Singled out

I was there at family wedding last month and without any rhyme or reason I was given more attention than the bride and groom. Wow… why this unsolicited attention and glare of publicity? Was it because of my flaming dressing style, fragrant Hugo cologne, or scruffy model look? It was none of the above, but my single hood that brought me uninvited trouble.

Limelight always comes with a price -invasion of privacy. Without any invite Mamis’ gravitated around me and raped my happiness at the social gathering. There I was wiggling like an innocent prey caught in their powerful talons. To these birds of prey single hood meant an irreversible curse and leper in the society. On the pretext of free food they began verbally harassing my parents on the subject of my marriage. My single hood was painted to be the worst tragedy that could ever hit my family. I realized it is never safe and happy to be single and near the hornets nest, these married women can strike without being provoked.

Are single people country bumpkins? There I was outside a popular local bar with a friend on a Saturday night for a good conversation over the few drinks and our entry was denied. Well groomed, well dressed and with proper footwear yet our entry was denied and I was puzzled. when I asked them why and they slapped the door on my face and answered in two words “Only couples”. How rude can it get in the city?

Do we need a SEZ for single people? I got busy on a Sunday morning skimming through the classifieds section of the newspaper for house rentals. When I called the owners the first qualifier that I had to clear was a question on my status – married or single? They hung up the every moment I was single, I had more to finish the sentence, but there was none at the other end. Why can’t single people rent? Are we terrorist who target marriages? Are we outcast in the society?

Single? then take the first row! The harassment continued from wedding, the bar and not at the cinema hall. There I was at the booking counter at the popular cinema hall in the city demanding a seat in the back row. They promptly replied “only couples”. I just asked for a back row seat, but they looked at me like a sinner demanding a seat in the heaven. I was again made to feel unhappy and ashamed of my single status. Is it Sin being single?

Desperately in need of a break from the unfriendly city and its boorish people I headed out to meet the travel agent for a getaway. He briefed me on the package and options , but I realized I need to pay more to go on a vacation by myself. Every opportunity missed and used comes with a price and single people always tend to pay extra.

Is it a curse being single in this city? From gatherings to bars to rentals to movie halls to vacations it is unfair and I was singled out and discriminated. May be I am better of being widowed or divorced than being single in this city. It is sad to be SINgle in this city.