Punching Bag

It’s not like I’m going to have sex with this guy or something.” Maria thought to herself while standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom.

She examined the woman in the mirror; just like she’d been doing every morning in the past three years of her married life, trying to find small, subtle differences of any kind, indulgingly, curiously, anywhere.

She saw two big, exciting eyes that have been challenging the world for 27 years, looking back at her. Shoulder length, jet black, confused hair. Lavender, silky nighty, hanging loosely around her body as if trying to reveal something by concealing it. That “something” could still make men want to touch it and possess it. Maybe that’s because I’m not a mother yet, she thought.

In the mirror she could see the reflection of her husband, sprawled out on the bed, still sleeping. The soft morning light slowly, imperceptibly creeping up on him. She could see him hugging the pillow she had slept on with his face buried in it.

Beep! Beep!

Maria ran to the side table on which her Nokia was lying and grabbed the cell as if snatching it away from the empty air. She glanced at her husband and saw him moving. She unlocked the keypad and without reading the incoming SMS pressed and held the “Power Off” button.

“Ummm…..whooozzit? Whaaz the time sweety?” said Adnan, slowly sitting up on the bed, rubbing his eyes.

“7:45 and you are going to be late for work again, I guess,” she said. “I’ll go and see that the maid prepares the breakfast before you come down.”

“Yah, okayyy,” Adnan said, moving his neck in a short circle and stretching his body. “Was that a message on your cell or mine? Who’s messaging you this early in the morning?”

“Oh that was my friend. She is visiting Islamabad and wanted to see me.”

“So you’ll be going to see her today?” Adnan asked.

“I’m not sure yet. Maybe I go out to see her, maybe not. Now go and wash. I’ll be downstairs in the kitchen,” she said, a little irritated.

Adnan looked at his wife with blank eyes from which no one could make out what’s going on in his mind, rubbed his hairy chest in a slow motion, underneath his dark blue night shirt and then slowly walked to the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

She sat there looking at the bathroom door, listening, with her cell in her hand. Then she switched it on and read the message, “Hi hon, cudn’t sleep all night. SO excited to be finally meeting u, after 6 months of chatting. Ah! I’ll finally see you. Your Punching Bag!”

She smiled at the words and recalled how in her first chat with him on MIRC, when he introduced himself as Pervaiz Butt, she had said, “So your initials are P.B. right? P.B. for Punching Bag. Well, I need one these days since I don’t get to punch my hubby.”

She looked at the closed bathroom door again. A look of anger crossed her face. “Look at him! When he married me he couldn’t fucking wake up without kissing me first, and now... Bloody men,” she mumbled.

But, never mind, there are others dying to pour their affection on me like crazy and it won’t be long now. Just a few more hours and…well, I’m not letting him touch me. Not just yet. She must be very careful, she told herself. She had heard weird stories about these internet guys and secondly she had never before gone out to meet a guy, like this, after her marriage.



It wasn’t long when Adnan joined her on the dining table for breakfast. His handsome but curiously mature face meticulously clean shaved, dark brown hair neatly combed, navy blue suit carefully worn. No smells of any kind. Just the smell of cleanliness. No aftershave, no perfume, nothing.

He sat down in front of her. Looked at her, trying to catch her eyes.

“Here is your coffee,” she handed him the white cup with steaming hot coffee, looking at his red striped tie.

He took the cup and put it on the table, in front of him, with a deliberate movement of his hand as if he is sacrificing his last horse to save his queen or a potential checkmate in a chess game.

“Maria, we need to talk.” he said still trying to make her look into his eyes.

“About what exactly, may I ask?” she inquired, looking at him, coldly.

“About us. About you and me. I’m tired Maria, of the games you are playing and more than that I’m tired of not knowing what is it that bothers you in this marriage,” he said.

“So you mean to say that I play games with you Mr. Adnan Hassan?”

“No. NO. I didn’t mean that in THAT way, for God’s sake. It’s just that I don’t understand your behavior, your coldness.”

“And what exactly about my behavior, you are referring to, by the way?” she asked staring at him.

