Night Run

THE NIGHT RUN
- BASED ON A REAL LIFE INCIDENT


DISCLAIMER:
ALL THE CHARACTERS EMPLOYED IN THIS STORY ARE NOT FICTITIOUS.
EVERYONE IS PURELY EXISTENT.


3rd AUGUST, 08

22:17 hrs
And then, I alighted from the bus with a bountiful of hazy thoughts. I was becoming mad. Two other Co-passengers got alongside with me at the bus stop. As soon as I got down, I stood for a moment, trying to act sane, when my eyes automatically got itself transfixed at a black dog feeding her newborn puppies; the puppies were so god damn adorable. They were merrily playing with their Mom, gnawing her hair gently. I thought for a second to go and molly-coddle them. But, the mother dog’s fierceful nature terrorized me. There was a glint in its eyes which plainly stated “if anyone dares to come anywhere near my children, I’ll make mince-meat outta ya”. That dog, reminded me of the sacrifices that each and every mother in this world would make for her children; for them to live; to survive. It was a sight to behold. Tearing my eyes from such a lovely scene, thus, I walked in my Gray variegated T-Shirt and a Black Jeans. Whistling my favorite Eminem number, I entered my colony, to be greeted by an amicable security. Wishing him a gentle good night, I just turned and started continuing my walk, when I found myself tripping on a stone. But, blessed with my natural ability to react quickly, I prevented myself from falling down and breaking my teeth on a terrain which is as similar to the one that I found en route to Kedarnath. Needless to say, the ground is pock- marked with hard stones projecting like sharks’ teeth. Then, regaining my composure, I looked in a direction exactly perpendicular and saw our colony Vinayagar. It was then that I realized why such a thing had happened. I promised when I reach home safely, I would chant His name thrice in His presence before actually going to my home. But, I forgot it altogether as my mind was chock a blocked with a matrix of thoughts which drove this trivial but essential thing out of my mind. I, a spiritual follower rather than a religious believer, found this as an act of Divine Intervention, to remind me of the commitment that I made to Him. I offered my salutations and thanked Him for His gratitude in saving US from THEM. After sometime, I started retracing my steps to my apartment, when all of a sudden, the torrents of the nights’ events were been flooded open like a bursting dam…

19:32 hrs
It was a usual ritual for me to accompany my Sis to the Central Railway Station whenever she makes home for the weekends and today was no different. My Mom was frantically shouting at me to have dinner as it was getting late for her train. I was actually in the middle of a singing spree (was singing ASS LIKE THAT song at that time) when I had to close Windows Media Player and then shut down my Alexandria. Opening the door, I went to the hall where my Sis was watching some channel on TV; I snatched the remote from her hands and changed the channels randomly. It then rested (nay!!! I fixed that channel…I should say) on Kalaignar TV where a magic show was being telecasted. Seeing that, my sis and I started recounting to Mom about the magic show which happened the day before in Benz Park (my Mom could not make it because of a sore tooth). We couldn’t continue further as we were both glued to the TV.

19:39 hrs
Engrossed in the magic he performed, we did not eat even a single morsel of our food and gotten ourselves into the wrong side of our Mom. She threatened to switch off the TV if we did not eat quickly. But, then, she had her reasons. It was about to rain and my extra sensory perceptive nose could smell the freshness of rain in the air. So, acceding to her wish, we ate and at the same time, the guy finished conjuring his magic on TV. It was classy brilliant.

19:48 hrs
After completing our dinner, it was time for us to disperse. I was the last to step out of my house as it took me 3 solid minutes(a Guinness record…I should say….as I usually take more than 15 minutes)to comb my unkempt hair. As my Mom ere a magic show was beenHERnly rembered t hairep out of mu houseshow which happenend was about to lock the door, I suddenly remembered that I forgot to take FALSE IMPRESSION by JEFFREY ARCHER which I could read on my return journey to home. Grumbling under her breath, I caught words like “it is getting late for train”, she opened the door again and thrusted the book in my hands which I promptly kept it in my sis baggage for want of being devoid of carrying a luggage.

