No. 11 – My Friend Janey

By Nandhini G. Natarajan

 

Of fourteen children,

my friend Janey is the twelfth.

Seven older brothers tell her

where to go, what to do.

Janey says yes,

and does what she wants.

 

She tells me that in college,

I have to party.

Inexperienced,

I completely agree.

I live in a strict dorm.

She tells me to lie

so I can be late.

Her brother Jerry,

the oldest and strictest says,

Do not stay long.

Returning, do not use the deserted fields

as a shortcut.

Janey does both.

I plead and beg,

I have a healthy fear of Jerry.

He is elsewhere, she assures me,

At another party.

 

We cross the field,

I am sure we will be murdered.

if not by someone in the fields,

definitely by her brother.

Suddenly Janey notices Jerry’s car

On the road, around the fields.

Run, she urges.

We hike our sarees

and run.

Jerry stops where he can

intercept us,

and turns on the high beams.

We can be clearly seen,

but panic-stricken

we continue running

and laughing

hysterically.

 

The next day, Jerry shows

their family

the pictures he took.

Fortunately, all that is visible

are the four legs

and two sets of teeth

in the dark.