“Listen Maria. Please. I’m not trying to pick a fight here. Actually I don’t even want to blame you or anything. I just want to know that WHAT is bothering you for the past one year. You are always so cold to me. Damn! I actually feel, that just to kiss you, I have to send you a written application for prior approval,” he said with a faint smile, hoping to lighten the situation.

She just sat there staring at him with defiant eyes. Not smiling.

He carried on, “We hardly make love anymore. We were so close before and then you started blaming me for changing after marriage, for not being in love with you anymore, for not being passionate enough. On my part, I don’t think that I have changed. Things cool down after marriage and fall into a routine. You can’t expect me to behave in the same manner, EVERYTIME. You…”

“So, I blame you for nothing,” she said, cutting him short, “and it’s me who is an idiot and have changed. You are an angel, right? Always the Mr. Reserved and Mature and Responsible. You know what, I hate your lectures. Now you know what bothers me?! You NEVER understood me actually. You are too old for that. You are not even my generation…”

“WHAT! A difference of 7 years is a generation gap for you? Bullshit! Who do you think you are; some teenager? You are 27 and still you don’t want a child. I JUST don’t know why you don’t GROW UP!”

Sakeena, the old maid appeared in the doorway, with a tray in her hand, and sensing the tension, just stood there, trying to decide whether to go ahead and put the tray with eggs and bread on the table or leave the two alone. Finally, with hesitating steps she came forward and put the tray between them, on the table, and scurried back without looking at them.

The aroma of the freshly cooked scrambled eggs and lightly roasted bread filled the air between them as if saying, “Peace out guys. Eat.” Both of them fell silent, staring at the tray, avoiding each other’s eyes.

The scene was normal. A once a month, routine. Sakeena looked at the two immobile figures on the dining table from the kitchen and sighed. She was 60 years old now and had seen enough of these marital bouts. She had been serving Maria’s parents even before Maria was born and after her marriage she had just come along with her.

She had nursed the little, always excited girl, who was now having a verbal match outside with her husband. “Baby ought to have a child now, and then everything will be okay,” she mumbled to herself. She used to call Maria: Baby, from old times.

She knew no one will talk now. The eggs and bread will be left alone and just as she was hoping that things change, just for this morning, she heard the Honda City outside waking up and the sound of the male servant shouting to the gatekeeper to open the main gate.



Maria was still sitting on the dining table when she heard her cell ringing. She dashed to her bedroom.

“Hello?”

“Hi, sweety. It’s me. Your punching bag, Pervaiz,” the husky, muffled voice on the other end spoke.

“Hey. Hi. So you have come from Karachi?”

“Yup, I’m here. In your city, breathing the same air as yours. Man! It’s so fragrant.”

Maria laughed. “So how was your two hours flight on the sickening Pakistan International Airlines?” she asked, still laughing.

“Amazingly, it was wonderful. I didn’t even notice it. I was too busy thinking about you and the day to come,” he replied.

“So you have checked into Hilton? Don’t you want to sleep P.B.? You must be very tired,” Maria said.

“Well…actually no. I’m quite fresh. What time are you going to come and where exactly you’ll meet me? In my room?” he asked.

“No, not in the room. I’ll see you in the lobby. And…ummm…I’ll be there in about three hours. It’s 9 O’ clock now. So make it 12 P.M. We will have lunch together. You better get some sleep till then,” she replied.

“THREE hours! I’ll die of waiting then…”

“No, you won’t die before meeting me, trust me on that,” she said laughing.

“Yah, I don’t think I’ll want to die before meeting you either,” he laughed and added, “Are you sure you will be able to recognize me, just from my photos, that I e-mailed you? I don’t want you to run away with someone else.”

“Well…don’t worry; I won’t mistake you for someone else. Unless, of course, I find a better man…”

“Hey, THAT is cruel Maria,” he shouted, laughing.

“Well…men like a bit of cruelty in women. It excites their hormones,” she laughed and replied.

“Okay Maria, I know you won’t call me. So just give me a ring once you leave your place, and then I’ll go down to the lobby. My cell is on roaming and its battery needs to be recharged now. So I’ll go and take care of it. And I’ll be wearing light blue Jeans and white T-Shirt with ‘I LOVE MARIA’ printed on it in black, capital letters. You can’t mistake me in THAT.” He laughed.