19:54 hrs
As I descended the stairs, his trick was still replayed in my mind. Finally, I reached the bottom of the stairs and started adjusting my hair again (the trick completely disappearing from my thoughts) on seeing a rear-view mirror in a Kinetic Honda. In the mean time, both my Mom and Sis got past me and started shouting at me. I adjusted my hair for one last time (as usual it didn’t stay still) and started following them. As soon as I caught up with them, I once again got reprimanded by my Mom for being such a lazy guy as I wasn’t carrying anything. Grudgingly, I was forced to carry a bag (a very heavy one) while my Sis was going in front of me like a little Red Riding Hood with her handbag dangling from her shoulders.

19:57 hrs
We were about to take the last step out of our colony when a bus suddenly loomed into our view. Straining my eyes to see what bus it was, I heard my sis catching hold of my hand and saying “that’s 17d. Come fast”. DRAT!!!As a kid, I prided on my eyesight very much. I could see a vehicle’s license plate clearly and say the numbers perfectly even if the vehicle is a kilometer away. But now…oh brother!! Everything is upside-down. Thinking thus, I started running (my Sis already near the bus ), carrying that burly heavy bag, panting like a dog, when suddenly, out of nowhere, I felt my intuition saying to me that something bad is gonna happen.

19:59 hrs
My Sis halted the bus for a few seconds to give me time to board the bus (to hell with the bus drivers!!! They do anything if a girl asks them something…and that too…if they say the magic word ….”Please”….that’s it…then the world’s the limit for them). As soon as I got into the bus, my intuition was hyper-ventilating. That was the instant when I knew that something flagrant was really going to happen.

20:02 hrs
The conductor, with his usual airy way, was asking the other passengers “for tickets”. He came to us and asked tickets in the usual manner. My Sis (seated next to the window) was about to take money from her little black purse, when I interjected her and said that I’ll get tickets for both. Saying thus, I asked the conductor to give “2 tickets for Central” and reached for my t-shirt pocket. But, to my horror, my pocket gave me a big bulb. I usually will have some change in my pocket. But, this time, it had only air. And I couldn’t reach to my purse quickly either. Seeing my situation, my Sis saved my face by paying the money. But, afterwards, she made a mockery outta me. Everything seemed calm and halcyon till then.

20:09 hrs
As usual, we were chewing the fat; speaking about all the “vetti” things when a man came and occupied the seat infront of us (to be succinct, infront of my Sis) like any other passenger. He kept his hands on the railing of the seat and turned back and started to look at me. I was chatting with my Sis, thinking that guy was waiting for the conductor to get his ticket. But, then, I noticed that he already had a ticket in his right hand. That startled me.

20:11hrs
In the mean time, my Sis took notice that this guy was obviously watching us only for some reason and ushered me to keep silent for sometime. I complied with her wishes and was watching KKNAGAR in a new light as if was new to the place. Then also, that guy was watching me. ME ONLY, not even my Sis. But, I noticed him giving a look to my Sis’s little purse which she kept it in her hands.

20:12 hrs
I was feeling very awkward as that guy was continuously staring at me for no reason. I lost my patience and was about to get myself indulged in a brawl with MR.BADGUY (that was the name I kept him)…BG for short, when my Sis, sensing my intentions, gave a surreptitious glance which I construed as” don’t u dare do anything silly. He is drunk. And might be exactly what he is looking for also. Just keep mum and we will see what he is upto”. With all my self-control, I was able to restrain myself from not doing anything rash. As I couldn’t do anything, I decided its pack back time. I too started to look at MR.BG.

20:15hrs
Just as I was about to look at him, I caught him saying these words” I’ll see till how much u two won’t speak”. The moment, I heard him saying these words, I started speaking whatever came to my mind to my Sis, rattling at a non-stop speed, without taking my eyes from MR.BG even for a single moment. It was then; I came to know what MR.BG was exactly like. A somewhat old guy. Around 50 years old. Fair. But, his most striking feature was his eyes. They were lucid and strikingly bold. Beneath his hidden layers of cornea, I could read desperation of some sort in his eyes; a yearning; a longing for something which he had solely missed in his yesteryears. But, just when I started to feel some sort of compassion for him (bewitched by his mesmerization…I should say), MR.BG started signaling with his hands to someone which alarmed both my Sis and I.

