesterday, when she came panicking that she lost her job. The otherwise confident looking girl looked shaken. I do not know the specific reason, but I uttered to her, "don't worry, I will take care". I called up a couple of friends who were on the look out for full time maids and fixed a good amount as salary. The girl met with them and then returned home, without committing! And today her aunt tells me, she is angry with everyone and she will not work. That would mean her aunt will have the bear the stay and food expenses, and that was worrisome matter for her. I asked her why the girl didn't accept the two jobs that I offered. I had considered good families who would treat her well and pay enough. The aunt said she was not able to talk to her as she gets angry very fast. Her dad had called from the village and she didn't talk to him. And that's when the story unfolded. 

Her dad was expected to visit her in 2 weeks from now, for Diwali. But he was coming to collect the money that she earned. She was to give him 15,000 and that is when she lost her job. Her dad is building a house in the village and she is financing it by doing household work. She was good in studies, passed 10th grade with good marks, 3 years back. At the same time her dad started the house construction, ending her schooling. She came to Mumbai, stayed in the Ghatkopar slum with her widowed aunt and started working. The aunt continued, "Bohut guzza karti hai! (Gets very angry), she refused to talk to her dad yesterday. Last week she had told her dad that she is no longer giving him any money. She said it doesn't help her  in anyway as the house will be eventually given to her elder brother. Bohut hoshiyar hai (very intelligent she is), she told her dad, since she is working for making the money, she should be getting the house atleast!". So that is why she yells at everyone, I realized when I joined the dots. She left schooling, worked for 3 years, has not saved a penny yet. She has been building her brother's life. She is angry ... and understandably so! 

I am familiar with the kind of anger she experiences. The anger that stems from helplessness - the anger that you feel when you know you could've done something different and have reached somewhere better, if only you were allowed to!

Women!