“Don’t bullshit me, Okay?! I won’t stand any such nonsense. Incase you have forgotten that I’m a married woman and we are meeting as friends ONLY. So don’t have any ideas P.B.,” she said mockingly.

“Just kidding yaar, just kidding. I’ll behave. Promise,” he said and added, “Okay see you then. Don’t be too late.”

“Yah okay. I won’t be late. Take care. Bye,” she said and put down the cell.

She went to her wardrobe and selected a light blue suit. Simple but elegant. Then she went into the bathroom to start her extensive grooming rituals which she has not been practicing for quite a long time.

In about two hours, she was ready. She checked herself in her dressing table mirror, let out a pleased breath and smiled. Her heart pounded a bit faster against her chest. Her cheeks flushed. She was stunning. Light makeup, hair combed and blow-dried, straight down. Skin glowing. Eyes brightly lit, and eyebrows accentuating, the dreamy yet excited smile of those lovely, big, brown eyes. Seven carefully matched blue bangles in her left arm jingled as she moved her hand. A simple gold necklace shimmered around her neck. She felt like hugging herself.

She sat down on the writing table and switched-on her PC. Windows2000 screen came up. She waited for the Windows to load and as soon as the PC was ready, she left clicked the dial-up connection icon, twice.

She surfed to her Yahoo mailbox and clicked open the e-mail from Pervaiz with his pictures attached. The first picture loaded. She saw a man in black shirt, sitting on a wooden bench in some park, smiling. His right hand resting on the bench’s top. Short black hair, chiseled features, a prominent jaw and two deep-set eyes. He appeared to be in his late twenties. Strong, muscular. She liked him and stored that image in her mind—consciously.

Her cell rang again. She went to the dressing table to attend the call. The number showed the call is from her childhood friend, Fozia.

“Hi, Fozi ki bachi. Whaz up?” she said.

“Hi Lafangi. I’m fine yaar. But I just called to check if you are fine or not.” Fozia said with the knowledge of a friend that knows everything about you.

“I’m going to meet him yaar,” said Maria.

“Really now? Are you sure you want to meet him? You know the danger, right?” Fozia said in a concerned tone.

“Yah, I know,” said Maria.

“So?” asked Fozia.

“So what?” Maria asked and added, “I want to meet him, so I will. He seems to be all right yaar. Nice actually. He listens to me at least…”

“Hummm….Maria, do you think you are doing it for sex?” Fozia asked.

“Hell, NO! You know, I’m won’t go for it. I just want to be appreciated yaar. Just want to be understood, heard and well…yes, admired, let’s say…”

“Tell me something Maria; have you been having sex-chat with this guy on the Internet?”

“Nooo YAAR. No. I’m not into THAT shit and you bloody well know it. Well, he tried to have that once but I asked him to keep it in his pants,” Maria said.

“Oh yah, I forgot, you prefer the action instead,” Fozia laughed.

“Shut Up, you idiot. Nothing like that. I’m married, remember? I can have the action when I want,” Maria said.

“Yah, but you know that I know that you haven’t been getting it lately. Or shall I say that YOU have been refusing it, for some goddamn, psycho-mental problem of yours? So obviously you’ll want to…”

“NO! It’s not what you think it is,” said Maria.

“So why don’t you tell me Maria? What is it?” asked Fozia.

“Well…the thing is that I refuse to have sex just for sex, you know. Hey, come on yaar, I mean…I want it to be different. Right from the heart, you know. Romance, yaar, ROMANCE…”

“Maria, don’t you think, you are being too demanding? Adnan is such a great guy and he loves you. What the hell is the matter with you? You are taking him for a ride…”

“No. I’m NOT!” interrupted Maria.

“…I mean it’s okay to have a net friend to chat with once in a while but it’s an all together different thing to go ahead and start cheating on your husband whose only fault is that he can’t be pampering you ALL the time…”

“Dammit! I’m telling you, I’m just meeting this guy as a friend. Just a FRIEND. Cant you UNDERSTAND that?” Maria said angrily.