20:17 hrs
Blistering barnacles!! Was the first reaction that hit me when MR. BG started signaling his accomplice (MR.BG1) who was seated right behind me. The fact that MR.BG1 sat behind me was given by my Sis. When the bus turned in a turn, she saw to whom was the signal given and who reacted to it. At that moment, a girl, a very beautiful girl, in a Pink T-shirt and a Blue Jeans boarded the bus with a tube light in her hand. If it had been any other situation, I would have been watching her only if it hadn’t been for the seriousness of the situation .She had the right aesthetic assets at the rightful places. Well… I meant her eyes, ears…nothing more or nothing less than that!!! She was looking as if she had been sculptured by a fine architect. GAWD!! I couldn’t take my eyes off her .But, then, the full intensity of the situation came into existence and ashamed of myself, I had a sudden plan in mind. I thought of paying her and purchasing the tube light from her, incase things get out of hand. But, as luck would have been, she got down right at the next stop. We were in a total loss as we couldn’t complain to anyone. For one, even if we do, these two guys would surely rant saying they didn’t do anything and get away with it and then follow their usual torpor. We were in a complete fix as to what plan of action we have to adopt to escape from these two guys.

20:19 hrs
The conductor, in his deep-throated voice piped “Valluvar Kottam” and there was a clutter of noise, as many people swarmed the footsteps like a hoard of hyenas. There were some seats available now. And I slightly hinted my Sis so that we shift our positions. In a flash, I moved 3 seats before him and my Sis occupied a ladies’ seat diagonally to me, giving him no time react. But, to my dismay, I found that the person next to me was also drunk. Then, a new spasm of fear clenched my heart“Could this guy be also a part of the gang??” When I started to work on this new concept, I saw BG s’ standing up in their places and having a look at me. I was able to see them through the rear view mirror. As I was thinking what am gonna do next, two women came and woke up the guy next to me and all three got down at the next stop. So, one problem down. But, two to go.

20:22 hrs
As soon as the two guys pried on me, I gave my Sis a sly look and mouthed at her as to what she had thought to deal with these two guys once we get down. She replied something .But, in the din of the noise made by the bus, I couldn’t understand her. But, then, we weren’t brothers’ and sisters’ for nothing. She gave me a fleeting look which said everything; that she had obviously watched the guys eyeing me and also she had a plan in hand. It was here, I sorely missed a very lethal weapon – The Pepper Can spray!!

20:24 hrs
Knowing that my Sis had finally got a foolproof plan, I felt safe for the first time since I gotten myself into this bus. The cool breeze outside disheveled my, already blown out of proportion, hair. The driver turned back and gave a scorching glance at me when I tried to level my hair (the rear view mirror was right in front of me). Seeing his murderous look, I kept my hand on the window sill and was doing what am damn good at… losing myself in thoughts!!! The breeze was now blowing harder and brushing my face with quite a bit of force. Nevertheless, it was soothing and made me forget of the perilous situation I was in, at that instantaneous moment of time.

20:29 hrs
Some disturbance on the left hand side made me turn left. Then, I saw the red coated building with its tower pointing up, looking tall and handsome, zooming into my view. We were the reaching the climax of this adventure, though not knowing whether we were going to be the hunters or the hunted. My Sis got up from her seat and made her way towards the exit. I did the same too. With a covertous look, I looked up at both the guys as to what they were doing. One was coming towards our entrance and the other going towards the other. Seeing them, I asked my Sis what plan she held in mind. She gave me a weapon which was unparalleled in history. It was the weapon of all weapons .Not even the terrorists could resist the injuries borne by that weapon. She handed me the most destructive device that mankind had ever found…. A Safety Pin!!

20:30 hrs
As the bus was coming to a halt, our pulses were rising. I could feel my heart pumping a lot of adrenaline which made me blanched with fear. When the driver was about to apply the brakes, she told me to prick them anywhere I like with the bio-weapon, incase they try to do something funny when we get down. Nodding my head, with fear cowering from head to toe, I prayed to The First of All Gods- Lord Ganesha, to be an angel and safeguard us.

