WHITE SHADOWS

What helps a man gain enough courage to kill someone?

Location: RT Office, Bangalore
Time: 3.30 PM

Officer Vinayak Kuduva was about to leave his office, even though the “official” office time was up to 5 P.M. Phone rang at the direct number on his desk.
He hesitated for a moment and after a few rings, he answered the call. Last work for the day, he thought.
“Hello, R.T Officer here” he said in his rough voice.
“Hello…” and pale male voice replied from the other side of the phone. “You listen carefully to what I am going to say.”
“Who is this? Whom do you want to talk?” interrupted and shouted Vinayak.
After a small pause the voice from the other side said –“Keep your sound low Mr.Vinayak Kuduva. You understand that this is a warning call for you. Now listen carefully. Someone has decided to kill you and he will kill you for sure with in 24 hours. You are going to be dead in next 24 hours.”
“Who is this? And what do you want?” A sudden pain went through Vianayak’s heart.
And his brain stopped working. He didn’t know what exactly to do.
There was a small pause from the other side and the voice continued. “You stop getting tensed Mr.Vinayak. I just want to help you and I don’t want to tell you who I am. Only one thing can help you now. Under the 2 wheeler’s file section for Indiranagar, among the applications for NOC, there will be an application for a bike with number KA-03-EY-4616. Check the second sheet attached to that application. It was filed today and it will help you.”
“What? Wait…tell me the details once more” blabbered Vinayak while taking his pen to note it down.
“Bike. Indiranagar. NOC.KA-03-EY-4616. Thank you” and with that the line got disconnected.
A heavy pain developed inside the stomach of Vinayak and he started to sweat. He was on his foot towards the NOC section.
“Bike. Indiranagar. KA-03-EY-4616. I need that application now” Shouted Vinayak to his clerk.
Clerk found it very odd and was surprised to see him asking for an application at this time of the day. He searched for the file immediately.
“It was filed today …” helped Vinayak in between
“Yes sir. Got it” said the clerk and handed over the application to Vinayak within a minute.
Vinayak got the application in his hand, and he found a sheet of second white paper attached to the form.
He read the first line in that page– “What helps a man gain enough courage to kill someone?”
He folded the application form looked around and walked back to his cabin.
After drinking a glass of water he took the application form again. The front page was normal and it was an application form for a bike for No Objection Certificate. The second sheet was an attachment, which should have easily gone unnoticed by the careless clerk.

He started reading it.

What helps a man gain enough courage to kill someone?

I can’t tell you exactly. But, I have decided to kill you. And you will be dead with in 24 hours from now, that’s for sure. Now, here is the game. You have done a very serious mistake to me in your life. May be it’s a very silly thing for you. But, it has done very badly to my life. You may not even remember you did this. Think about it and try to identify me from your memory. This is all what I want you to do. Find me and apologize to me for the mistake you have done. Do it with in 24 hours. I will make sure that, in the next 24 hours, I will come in front of you in your otherwise-normal life only once. At that point, whenever you see me, just get up and look in to my eyes and say three words- “I am Sorry”.
That’s it. Find me, say a Sorry and You will be spared, or else you are dead!!!
Now call to this number: 080- 2443589

Before he could think anything more he started dialling the number from his phone. The other side answered.

“Hello….?” Vinayak said to the silence.
“Now it’s not funny any more? Isn’t it?” said the same pale male voice.
“Its you again. I remember your sound” said horrified Vinayak.
“Yes. It’s me and this game is only between you and me. This phone is from a public telephone booth. So stop thinking about the police now. You understand?”
“Yes. But see I am really sorry if I have ever done any mistake to you…”
“Stop it! You should know the mistake you have made and you should know to whom you are apologising. As I said, see you in next 24 hours and you will get only one chance. Make sure you don’t change your routine tomorrow. Let it be the same day as usual. Identify me and say those 3 words. Your time starts now!!!”
And with that the line again got disconnected.