“Well then, why not invite him to your home and let your husband get to know him too? After all, like you say, he is just a friend, right?”

“Okay, shut up now Fozi. Don’t gimme this morality crap of yours. I get enough lectures anyway. There are my parents and then my husband and now even my maid,” Maria said.

“Maid? Now what does Maasi has to say about you? That seems new…” asked Fozia.

“Well, she is asking me to go ahead for a child.”

“You know, you should actually listen to her. How long you wanna wait? You need focus in your life, not romance,” said Fozia.

“Yaar, I don’t feel like it yet. I want to LIVE!”

“No Maria, you actually need to redefine the word ‘Life’,” Fozia said.

“Okay, tell you what, I need to go now. I’ll call you once I come back. Ok?” asked Maria.

“Yah all right. I know you don’t want any lectures. Well…tell me what if someone who knows you bumps into you while you are with that guy? You have any excuse to be where you are going?”

“Well, I’m meeting him in the lobby only and one can always bump into old time friends and that’s the excuse,” Maria said.

“And why you will be in the lobby, in the first place?” asked Fozia.

“Huh…? Damn! I didn’t think about THAT! Well, I’ll think of something on the way. I have already told Adnan that one of my friends is visiting Islamabad, though.”

“Okay, buddy. Best of luck then. Listen; don’t get too intimate, OK? Just get to know him. Don’t rush and NO meeting ALONE. You got me?” asked Fozia.

“Yah, Yah, Mama, I got you. Now Bye or I’ll be late.”

“Okay, bye. And do call me once you get back or incase of any problem. Bye,” said Fozia.

“Yah sure. Bye.”

Maria got up from her bed and checked herself one last time in the mirror.

She switched-off the PC and went downstairs and took the key of her red Nissan from the side table near the door.

“Maasi, I’m going to see a friend. I’ll be back in about three-four hours,” she shouted to the maid and without waiting for a reply stepped outside.



“What the hell is the matter with the traffic today?” Maria shouted when she saw a long line of cars in front of her blocking her way. “Damn!”

Then she remembered that she has not ringed Pervaiz up after leaving her house. She took her cell and gave him one ring. That settled, she waited impatiently for the jam to clear. It was just a 20 minutes drive from her home but the jam ate away all those minutes. She took her cell again and messaged Pervaiz.

“I’m going to be late. Jam. Wait for me.”

Finally, the jam cleared. Some foreign dignitary was in the area and all the roads leading to Hilton were blocked.

“What the hell they come here for? And why this government make our lives miserable, even if they come?” she shouted at the steering wheel while stepping on the accelerator.

She reached the Hilton at 12:30 P.M. and just as she was parking her car, she noticed the car parked right next to her.

“DAD!” she shouted, “What the hell dad is doing here? Goodness Me!” Why everyone is in my way, today?”

And then she saw her father coming out from the lift with four of his friends. She froze. And then realizing that she doesn’t have the right excuse to be where she is, she quickly backed out her car and sped towards the underground parking lot exit, missing the rendezvous just by seconds.

Back on the road she parked her car by the side of the road and sighed. From her car she could see the parking lot exit. She waited for her father’s car to leave the place.

After ten painful minutes she finally saw the black Pajero existing slowly and leaving the hotel. She turned her car around and went into the parking lot to park it.

Damn! I’m an hour late. He must be angry. Well, men should learn to wait anyway. She thought and smiled to herself, walking briskly toward the lift to go up to the lobby.

Once in the lobby she looked around. Her heart thumping. Cheeks flushed. A certain nervousness creeping inside her. She felt a little sick. Some voice inside her head told her that she shouldn’t be there, at that time.

She ignored the irritating voice. She had come and she must go through with it. It’s adventure. She sat down on the sofa looking around for any familiar face. A soft instrumental melody was playing on the internal speakers. Waiters and porters were busy in their jobs, walking smartly all over, wearing meticulous Hilton blue and white uniform, smiling to entering and leaving guests.

Her eyes were searching everywhere for Pervaiz. She tried to remember all the details of his picture. Trying to fit the features with the people present. She checked her cell but there were no messages at all. She put it back into her handbag.

