It was Ugadi morning., I wore a saree.
A little nervous, a little proud too.
Booked a Rapido for office,
Festival morning, busy roads.
The road felt a little uneasy,
Too many eyes, too much noise.
Hands holding onto balance,
My mind is drifting elsewhere.
And then
one stare stayed.
He's not too young, not too old.
Eyes refusing to look away.
That moment felt uncomfortable.
Chest filled with awkward silence.
Not anger, just a quiet hurt.
And then a question came.
Is it the same with all men?
Somewhere inside, I knew it wasn’t.
Because my life has shown me
something very different.
In my life exist
some very beautiful men.
Not lovers, not heroes,
just genuinely kind humans.
Men who stay awake
till I reach hostel safely,
even when they feel sleepy,
their care never sleeps.
Men who quietly wait
outside my hostel gate,
until I message them,
“I reached my room.”
Men who walk beside me
on dark, silent roads,
not questioning my freedom,
just protecting my safety.
Men who come pick me
if I travel late at night,
drop me back carefully,
and leave without making it a moment.
Men who finish their work,
yet don’t leave the office early,
they quietly sit beside me
till I complete my work.
Not because they must,
not because I asked,
just to make sure
I am not alone.
Men who call again
after reaching their homes,
just to hear softly,
“I reached the hostel safely.”
Their concern feels warm,
like a protective blanket.
Not control, not dominance,
just pure human care.
Because of men like them,
I still trust kindness.
I still believe goodness
lives in many hearts.
Maybe that’s why
such moments hurt deeper,
when some older men
choose disrespectful glances.
Sometimes, strangely these days,
young boys feel safer,
but some grown men
forget simple human decency.
Still, my heart holds deep
gratitude for the men
who never let me feel
unsafe in this world.
Because of men like them,
The world still feels gentle.
And every woman deserves
to feel safe in it.
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