Vinayak Kuduva stood there in that room all alone, with his black shadow behind him. His heart was aching and it was aching very badly. For the first time in his life he was all alone in that room.
He was terrified to hear a knock on his door. The clerk from NOC section came inside the room.
“Is everything OK sir?” asked the clerk to his superior.
“Yeah…everything is fine. Just get me a tea.” Vinayak tried to hide his heart and to control his breathe but he could not.
“Yes sir…sure I will get it for you” said the clerk and he was about to leave the room.
“Hey you wait” said Vinayak and stopped his clerk.
He moved slowly towards his clerk and looked straight in to his eyes. With all his courage and forgetting all his ego, he held the clerk’s shoulders and said –“I am Sorry!!!”
The Clerk just had the shock of his life and he almost fainted for it. But he regained the control of the situation and said –“It’s OK sir. You always shout at us and we are used to it. Everything is fine. It’s OK”
“No it can’t be you. No it can’t be you” muttered Vinayak and gestured his clerk to leave the room.

He sat on his chair. He started thinking!

Everyday, in your life, in between that whole struggle to collect your bread and butter, you never know what all things you do. There are people out there, along with you, your fellow beings, who try to make a life. All those strangers you come across in your life are in a rat race along with you, to live and survive. In that chaos called life, some of your deeds hurt other people. It may be so insignificant for you but for the other at the receiving end, it may even cost his or her life. And isn’t it weird that one among them, whom you don’t know, whom you haven’t thought of, whom you even would not have noticed at all, is your enemy right now. And he wants to kill you now for some serious mistake you have done. And he is watching you always like a white shadow from behind you!!!

“He said I have done a mistake” thought Vinayak, “But what mistake and how to find it?”
Vinayak then thought –“I would have done many bad things, but which among them was this particular mistake?”
Someone rushed inside the room without knocking the door and Vinayak was on his foot. “Sir. Chaai” said the tea boy and kept the glass of tea on his table.
Vianayak’s heart stopped for a second. The tea boy waited for the money as Vinayak collected some coins from his draw.
Then Vinayak stopped and stared back at the tea boy.
“What is your name boy?” asked Vinayak to him.
“Mujeeb, Sir” said the boy.
After a long pause Vinayak asked him- “See Mujeeb, I just want to know one thing from you. Have I done anything to you, which have hurt you in anyway, anytime?”
“Why sir?” Mujeeb scratched his head and smiled back.
“No. Just tell me. Is there anything like that?”
Mujeeb grinned awkwardly and asked –“The other sir said anything to you? Just leave it. That was that day”
Vinayak felt a pain in his heart. He never thought that he had even hurt someone like Mujeeb, a tea boy!!!
Vinayak took a 50 rupee note from his pocket and gave it to Mujeeb.
“I don’t have change” said Mujeeb
“No. You keep it. But, you tell me now, what is the thing that have hurt you?” asked Vinayak
“It’s nothing sir. Some four or five months back, you got a house fly from my tea and you scolded me, and you scolded my father and called my father a shit eating pig. My father is dead and I don’t like anybody scolding my father for the wrong things I do. I did not like it that day and I said it to the other sir... I am sorry sir”
“No…No. I am sorry Mujeeb, if I have said so”
“Yes sir. You said so. And I was very angry on you that day”
“Sorry Mujeeb, and why didn’t you tell me that day itself?”
“Why would I sir? I am just a tea boy and you are an officer here. I actually wanted to shout back at you that day, but now I am feeling good. I am sorry sir for telling all this now”
“It’s Ok Mujeeb…you can keep that cash. Thank you” said Vinayak as Mujeeb left the room.
Then Vinayak was again all alone in that room.



People, when they are hurt, keep it in their mind. For their entire life they won’t forget it. There is this wounded white shadow behind you, which always haunt you from the past. And one day, it will appear in front of you demanding you to say-“I am Sorry for what I have done”


That night Vinayak did not sleep. He was thinking about what Mujeeb said. He then tried to remember that incident when he got that house fly from the tea and when he scolded Mujeeb and his father. But, he never could recollect it from his memory. And what frightened him was that, Mujeeb still remembers it and he had hatred towards Vinayak which he had kept in his heart for the last five months. And Vinayak was scared thinking about all those hearts that will be still having hatred towards him, the thirst unquenched!
All Those White shadows!!!
Time was 2 A.M in the night. Vinayak got up from his bed took a paper and started to make a list. The List of all people whom he used to meet in his daily life.

