31st December 2011 started out real slow. Adam was feeling a little under the weather and nothing and no-one can stop him from being a cranky, clingy, really heavy, and dare I say it... most irritating baby when he's ill. Even though my oldest girlfriend was in town with her lovely family, whose arrival Adam had looked forward to all week, he would not be consoled. Finally I gave him some medicine and put him to bed.
Now my day was looking better! I had some alone time with my girlfriend and even caught a 10min power nap. Adam woke up refreshed and transformed into a sweet, charming and thoroughly adorable little boy! I went to my not-to-be-missed-for-anything-in-the-world dance class, and came back with feel-good endorphins in my blood and a smile on my face! My husband came home from New York a few minutes later, and all was well in my world. In Adam's world too. The people he loved most in the world were with him, and that was enough for now. After we played with him, we bathed and fed him, and put him down to bed.
We then sat down to a simple dinner and maybe a movie. That was when we noticed my mother-in-law at the door looking kinda hassled. We could hear it now. The sound of someone in distress. Crying. The normal instinct for most people is to ignore all potentially embarrassing situations, and stay safe behind their walls. Not me. I opened my door and stepped out. The crying was coming from the landing above. Before we could say "kaun hai", a semi-hysterical Nepali woman came down the stairs crying and saying something in Nepali. Now we live on the last floor of our building. Above us are the terraces and the duct leading to the water tanks. I will not lie. I was confused and a little scared. But my broad shouldered husband was here. He's not the bravest man in the world, but I know with all my heart, he will never let any harm come to me. I told him to wake the neighbors and with a little trepidation, walked up the stairs and found the door to the duct open. By now Edgar had told the neighbor our strange tale, and had gone down to confront the watchman. I screwed up my courage once more and went upstairs again to investigate the offending duct. To my horror, there appeared before my eyes a dirty pair of feet. Needless to say, these feet were connected to a body, and the body had a head with a familiar face! It was our 2nd floor neighbors driver. Relief flooded through my body, only to be quickly doused by disgust and on its heels, fear again, at the realization that the 'friendly' was shit-faced drunk. I scurried down the stairs trying to hide my fear by indignantly berating him and asking him who the woman was and what he was doing up here. My neighbor, half hidden behind the door, took up the interrogation, while I noticed deep gouges on the drunken piece-of-shit's arms. By now all fear was gone. I was pissed off. While piece-of-shit lurched downstairs to make his escape, I sallied forth to wake up his employers.
Let no-one say I'm not polite. I apologized for waking them at this awkward hour, and proceeded to disillusion them about their Man Friday. Then we wished them a Happy New Year (by now my shining Knight had joined me) and went home to our sleeping baby.
So, when in all years past I've danced the year end away, this year I helped save a woman from being raped.
Now my day was looking better! I had some alone time with my girlfriend and even caught a 10min power nap. Adam woke up refreshed and transformed into a sweet, charming and thoroughly adorable little boy! I went to my not-to-be-missed-for-anything-in-the-world dance class, and came back with feel-good endorphins in my blood and a smile on my face! My husband came home from New York a few minutes later, and all was well in my world. In Adam's world too. The people he loved most in the world were with him, and that was enough for now. After we played with him, we bathed and fed him, and put him down to bed.
We then sat down to a simple dinner and maybe a movie. That was when we noticed my mother-in-law at the door looking kinda hassled. We could hear it now. The sound of someone in distress. Crying. The normal instinct for most people is to ignore all potentially embarrassing situations, and stay safe behind their walls. Not me. I opened my door and stepped out. The crying was coming from the landing above. Before we could say "kaun hai", a semi-hysterical Nepali woman came down the stairs crying and saying something in Nepali. Now we live on the last floor of our building. Above us are the terraces and the duct leading to the water tanks. I will not lie. I was confused and a little scared. But my broad shouldered husband was here. He's not the bravest man in the world, but I know with all my heart, he will never let any harm come to me. I told him to wake the neighbors and with a little trepidation, walked up the stairs and found the door to the duct open. By now Edgar had told the neighbor our strange tale, and had gone down to confront the watchman. I screwed up my courage once more and went upstairs again to investigate the offending duct. To my horror, there appeared before my eyes a dirty pair of feet. Needless to say, these feet were connected to a body, and the body had a head with a familiar face! It was our 2nd floor neighbors driver. Relief flooded through my body, only to be quickly doused by disgust and on its heels, fear again, at the realization that the 'friendly' was shit-faced drunk. I scurried down the stairs trying to hide my fear by indignantly berating him and asking him who the woman was and what he was doing up here. My neighbor, half hidden behind the door, took up the interrogation, while I noticed deep gouges on the drunken piece-of-shit's arms. By now all fear was gone. I was pissed off. While piece-of-shit lurched downstairs to make his escape, I sallied forth to wake up his employers.
Let no-one say I'm not polite. I apologized for waking them at this awkward hour, and proceeded to disillusion them about their Man Friday. Then we wished them a Happy New Year (by now my shining Knight had joined me) and went home to our sleeping baby.
So, when in all years past I've danced the year end away, this year I helped save a woman from being raped.
