Androids

Since I am desperately in search of something to constructively engage my attention,I thought of resurrecting this blog.A pity that things in life cannot be undone as easily as this blog can be brought to life again.While cleaning up my desktop,I came across this travesty of a short story,written, so it says, on 25 th July 2006,around the time that I started blogging.I thought of it then as a juvenile attempt and didnt post it.But ironically,as time passes,opinions change, and so has mine.I have realised that you can make a career out of stating the obvious,the only pertinent question being obvious to whom.There are different levels of obviousness.The lowest level among these in my opinion,is populated by the ranks of management and HR "consultants". And in this circumlocution do not forget that I was actually lazy enough to write nothing new and pass this off as new instead.On with the story! I would be keen to see what comments it brings......
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The man walked on. His pace had increased. Thoughts churned his head furiously. The 3 females following him continued doing so. The hunter and the hunted both knew which foot the boot was on.

“If they get me”, thought the man,"tommorows headline would read: Adam teasing reaches epic proportions: Roadside Juliets claim another victim” He thought, with irony, of the apposite name for this evil. It had become very unsafe for males to be travelling unaccompanied after sunset, yet he had ignored warnings. Why was I born a man?
He thought for the umpteenth time that God must be a She, for only then could She inflict such pain on men.

The mere birth of a boy was becoming a rare occurence, for male infanticide was a prevalent menace. The Government was trying its best to curb it; male infanticide was declared a major offence. Various groups were trying to spread awareness of this. The Presidents Award for Best Film had gone to "Pitrbhoomi", which dealt with that subject. Apparently the film showcased a perverted society where men have become extinct, and one man was husband to a family of 5 women.Well...that day is not far off...he thought morosely.

And even if boys do manage to cross infancy and puberty, very little could be done about benzene deaths.Yes, it was gross injustice but what could you say when the laws were not stringent and lawmakers themselves women. His own brother had been ignited with benzene for not conforming to demands made before marriage. He had paid 12 lakhs, got a ladies scooty, and could not do anything else.

And the android cycle and andropause.The lesser said the better. He often wondered why men should bear offspring. It was his misfortune that he carried the Y chromosome and he knew that it was not his fault if a boy was born. But he got beaten for that though the sex determining chromosome comes from the female. Right and wrong are decided by who is in power at the time. The laws of Fuzzy logic told him that. It indeed was fuzzy.

Come to think of it, he was one of the rare ones who was educated. Why education when you are going to become a househusband and merely an instrument of copulation, was the common refrain. Yet he had doggedly refused to listen. He was highly qualified now, despite all the quarrels with his wife over his job.

And the females were closer now. One more turn and he knew he would be safe.
Even as he broke into a run to take the corner quickly, he thought of particles and anti particles. He knew all about atomic and particle physics. Of every universe that has an anti universe which is diametrically opposite. He wondered idly where the alternate universe to this would be. He would give anything to be there. But he didn’t really believe in its existence. People can’t be so cruel anywhere else, he thought.

He turned blind at the corner and raced over the footpath.

It was a cul-de-sac.