1. My Wife, Veena.
2. Servants, Leela and Swaroop
3. Milkman and newspaper boy
4. Shop keeper, Vincent
5. Driver, Muthu
6. People whom I meet on the traffic
7. My office staffs – about 30 people
8. The hotel owner, Salim
9. Tea boy, Mujeeb
10. Hundreds of strangers who come to the RT Office daily.
11. Agents and brokers

The list began to grow and Vinayak stopped it. That one person could be anyone among these. And, that one mistake could be to anyone of them.
“If Mujeeb considered me as his enemy, then each one of them in this list, at some point of the other would have some hatred towards me. I was a rude man in my life. I was never approachable. I was a corrupt R.T officer. I got bribes for my work. I would be killed tomorrow for that one mistake. Oh God, I am sorry. Please forgive me” Vinayak prayed silently in his heart.
And after a long time in his life, He cried. He cried for a long time and then at some point he fell asleep.

But Vinayak was not the only person who had a troublesome night…

**************************************************

The White Shadow’s Story

Time: 3 A.M

My name is Abdul Asif. I was not able to sleep, because tomorrow, I had to kill RT Officer, Vinayak Kuduva.
I live in a very small rented house at BTM. My wife Naziya and my daughter Mumtaz are sleeping in the only bedroom we have. They say that, I was never a good husband to my wife and never a good father to my daughter. I tried to be, but I never could be!

I won’t forget that day, the day everything started to change! I work at the Salim’s hotel as a waiter. Vinayak Kuduva was a regular customer at our hotel for lunch. That day, when he came to have lunch at the Salim’s, we had a lot of crowd at the hotel. I was almost running from kitchen to tables and was making sure that everything was served fine. He waved and called me aloud to his table –“Waiter”. I went and stayed near his table for the order. Suddenly, he took his glass of water and tossed the water on my face!!!
“I am waiting for more than 15 minutes here and nobody is here to serve me” screamed Vinayak and the complete hotel listened to it in silence.

Have you ever felt the same? People show all their frustration, arrogance and dominance towards the waiters at restaurants. They shout for every silly reason they could find and they put the blame on waiters. They shout on us for the quality of food, the time we wasted, the amount of rice, the extra-salt, the less masala, the table arrangement and any other reason they could find. They consider waiters as servants or mere slaves during that precious time when they order their favourite food in the restaurant. They dine, they drink and they give the last few coins from their pocket to us as tip!!!

I stayed there shattered, with water dropping down from my face. For a moment I felt that it was my blood all over my face. They all were happy to see a waiter getting insulted in public and somebody was laughing at me. Vinayak got up and walked towards the counter and talked something to Salim, the hotel owner. The next day I lost my job!
And it all happened as if it all happened in 1 or 2 seconds.
1. I lost my job and I did not get that month’s salary.
2. I screamed at Naziya and Mumtaz at home
3. Mumtaz yelled at me for the first time in my life.
4. I sat at home tired and frustrated, doing nothing at least for 2 months!
5. Some people started to say that I was behaving different for the last few weeks.
6. Mumtaz came and asked for college fees and I had nothing to give to her.
7. Naziya asked me to consult a psychologist for no reason.
8. Mumtaz was asked to leave the classroom for not paying the fees.
9. Naziya came and told me that, our daughter has found some other means to make money for the family. Naziya cried for some time looking at me for no reason.
10. Then, one fine day, Naziya came and told me that our unmarried daughter was pregnant!

Like a palace of cards, my life broke down in no time. But, Vinayak continued to have his own happy life without even knowing what happened to me and my family.
When you kill an ant, you never think what all happens back out there at its family. Do you?

Respect!!! When others stop respecting you, you will try to console yourself and try to regain it. But, once you lose the self respect, you lose yourself.
But, it was then I gained enough courage to kill someone.

I don’t remember when I slept, but when I got up it was 11 in the morning.
I walked to the Salim’s hotel and waited for Vinayak to come. That was a long wait…
Then I saw him, at around 1.30 PM, he came out from the old government building just opposite to the hotel. His face was pale and he was walking awkwardly. I stayed outside the hotel and watched him go inside. While going inside he stopped at the cash counter and looked at Salim and greeted him. Salim greeted him back. I heard him say sorry to Salim and I did not feel it was funny. When I looked inside the hotel, I saw him taking a paper from his pocket and checking it. He was marking something in that paper while he waited for his food to be served.

Vinayak started eating his regular order. He was the only person sitting in that table and I realised that it was the time. I went inside the hotel and Salim saw me and greeted me. I went and sat on the same table opposite to Vinayak. When the waiter came I ordered a chicken Biriyani for myself. Then Vinayak saw me. My heart started beating at a different pace. For no reason I started praying to God. But I dint knew what to pray exactly. I waited and dropped my head down. But, I could clearly see Vinayak staring at me with a confused look. After a long time, Vinayak cleared his throat and asked to me – “Have we met somewhere else before?”
I acted as if I was not expecting this question and looked back at Vianayak’s face.
Then I said- “No. I don’t think so”.

