My House My Room

“Where is the door Angel?” I asked her surprised.

“Door? Why do you need it?” She asked even more surprised.

“What about my privacy and my belongings?” I asked.

“Privacy? Everything is common here and here no one is interested in what is going on in some one else’s life. Don’t worry; no one will even peek in your room.” She said as she tried to push me in my room.

“But at least girls should have a door. Even you don’t have one.” I said as I entered my room.

“We never required it but I guess I need to talk to Sir Lemo about it as you are my neighbor now” She paused and winked at me. It bought a smile on my face as well.

She continued, “Your towel and clothes are kept there and that small area is your washroom area. You bathe and attend nature’s call there and only there. Not against anybody’s wall. Now get ready quickly and we will then go for dinner.”

And she left me alone. I was standing inside a 15 x 20 feet room which is my home for today or may be forever. The inner crust of the planet was used as ceiling, with small holes at random distances which allowed air and light to come in. There was no fan; probably the holes functioned as cooling agents also by letting the breeze in. Two boxes identical to the ones I had seen attached to the PTI door when I first opened it were there. But they were not emitting light. On close inspection of the box, I found that there were hundreds of fireflies inside them. So it was actually them emitting light and doing the work of tube light. Great thinking by people here. It was now certain that electricity was not here.

I needed to get fresh so decided to have a bath. Firstly felt ashamed of taking my clothes off in front of the open door but then hardly anyone was noticing me or my room. Everyone seemed busy, maybe for the dinner. The towel given to me by Angel was actually a jute fabric cloth and the clothes, which too were made of jute, were the same as everyone was wearing, a barber gown and a long skirt. I stepped inside the bathing area, which was at the extreme corner of the room and marked by large sized stones. For bathing, olive oil was there and a water pipe was hanging from the ceiling in the same way as was there in Sir Lemo’s Earthlings Information Center. I sucked it and water started flowing out. I had heard of olive oil bath before but tried it out first time and it was blissful. It just did wonders to my skin; no doubt Angel was the way she was. I got ready but remained barefoot as others. Now wanted to be a part of them.

I stepped out of my room and onto the wooden flooring in the by lane, it was clean and shining. There was no need for any shoes or slippers. Looked around, people seemed busy but still they found time to wish me, not like in our world where we are so busy that at times we don’t even wish our parents in the morning. Angel was not to be seen and I avoided peeking into her room or else she will surely get a door put up . I was waiting for a girl to come by so that I could ask her to call Angel out. At that moment, I saw Aunt Fenu coming towards her room with another lady.

“Excuse me, Hi Aunt Fenu. Hope you remember me, I met you outside Earthlings Information Center, I am from Earth.” I said as I tried to get her attention.

“O, hello dear! Yes I do remember you, everyone here knows you. So how has your experience been here? Can I help you in any way?” She said with a smile on her face.

“The experience has been overwhelming and I am loving every bit of it.” I replied back with a bigger smile.

“Yeah I can see that. You look good in juteons. I mean the dress you are wearing, we call it juteons.” She said pointing to my skirt and barber gown.

“Well thanks for that but can you please call Angel out. She said she will take me for dinner but I see no signs of her.” I said.

“Why don’t you check her out, I hope you know she lives just next to you.” She said with an element of surprise.

“Yes, I do know but felt awkward to just enter her room. She might be doing something personal.” I said shrugging my shoulders.

“Oh come on Gurpreet, don’t feel shy. All this is normal here. You need to get used to it and do your own work, or you will keep waiting for others. Go on.” She said with a small laugh and left to enter her home.

 How can I enter a girl's room just like that? She could be in any state, bathing, sleeping,changing! This is not what I have been taught but shall I become a part of them and do as they say? After all I have to LIVE with them, but that is not morally correct. Big dilemma!!!  What do you do...be true to your principles and morals or go with the tide?