Things That Bang

It was just another day at the Kolkata race course, sunny, breezy and warm enough for me to lose my inhibitions and walk into the area where people placed their bets with the bookies. There were men all around and before my instincts could kick into gear I was grabbed- by the shoulders and moved.

I turned and looked at an old dude who moved past and thought- ok! that was for a first for me. A few seconds later I was grabbed again by the shoulders and moved by yet another old dude who smiled and said- You are in the way.

No butt pinching, no deliberate bumping, rubbing or general nasty molestation type behavior happened. People behaved as civilized people should despite the fact that there were people of all strata. There was a certain high in the air, some may call it a gambling high but in general it seemed as if people were there to admire horse flesh not female flesh.

I won two bets, had some spicy oily pav bhaji and felt quite congenial towards the men who came to gamble. Funny, I am safer at the race course than at the temples where butt pinching is the done norm.

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