***********************************************

And after a long time in his life, Vinayak Kuduva cried. He cried for a long time and then at some point he fell asleep.
When he got up his heart was heavy. Today was his last day!!!
He waited for the milk man and the news paper boy to come. When they came he greeted them, paid Rs.500 to each of them, and before they left he made sure that, he looked deep in to their eyes and said “I am sorry” to them. As per his routine, when he was reading the newspaper, his wife Veena brought his morning tea. He looked at her eyes and said sorry. When servants Swaroop and Leela came inside the house, he stood up and said sorry to them too. They both ran inside to kitchen!!!
Driver Muthu came at 10 A.M and Vinayak hugged him for the first time in his life and said sorry. On the way to office, he asked Muthu to stop the car at the Vincent’s shop. He got down and went inside the shop and said sorry to Vincent. Vincent was happy that they were not enemies hereafter and gave a box of chocolates to Vinayak. Vinayak opened the chocolate box and gave the first chocolate to Vincent himself.
Vinayak reached office at 10.30 A.M. He asked the clerk to tell everybody in the office to come and get chocolate one by one from his cabin. Everybody was shocked to hear this announcement and some even thought that Vinayak got a promotion transfer. First, clerk at the customer office section went inside the cabin. Vinayak asked him to sit and take the chocolate
“We will have a 5 minutes talk…” said Vinayak
Clerk felt it very odd and still managed to say –“sure sir”
“So how is everything going in the office”
“Everything is …. Fine ..sir. Sir, Everything OK?”
“I am sorry If I have done anything wrong” said Vinayak immediately.

The clerk from the customer office section came crying out from the cabin.
Vinayak met all his 33 staffs in person and said sorry to them. In between he did his work at the office and made sure that many of the old pending applications are cleared immediately to the customers. He said sorry to all the customers who came inside his cabin. Customers felt happy and showed a lot of respect towards the smart and efficient RT Officer. Agents and brokers felt something fishy in the sudden behaviour change of their otherwise-normal RTO. Still Vinayak, made it a point that he said sorry to whomever he met at the office.

At 1.30, when he felt hungry he came out of the cabin and started walking towards the Salim’s hotel. On the way inside the hotel, he stopped and greeted Salim. Salim greeted him back. Vinayak said sorry to Salim and Salim stayed dumbstruck there for few minutes.
Vinayak took his list from the pocket. He had covered every single person in that list and said sorry to all, the last one being Salim. He ticked against each one of them and waited for his food to be served.
Vinayak started eating his regular order and then he noticed a person come and sitting opposite to him in the same table. The other person ordered chicken Biriyani. Vinayak initially felt that he was a complete stranger. But he stared at the stranger and tried to recollect whether he had met this person anywhere anytime before. Vinayak wanted to say a sorry to this person also, but something inside him stopped doing so.
Instead he asked to the stranger –“Have we met somewhere else before?
The stranger re examined Vinayak and said-“No. I don’t think so”
Stranger started eating his Biriyani and Vinayak did not want to disturb him again. So he finished his food, paid the bill and tip for the waiter and went back to office. Vinayak waited in his office for the day to get over, but he never knew that the day was so long!!!

**********************************

The White Shadow’s Story ( Cont…)

Vinayak cleared his throat and asked to me – “Have we met somewhere else before?”
I acted as if I was not expecting this question and looked back at Vianayak’s face.
Then I said- “No. I don’t think so”
A new waiter served me Biriyani and I started eating it. Vinayak did not speak to me after that, and when he completed his food he paid the bill and left. I noticed that he paid Rs.10 extra for the new waiter as a tip. He has never given me!!!
I have given him the chance and he failed!!!