20:31 hrs
MR.BG1 was already on the last footstep of the other exit and gave us very cagey looks. Finally, the bus screeched to a stop. And immediately, without any hesitation, we did the one thing that sounded logical to both of us…RUN. We ran as we had never run before in our life, sending people flying out of our way and then what I saw made my heart stop and jump with glee..POLICEMEN. On that day, the entire Railway Station was swarming with policemen as there was a hoax bomb threat. Now, it didn’t matter even if those guys followed us as we were in a haven of safety for the time being. Regaining our breaths back, we looked back to see were the BG’s where. It was my Sis who spotted them and showed me their hiding place. Now, I saw them too; both of them lurking behind a car. Obviously, they followed us. But on seeing the policemen, they came to a grinding halt and were discussing something (as to what they were gonna do next…I presumed).

20:34 hrs
We made a very slow walk to the platform ticket counter. By then, the rain had started. Drenching, we reached the counter. But, the sight in front of me made me despondent. People were thronging to get a platform ticket and there was a very long queue, going probably up to half a kilometer. I was actually amazed. Usually, the ticket counter would be free and I would check-in and get myself ticket with ease. But, today, the police were checking and only then, all the individuals were allowed inside. That explained why our people were getting tickets.

20:40 hrs
Soaked to skin, at last, I managed to get a ticket. As soon as I got the ticket, I enquired my Sis whether she saw them anywhere in our vicinity. The reply was positive. But, I knew they wouldn’t dare to come behind us into the Railway Station. Once the initial check-ups were over, we made our way to the usual platform where her usual train resides always… no: 3. Tired with all the running, I got myself a Pepsi from the near-by cafeteria shop. Slowly, but steadily, we were walking when my Sis told to expect trouble when I step out of the Railway Station. Quietly, I gave an OK. Finally, we reached her destined compartment and went through the passenger list if her name was there. Seat no: 22.Vasudha.V. She got in first and went to occupy her seat. I got in behind her and saw a mirror. There ought to be no guesses as to what I would have done after that.

20:46 hrs
I made my way to seat number 22, when my Sis asked me what was I doing till then. When I told her as to what I did, her friend, Ram, started to kalasify me. After the initial kalasals, he was telling me how he acquired the new cell phone for my Sis in Bangalore and other stories happened to him. Hearing those stories, I was totally in stitches. And then, suddenly, my Sis reminded me that it was getting late and that, I should get going. Taking the book from her bag, Ram and I gave a couple of poses to her new camera. Feeling it was already too late, I bade goodbye to both of them. Both of them said goodbye and my Sis told me to give a call as soon as I reach home. And the parting word from my Sis was to be on vigil. Not a very good sign, I surmised.

20:54 hrs
Throwing the Pepsi cup in the litter, I made my descent to the exit. My total body was out of the station .At the same time, I was out of reach of the policemen when I felt my heart pumping blood quickly and I started to feel the familiar chasm of fear. Just like a deer sensing the presence of a predator in the wildlife, I sensed danger. I saw MR.BG1 staring at me with a cell phone in his hand. Seeing him, I made a dash to the subway as I had no other alternative. Speaking to someone on his cell phone, he followed. Normally, I don’t walk one by one on the stairs. Usually, it is two or three. But, today, I was actually jumping 4 stairs at a time and in 4 bounds, I reached the floor of the subway, when MR.BG1 was only half-way down the stairs.

20:57 hrs
Reaching the bottom, stopping and thinking whether to handle him like how Maddy handles the rowdies in the shutter scene in “RUN”, when the Fate shows their hand here. MR.BG, with another new guy, was coming from the stairs, antithetical to the one I descended. It gave me creepers to just look at MR.BG2. He was unlike either of the two guys. He was the perfect paradigm for a criminal. Now, I was at a loss. One person… I could handle with my hands and legs (safety pin safely forgotten). Two...Three…well…I ain’t a KungFu Panda.