“Mrs. Hassan! How nice to see you here.” A female voice called to her from her left side and she almost jumped, startled.

Facing the voice she saw the face of Adnan’s coworker’s wife whom she had met in a few functions, and have liked as well. But right now, she wished her name was in the book of the dead.

She got up and forced a smile on her lips.

“Salam, Mrs. Abrar. How are you? What a pleasant surprise!” she said, cursing the word, “pleasant.”

“Yah, Maria, long time, no see. How have you been?” Mrs. Abrar inquired without meaning to know how she actually has been.. With a social smile dangling on her well lipsticked lips she held Maria’s hand and sat down besides her.

“I’m fine, Sadia. Been a bit busy, lately. How are your hubby and son? I hope they are doing well?” asked Maria.

“Well, yes, they are fine. Very fine, actually. And they are all here to attend the engagement of my younger sister and you are invited. The whole thing has been arranged in a rush and I’m sorry I couldn’t send a formal invitation to you. I hope you’ll excuse me for that. Oh my God! I’m already so tired, making all the arrangements,” said Mrs. Abrar, sighing with the weight of the world on her small shoulders.

Maria was checking all the men in the lobby. No one with blue jeans and white shirt was present. No face even remotely resembling to the one she had in her mind was around her.

There was an elderly, European couple sitting on the far end of the lobby. Then there were three business men from somewhere in South East Asia sitting on another sofa on her right, apparently waiting for someone. There was a man, in his late forties sitting on another sofa to her left, trying to hold back a young child of about five years from running away to touch the exotic turban of the gatekeeper. No Pervaiz.

“You seem pale, Maria. Everything Okay?” asked Mrs. Abrar.

Maria was brought back from her inspection by Mrs. Abrar’s question.

“Oh yah, I’m fine. Perfectly fine. Just the heat, you know,” Maria replied and realized that it was rather chilly in there, although she had beads of sweat on her forehead..

“Well, Sadia, I’m in a hurry actually. I came here to see a friend and she can’t make it. So I’ll be off,” Maria said forgetting all about the engagement function she had just received.

“No, no, you can’t go just like that Maria. You are here, you have to join me in the function. We have invited a band to perform. My sister is leaving for UK by the evening flight and you must meet her also. You’ll like her. Come…” Mrs. Abrar got up, holding Maria’s left hand. The bangles jingled.

“What lovely bangles! Haiderabadi, aren’t they? Where did you get them? And look how perfectly they match your suit!” said Mrs. Abrar, admiringly.

Maria felt like taking the bangles off and throwing them on her face.

She again forced a smile and said, “Yah, they are Haiderabadi. Got them from a new shop in F-7. But I’m REALLY sorry; I can’t stay for the function. You’ll just have to excuse me. I’m in a hurry actually. Please pay my compliments and congrats to your sister. Bye. Now. I gotta go.”

She hurried off toward the main gate, feeling the bewildered glare of Mrs. Abrar’s eyes on her back.

The turbaned gatekeeper, on seeing her approach in a hurry, opened the door for her, bowing and smiling. She looked at him and smiled back nodding her head slightly. “Thank you,” she said softly and bumped straight into someone.

“MARIA! What are YOU doing here, honey?” Adnan said, recovering from the surprise and the jolt.

“YOU! uh…,” exclaimed Maria, trying to look for words.

“MY God! Maria. You are looking GORGEOUS!” Adnan was holding her hand and looking at her with a shockingly pleased look on his face.

“Did Mrs. Abrar call you too for her sister’s engagement? Well, I didn’t go to the site today and just took the day off and I’m sooooo glad, I did that,” he said, giving her a sly look.

She felt her blood rushing to her cheeks. Her hand trembled slightly in his hand.

“Ummm…well, I thought, it’s engagement function, so I should dress up a little. But I’m not really feeling well. I think, I should go back home. I have already met Mrs. Abrar and have taken my leave.”

“No, you are not going anywhere, honey. And I’m not going to attend this boring function either. But you just stay here and DON’T move. I’ll be back in jiffy. Okay?” he asked.

“Yah sure. I’m here,” said Maria, in a more controlled voice.

The moment Adnan left, she took out her cell from her dark blue, Gucci leather handbag again.

