Doctor, Can You Give Me Something for the Pain?

Very funny and yet so touching! There is a spontaneity to your writing which is very original.

They all show up - a mad Mullah, a hot Hizra, a ``helping`` hubby, an dirty dhobi, and a rascally rickshaw-driver. I think that the ladies of Pakistan indeed have a very FULL life!

Good luck with that driver`s license. Don`t get into any accidents! You may run into a crooked cop!

[....ball bearings, and everyone knows they always roll in the right direction should you care to chop and toss.]
Ball bearings actually can roll both ways, indeed!

[......First chance I get, I’ll whisk her off to one of those new cafes, where reality doesn’t go because it can’t afford the cappuccino.]

You wouldn`t be making a sly reference to our Editor here, would you? (Evil grin)

Shandana,

Such a collage, different forms creating a new whole. A dhobi, infants/toddlers, bearded Mullahs, a harrassed Gori, a driver, the water man ... and a hijhra to bind them all together ... lol.

Good work.

this was simply wonderful and a joy to read, even though misogyny is a malignant disease that infects most men (and increasingly, women) in pakistan ............

Shandana:
Excellent piece. Equality of genders in Islamic context is superbly described in: ``They are equal in a way that man and woman can never be.``
Mohammad Gill

``First chance I get, I’ll whisk her off to one of those new cafes, where reality doesn’t go because it can’t afford the cappuccino.``

Actually, this reminds me of seeing reality working in one of those fancy cafes. And when this girl`s shift was over - i saw her donning a proper hijab and a proper burqa over her fashionable cafe-outfit before she took off. It is always amusing to see how in-your-face, the whole class-circus gets on a karachi street.

great piece.

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Re: # 10

ms. nadia,

...... i apologize for criticizing your unique and beautiful use of the language - i guess i had too much coffee this morning .........

Shandana
Wonderful article. You really brought images to life.

loved the article as always

A

Ms Minhas,
Do you know that your ancesstors were Sikhs at some point in history?

Good article though!!

Very nice read and humorous. Made me smile many times.

seems like standard procedure in Pakistani upper class to escape realty by slipping into Cappuccino Cafe or DD?:-) [nothing wrong with that...I usually escape reality by logging on to internet:-) ]

The solution is simple: discharge the sexual tension in our society. Open bars, clubs and beaches. Encourage women to get out of the house, encourage them more strongly to wear provocative dresses, encourage pre/extra-marital sex, and watch how our misogynistic society turns into a liberal haven in less than one generation. The trick is to overload the senses of the male half of the population and banalize sex and sexuality to the point that it becomes boring. Then, no woman will be harassed, as there will be no need to harass; it will be more in line with the free-market economic principles and we will have a supply-side situation.

Regards,
Irfan.

PS: Only one thing I disagree with in this article, and that is the assertion that women are somehow paid lesser wages in Pakistan.

Delhiwala: what is this keeRa in your aaa...mind? hain? do you do that in reality also? walk upto people and comment on their ancestory in a accusing or suggestive manner?

Shandana Minhas, {``...the list of situations where my gender is actually an advantage in my homeland, it still seems to be a very short list. A very very short list. ... Pay bills in separate line, yep, that’s a good one.``}

Shandana,
I really enjoyed reading this article. I like your unique style of building up a scene and then suddenly deflating it with a thunderous sound of mundane mediocrity. You did it so beautifully with the opening of your article, then the interaction with the driver - only to end it with your possession of a learner`s permit. :) LOL - that was really funny.

As for the advantages of being a male, one of the few ones that I can honestly be glad about is the ability to urinate standing upright. I feel so fortunate when I look at the long lines of females waiting for relief at major sporting events and at theaters.

As for the profane rickshawalla, your friend E should have responded ``You can`t and that is why you drive a rickshaw.`` Keep writing, my fellow Karachiite, you are very good at it.

One way to come to terms with `eve-teasing` is by acknowledging economic disparity. The O-A levels vs peela school; MTV audience vs pushto film connoisseurs; rural migrants to the urban sprawl vs expatriates coming home. All this translates to different sensitivities towards genders.

There is no gods-given right to flash your lifestyle and preferences when the people around you feel deprived. They are not social misfits, just regular folks reacting to the enlightened `THumkas` around them.