20:58 hrs
MR.BG1 was closing the gap between him and me. And so were the other guys. Left with no other choice, cursing the subway as it was completely desolate, once again, I ran. I thought they wouldn’t be fast enough to catch me. But, I was proved wrong. MR.BG2 was running like a hare and came very near me, when I abruptly stopped.

21:00 hrs
I felt someone racing me, but the saying “Fate changes a persons’ fortunes very quickly” proved to be exactly right in my case. A policeman was on his beat and descending the stairs, when I came face to face with him. I stopped abruptly and turned to see who that fastest pursuer was…It was MR.BG2 who was running so sprightly. All three of them stopped in their tracks and started to retreat when they saw me raising up my finger and pointing them to the policeman.

21:02 hrs
He enquired me as to what those 3 guys were doing after me. I said, pointing my fingers at them, that I don’t know them and told that they were probably joggers and saying thus, I started to ascend. I don’t know what made me to lie, but, I wanted to give them a chance to redeem themselves. Also, these guys gave me a very good pulsating adventure (which I won’t forget until my last breath) which made me forgive them.

21:04 hrs
I climbed the top of the stairs when I saw all three of them looking at me from the bottom. O gad…. Here we go again…I started once again to run, scolding myself with all the bad words in dictionary, as I was the reason to give them another opportunity to chase me again. I thought, seeing the police officer, they would go away silently and not disturb me, but turn a new leaf as I didn’t acquit them to the police officer. But, poisonous toads never change. I realized. It was too late.

21:06 hrs
I think, I would have broken the 100-meter dash record. My pursuers were quite far off from me. A bus was about to cross me. On closer investigation, I found it was 17D. Happy sign. Definitely, the stars were shining upon me at the end of this adventure. I caught the bus “in running” and waited at the footsteps to bid adieu to my pursuers. As the bus gathered speed, likewise, I did the same and was laughing at their disgruntled faces especially that of MR.BG2. Then, heaving a sigh of relief, I occupied the seat behind the driver,


21:08 hrs
Man!! What a night!! What an adventure!! I thought. The conductor interrupted my thoughts and asked me where I was going and gave me the ticket when I told him the place. Savoring the pleasure of outwitting and outrunning those three guys, I was in a euphoric state of mind. After eluding those three guys successfully and importantly unharmed, I felt as if I was in seventh heaven. My mind was still boggling with the events, as everything was being played in slow motion again and again for quite some time.

21:15 hrs
I was very happy that no long lasting harm came to my Sis or me. I had enough adventure to last a lifetime and it was time to carry on in life. I was deciding what to do next when I remembered that I had a book in hand. I continued to read FALSE IMPRESSION when….

20:29 hrs
Some disturbance on the left hand side made me turn left. Then, I saw the red coated building with its tower pointing up, looking tall and handsome, zooming into my view. We were the reaching the climax of this adventure, though not knowing whether we were going to be the hunters or the hunted. My Sis got up from her seat and made her way towards the exit. I did the same. With a covertous look, I looked up at both the guys as to what they were doing. One was coming towards our entrance and the other…he wasn’t there. Hurriedly, my Sis told me what plan she held in mind. Then, she gave me a weapon which was unparalleled in history. It was the weapon of all weapons. Not even the terrorists could resist the injuries borne by that weapon. She handed me the most destructive device that mankind had ever found…. A Safety Pin!!


20:30 hrs
As the bus was coming to a halt, our pulses were rising. I could feel my heart pumping a lot of adrenaline which made me blanched with fear. When the driver was about to apply the brakes, she told me to prick him anywhere I like with the bio-weapon, incase he tries to do something when we get down. Nodding my head, with fear cowering from head to toe, I prayed to The First of All Gods- Lord Ganesha, to be an angel and safeguard us.

20:31 hrs
MR.BG was already behind us and was giving us very cagey looks. Finally, the bus screeched to a stop. And immediately, without any hesitation, we did the one thing that was logical to both of us….RUN. We ran as we had never run before in our life, sending people flying out of our way and then what I saw made my heart stop and jump with glee…POLICEMEN. On that day, the entire Railway Station was swarming with policemen as there was a hoax bomb threat. Now, it didn’t matter even if those guys followed us as were in a haven of safety for the time being. Regaining our breaths back, I looked back to see were BG was. He was nowhere to be seen and so was MR.BG1.