No messages from Pervaiz! Has he died or what? She wondered, or is he right here, trying to find me. What if he spots me and comes over? What do I tell Adnan? The questions whirled in her head. She leaned back against the polished glass door feeling her legs trembling.

Then she realized that she never sent him her picture and she let out a sigh of relief. She dialed his number, thinking that she would explain that she can’t make it.

No response from the other side. Just a computerised voice asking her to leave a message.

She switched-off her cell and put it back in the handbag.

Somehow, she was glad she never met him. But what if Mrs. Abrar told Adnan that she invited her AFTER she had seen her in the lobby? She felt a sudden sinking feeling in her stomach.

And there was Adnan coming toward her again. She held herself together and smiled. Adnan took her hand and led her toward the lift, gently, without saying a word.

“Where are we going?” she inquired.

“To the room,” he said.

“Room? What room? Why?” she asked, confused.

“You’ll know soon,” he said, staring right into her eyes.

Does he know? But how could he know? Did he talk to Mrs. Abrar? Did she tell him anything? Of course, he must have gone to excuse himself from the function. He must have met Mrs. Abrar and she must have told him how she had just met me and had invited me AFTER…. She leaned against the steel back wall of the lift. It felt cold to her back. She felt a little better. She wanted to look at Adnan’s face and figure out what is he up to. Does he suspect anythingt? But his back was toward her.

The lift stopped at the 7th floor and Adnan took her hand and stepped out on the red carpeted floor. Turning left he went straight to Room No. 743 and took out the electronic door key and using it, opened the door.

“Why are we here, Adnan?” she asked him, stopping just inside the door.

The door closed behind her, locking itself, with a mechanical click.

Adnan turned and faced her. He was absolutely quite.

“Adna…nnn…”

“ShhhhhR 30;…..Quite! You have talked enough and so have I. No more talking now.” He put his right index finger on her mouth and whispered into her ears.

Then with a graceful, unforeseen, quick gesture, he bent down and picked her up in his arms.

She let out a surprised cry.

Adnan took her to the bed and lowered her gently on to the white cotton sheets of the huge bed. And still holding her tight against his chest he kissed her mouth. Wildly, passionately, he sucked her lips, eating them, tasting every pore of those luscious lips.

Maria felt a wave of passion filled heat traveling through her veins, making her dizzy. Her body shuddered. She gasped for air and pulling on Adnan’s hair kissed him back…



Three hours later, there were two spent, naked bodies lying diagonally on the bed, breathing heavily, locked into each other’s arms. Clothes were strewn all over the room. Blue pieces of two broken bangles could be seen on the bed near the pillow.

Maria opened her eyes and slid out from under Adnan’s arm slowly. Sitting up on the bed, leaning against the raised pillows she pulled the white, damp bed sheet up and looked at her husband and felt a sudden rush of love for him. She let her fingers play with his hair, stroking them, twisting them, twirling them. Then she said in a dazed voice, “Adnan, honey, I think it’s time we should make some babies. Don’t you think so?”

Adnan, surprised, turned around to face her. “You serious Maria? Tell me you are not kidding,” he asked.

Maria looked into his eyes and smiled. “No, I’m not kidding. I think I need focus in my life and a child would just fit in nicely. By the way, how many children you want?”

At least a dozen!” Adnan exclaimed and then burst into laughter.

“WHAT! No way! Maaaan!” said Maria, playfully throwing a punch on Adnan’s naked butt.

“Ouch!” Adnan flinched. “Okay, okay, Fine. Two is all right with me but why the hell are you punching my ass? Is it your punching bag or something?”

Maria froze.

“How do you mean Punch…?” Maria shut her mouth suddenly.

“How do I mean what, honey?” asked Adnan.

“Oh, nevermind. So, two children. Deal?” asked Maria forcing a smile and looking searchingly into Adnan’s eyes, trying to get an answer to her real question.

Adnan looked into her eyes and with a sly smile playing on his lips pulled her down. “Yah, it’s a deal provided we get started right away,” he nibbled on her earlobe, making a mental note to himself to throw away the Karachi mobile SIM card as soon as he gets the chance.