Unexpected Camaraderie

She was peeking through the window of her home that opened to the roadside. It was a small town that had grown massively in recent years due to lawlessness and unemployment in the province’s remote and rural areas. It was still like a model village, with most residents having settled there from rural areas, leading to a very traditional lifestyle.

In this town, interactions between men and women were culturally prohibited. No woman was allowed to talk to a man who wasn't a family member, and women couldn't go outside without wearing a burqa.

The atmosphere was chilly. She felt the cold at 10 o’clock. Standing and looking at the road, which was almost empty and quiet, she was lost in her thoughts. Actually, she was thinking about her husband, who was out with his friends and not expected back until midnight. The solitude weighed on her; she, as a woman, was not permitted to go out and socialize like men, nor could she even visit neighboring homes for chats with other women.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw two men appearing in the dim lights on the roadside. From their attire, they seemed to be laborers, perhaps returning home after completing their work. Both were strolling close towards her window, chatting and laughing, seemingly relieved after a day of labor. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips, and a spark of spontaneous mischief ignited within her. As the laborers approached near her window, she called out to them, “Brother, O brother, listen! Hey, here.”

The laborers halted abruptly, their eyes scanning the vicinity to locate the source of the unexpected voice. Spotting the young woman at the window, they exchanged puzzled glances. In this conservative town, such interactions between men and women were rare, even frowned upon.

One of the laborers, a stout man with weathered hands and a warm smile, cautiously approached the window. "Yes, madam? Did you call us?"

She nodded, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Could I trouble you for a cigarette?"

“Cigarette? Oh! Yes! Yes!” they both fumbled, rarely encountering such requests from women, especially in such a direct manner. After a moment of hesitation and surprise, they both managed to pull out their cigarette packs from their pockets. One had a Gold Flake brand, and the other had cheaper cigarettes.

"Um, you have Gold Flake! Nice, give me one," she said. "But wait, I'll come to the door since the window is finely netted.” She replied with a grin, disappearing from the window momentarily.

In seconds, she swung open the front door, greeted by the amused grins of the laborers. The younger one stretched out his hand, offering the Gold Flake cigarette. She took it, gesturing gratitude, "Thank you, gentlemen, Enjoy your time!" Both nodded and happily strolled ahead laughing. She stayed at the door to gauge their expressions about this event. The laborer who had given her the cigarette was patted by the other warmly. "Brother, you've earned extra means today, glory to thee!" and both burst into massive laughter echoing in the chill. She also joined in their laughter while being behind the door, her heart filled with warmth.

As she closed the door and returned to her window with a lit cigarette in her fingers, she couldn't help but smile. Tonight, despite her husband's absence, she had found a moment of warmth and camaraderie, which was unlikely in their surroundings.

"This is a translation from the Sindhi language. The story was written by Shabir Nizamani, a renowned short story writer. I have made some edits and revisions."