20:34 hrs
We made a very slow walk to the platform ticket counter. By then, the rain had started. Drenching, we reached the counter and the sight in front of me made me despondent. People were thronging to get a platform ticket and there was a very long queue, going probably up to half a kilometer. I was actually amazed. Usually, the ticket counter would be free and I would check-in and get myself a ticket with ease. But, today, the police were checking and only then all the individuals were allowed inside. That explained why our people were getting tickets.


20:40 hrs
Soaked to skin, at last, I managed to get a ticket, thinking about both their disappearances. As soon as I got the ticket, I went straight to my Sis and enquired whether she saw him anywhere in our vicinity. The reply was a negative. After the initial check up, we made our way to the usual platform where her usual train resides always… no: 3. Right from the moment she set her foot in the Railway Station, my Sis started speaking to her colleague .Tired, with all the running and thinking, I got myself a Pepsi from the near-by cafeteria . Slowly but steadily, we were walking when my Sis told to expect trouble when I step out of the Railway Station. Quietly, I gave an OK. Finally, we reached her destined compartment and went through the passenger list if her name was there. Seat no: 22.Vasudha.V. She got in first and went to occupy her seat. I got in behind her and saw a mirror. There are certainly no guesses as to what I would have after that.

20:46 hrs
I made my way to seat number 22, when my Sis asked me what was I doing till then. When I told her as to what I did, her friend, Ram, started to kalasify me. After the initial kalasals, he was telling me how he acquired the new cell phone for my Sis in Bangalore and other stories happened to him. Hearing those stories, I was totally convulsed in stitches. And then, my Sis started to recant the happenings to Ram who was oohing and aahing, hearing the events. And then, suddenly, my Sis reminded me that it was getting late and I should get back home. Taking the book from her bag, Ram and I gave a couple of poses to her new camera. Feeling it was already too late, I bade goodbye to both of them. Both of them said goodbye and my Sis told me to give a call as soon as I reach home. And the parting word from my Sis was to be on vigil. Not a very good sign, I surmised.

20:54 hrs
Throwing the Pepsi cup in the litter, I made my descent to the exit. My total body was out of the station and I was out of reach of the policemen when I felt my heart pumping blood quickly and I started to feel the familiar chasm of fear. Just like a deer senses the presence of predators in its wildlife, I sensed danger. I saw MR.BG staring at me from behind a bush. Seeing him, I made a dash to the subway, as I had no other alternative. He followed. Normally, I don’t walk one by one on the stairs. Usually, it is two or three. But, today, I was actually jumping 4 stairs at a time and in 4 bounds, I reached the floor of the subway, when MR.BG was only half-way down the stairs.

20:57 hrs
As I reached the bottom, I stepped on a banana skin left by some stupid guy and my chances to handle him like how Maddy handles the rowdies in the shutter scene in “RUN” vaporized into thin air. I slipped and fell down, headlong on to the ground. MR.BG was just a few steps away. Despite the pain in my head, I started to run madly to the other end, when I came crashing on my back.The Fate shows their hand here.The rainy water had percolated the subway from the top. I came crashing down like The Big Show. MR.BG, by then, caught up with me and smiled a very crooked smile, showing all his teeth. It was awful. Frightening. I felt someone should beat me with a “VEPPALAI”. He didn’t speak anything to me. Just got good (Gawd!! He nearly strangled me) hold of me and was rummaging his pocket for something. I guessed he must be looking for his hanky with chloroform. With only a few seconds left to save my precious life, I was pining on some idea so as to escape from his clutches. Then, I remembered The Safety Pin which my Sis gave me. I caught him unawares by taking the pin from my jeans back pocket (he held both my hands very tightly and close to my jeans…that became an advantage to me) and started to prick him. With the first prick, he gave an exclamation and let go off my hand a bit. Seizing this golden opportunity, I tugged my right hand from his and started to prick him until he let go off my second hand also. Finally, he gave in and I fled the scene.

