It's a Girl !!!

This is based on a true story.

I got your attention now, don’t I?

Unlike horror films that use this one liner to creep out their audiences, this is actually based on a true story and no less than horror, if you ask me.

Our story starts some 15 years ago, in a hospital: yes, in hospital; bear with me.

I was staying overnight at the hospital with my elder sister who had just given birth to a baby boy. She was to be kept under observation. I stayed the night with her.

It must have been around 7:15 am the next morning. I was woken up by some noises. It was an emergency.

I glanced at my sister. Thankfully, the noises had not stirred her.

I went to see what the commotion was all about.

I didn’t have to search long. The delivery of the woman had just ended and doctors were heading out of the room. She ended up in our room about half an hour later.

I stole a look at her, she looked tired, pained but most of all unattended. There was no one to accompany her.

Making sure that my sister was still peacefully sleeping, I slowly made my way to her.

“Tough, huh?” I started.

She turned at me. I could see the pleasant surprise in her eyes that it was her I was talking to.

“But worth it”, she smiled.

“Your first?”

“No, my fourth”.

I could not hide my surprise. “Fourth?”

She let out a laugh. “Yes, but this one will definitely be worth the pain” her eyes looked at me longingly.

Before I could respond, the nurse barged in.

“How are you feeling? You were so strong in there!”

The nurse carried a little bundle in her arms.

“How’s the baby?” she ignored the question “Let me see! What is it?”

“It’s a girl!!” The nurse said happily, “A beautiful baby girl!”

Her eager face fell to the ground instantly. The eyes that were longing to see the baby now looked to the opposite direction.

“Here, have a look at your baby,” the nurse tried to hand the innocent bundle towards the mother.

The mother did not reach out, nor did she look, her eyes still looked away to the window and in the distant.

“Are you with her?” the nurse asked me.

“No I’m actually with her” I showed over to my resting sister.

“Has no one come with you?” the nurse asked the mother.

The mother shook her head, her eyes now distant and empty.

“How did you come?” I asked slowly, “All the way to the hospital in this condition?”

“In a tempo”, the mother sounded feeble suddenly.

The nurse and I exchanged a silent look.

“We’re going to keep the baby under observation for a while longer,” the nurse looked at her uncertainly. The nurse took the little bundle back with her.

I stood there awkwardly for a while. I don’t know how much time went by. Every second felt like an hour.

“I’ll make some Horlicks for you” I tried as an icebreaker.

I got some hot water from the thermos beside my sister’s bed. She was still asleep. I mixed in some Horlicks and handed the mug to her.

“Here, you’ll feel better.”

She took the mug from me without a word.

“Is there something I can do for you? Perhaps somebody I can call for you?”

My heart went out to this woman. She looked ………. broke all of a sudden. I felt like I was talking to another woman, the woman who seemed so excited and hopeful merely minutes ago was nowhere to be seen.

She turned her eyes away from the window and looked at me. “Who would come for me? Now that I’ve given birth to another girl?” she gave me a small smile.

Her words pierced through me. I felt a sudden chill to the bones in that instant. I tried to take in what she meant to say.

“But what difference does it make? A boy or a girl?” I asked.

“After 3 girls, I finally thought this time would be the time.” Another ignored question.

I kept quiet.

“This time I thought I would give birth to a little boy”, she continued.

I heard my sister calling for me.

I looked over at her and then turned back to the new mother. She was talking to herself at this point.

So I went over to my sister and asked how she was feeling.

The day went on.

By evening, an old woman came by to visit the new mother.

“Another daughter???” was all I could hear.

Is this less than any scary story? No, I mean really: what’s scary is that this is the reality in many place of our country still. Granted this true story took place 15 years ago, that too in the city, and I pray to God that the perspectives are much better now, and they are somewhat, but how much are you willing to bet that this is still the reality of many families? Of mothers who long for a baby boy so that her child will be accepted with joy in the family and her too? Of women who long for a baby boy so that she will not be called incapable by many? Of families who long for a baby boy so that they can carry their generation forward? Of parents that look forward to a baby boy who can take care of them in their old age?

There is this saying in Nepal: “Chhora manchhe le chita lagaye, Swarga pugcha”. And people believe it with all their hearts. But it’s sad to see that many families still do not realize how “Chhori manchhe le ta ghar nai Swarga banaidincha.”

Nevertheless, I’m not here to take sides, nor am I here to say that females are better; no. what I wish is for majority of people who still think that a baby boy born in the family is a great blessing to understand that a baby girl being born in the family is an equally great blessing.