21:06 hrs
I think, I would have broken the 100-meter dash record. MR.BG was nowhere in sight. A bus was about to cross me. On closer investigation, I found it was 17D. Happy sign. Definitely, the stars were shining upon me at the end of this adventure. I caught the bus “in running” and was standing at the footsteps when I saw MR.BG coming out of the subway. As the bus gathered speed, I bid adieu to him and was laughing at his disgruntled face. Then, heaving a sigh of relief, I occupied the seat behind the driver.

21:08 hrs
Man!! What a night!! What an adventure!! I thought. I felt the pain stinging on my back and my head. The conductor interrupted my thoughts and asked me where I was going and gave me the ticket when I told him the place. I was very happy that no long lasting harm came to me or my Sis .I had enough adventure to last a life time and it was time for me to carry on in life. But, pushing the pain away, I was deciding what to do next when I remembered that I had a book in hand. I continued to read FALSE IMPRESSION when….

22:15 hrs
The blaring horn of the bus woke me up with a start. I saw the time on my FAST TRACK and it showed 10:15 p.m. With an askance glance, I knew I was in KKNAGAR. I put my head outside to be greeted by rain. Actually, it was as if someone was spraying water on me with a Harpic can. Nevertheless, I became fully awake and when my mind was clear, it became garbled. I thought I had a very funny dream like 2 guys chasing my Sis and I and we escaping from them, especially I. It was a very good dream indeed until I reached for the back pocket to get my house keys. It was then, I got the shock of my life. I found The Safety Pin. From the moment, I found the pin, it was uproarious. I was lost in a disarray of thoughts. Thinking deeply, I found myself getting two different events from the back of my mind. I knew, it is not possible to have two events happening simultaneously, as only one incident was plausible. I tried to rack my memory to get the correct incident, but to no avail as both of them intervened with one another and started to make me mad. In the mean time, the conductor blew his whistle and shouted DATA UDIPI HOTEL which jolted me back to my senses. Arising from my seat, with the book in hand, I gotten myself to de-board the bus.

22:17 hrs
And there I stood, after giving my thanks to Him, totally flummoxed by the events of the night; I started continuing my drolling slowly. After covering some five steps, I realized, I was caught in a web of perpetual déjà vu of thoughts as I felt I had been in this same kinda scenario, that is, walking in the similar confused manner with a similar T-shirt, some days back. Thoughts seem to rush and hit me like an unwarranted hurricane. At one point of time, I felt nothing had happened. The next moment, everything seemed to happen. But, The Safety Pin was a clear-cut evidence of some happening before I had a sorta temporary blackout. As the Joker in The Dark Knight rightly said “Insanity is like gravity. All it needs is just a little…push”. That is what is happening to me. Am turning into a delinquent. Luckily, one of the dogs’ barking in our apartment made me to transport from an Elysian world of abstract thoughts to the real world. Am still seventy five- twenty five insane person. By then, without my knowledge, I reached the second floor of my flat and was standing right in front of my home. I was about to ring the bell, when, like a bolt out of clear sky, the incorrigible truth struck me. Just like the sun shines and dispels the darkness in the morning, the truth cleared away the nebulous thoughts .Like how we push people around to get Darshan in the temple, the inevitable truth came swirling from my backlogged subconscious memory to the top by penetrating the other thoughts. I heard my Sis saying to Ram “that second guy got down at Egmore itself da” and suddenly, I realized that my back was aching like anything. Then, implicitly, I understood everything. The first incident was nothing but a figment of imagination when I got lost in my thoughts, the moment the breeze wafted through me. I was surprised at my brains’ hyper-imaginative power. Within such a short duration, it had created a real life story and also had bamboozled me for the past 15minutes, making me believe that I was turning into an insane person, when I was cent percent sane. But then, Life’s like that…a Mystery. Just when we get to know the answers to all the unanswered questions, we experience an inexperienced ………TSWIT.

EPILOGUE:
The last time, I saw MR.BG was when my Sis and I started running towards the ticket center. After that, I never even saw his shadow. He had vanished like a puff of smoke.