I just wanted him to say a sorry to me. I really hoped and prayed to Good Almighty God that, he recognize me and feel sorry for what he had done to me that day. That day my life was ruined and I wanted him to realize it!!!
I paid my bill and walked back to my house.
Yesterday morning, I had gone to RTO office and had filed for a fake NOC. I had kept the additional sheet along with it, which the clerk never noticed. I knew that unless I keep a hundred rupee note on top of the application form, your application will go unnoticed through the government clerk. Evening, I went to Shivajinagar old market, and got a small unlicensed revolver and bullets from a local vendor.
I am now walking back to my house to get that gun. Yes, the gun with which I will be killing my enemy, Vinayak kuduva!!!
I reached back at my home and went to the bedroom and opened the draw to get the revolver. But it was not there!
“You will not find it there”- I was shocked to hear that sound from behind. I turned around to see my wife Naziya standing at the door holding the revolver aimed at me.
“I knew you will come to kill us. I knew this would happen…and I saw you hiding the revolver and keeping it in the draw yesterday. I was always behind you like your shadow for the last 20 years. How did you think that, I will miss noticing this?”
“Naziya, it is not what you think. Let me explain…” I said and I started walking towards her.
I heard a big blast of sound, before I realised that she had fired a gunshot on me. A needle pricking pain developed in my chest and I fell on the ground. I felt the smell of blood and warmth on my body. The next moment, I felt cold!!! Then I realised that I was dying!!!
And more, I realised that, I too had a white shadow behind me which went unnoticed!!!

*********************************************

That night Vinayak had a sound sleep. The next morning he got up, he felt so much happy for being alive. He concluded that he had said sorry to his enemy and his enemy has forgiven him for that matter. He was going to be a better man in his life!
He was reading the newspaper when his wife Veena brought him the morning tea.
The newspaper had covered the murder story of a local guy, Abdul Asif at BTM by his own wife Naziya. He read the news and felt sorry for the family.
But he never realised that, it was his white shadow’s murder story!!!

People, when they are hurt, keep it in their mind. For their entire life they won’t forget it. There is this wounded white shadow behind you, which always haunt you from the past. And one day, it will appear in front of you demanding you to say-“I am Sorry for what I have done”

THE BRIDGE

THE BRIDGE

Time: 1:00 AM, 5^th march 2010

Location: Bangalore, India

Call traffic was comparatively less tonight. I played Su-Do-Ku and kept browsing through wikipedia from one link to other. 75 percent of the customer care calls at this time are “killer” calls, as we call it. Guys can talk with young sweet girls at this time of the night without spending penny, because calls to customer care are free of cost. We cannot stop attending those calls. We are paid for it and moreover, we “care” for our “customer”.

An incoming call beeped in my monitor and I answered it.

“Good evening. This is Natasha from WindTel. How can I assist you?”

“Natasha” is the code name I usually use. We are not supposed to use our real name with customers.

“Hi. Good Night. I am Ravi from Bangalore”

I didn’t laugh for that “Good Night”, because I am paid and trained so.

The caller-number information populated in my screen. The connection was in the name of one “Ramachandran”, and I assumed Ravi to be a relative or son of Mr.Ramachandran who was 54 years old according the data I had.

“Hi Mr.Ravi. How can I assist you?”

“Ya…hmm…ya….How to activate GPRS?” The boy asked.

I hate such questions. It takes a long time explain this and I know this kid just want to listen to me speaking. That’s all!!

“Sure Mr.Ravi. I will assist you on this. But before that, I have to verify your account information for security reasons. Can you please tell me the connection-holder name?”

“Ramachandran Reddy. My Father”

“Does your father knows that you are calling me at this time of night”- I always wanted to ask this, but I did not. Because, all the customer care calls are recorded for internal training and performance evaluation purposes, and my boss will be listening to some random-picked calls always.

“Please confirm the billing address and date of birth” I asked instead.

“I am 24 years old. How old are you? ”- asked the kid all in a hurry.

Now I know his GPRS help!!! Girls-Porn-Rape-Sex???

I muted my call, said the F word and un-muted it again.

“I would like to know the date of birth of the connection holder sir”

“You need not call me “sir”. You can call me “Ravi”” – replied the kid.

“Yes Ravi. Date of birth of your father please”

“24 May, Nineteen…Yes Daddy…No one Daddy…I am watching a movie, Daddy…oh Shit!!!”

..And the line got disconnected.

Thank God!!! I marked my status as “Busy” in my computer and went to take a cup of coffee.

The job as a WindTel customer care executive had been very exciting in the initial days. Every day you can talk to new people, that too strangers. Solve their problems. Sometime they try to flirt with you. Sometime we also do the same and talk about it during the coffee time. Answer their queries, knowing that it’s a prank call, but still enjoying that stuff. But…Gradually it all became boring. Everyday the same stuff. No change in life. And moreover, the “killer” calls started eating our heads!!! I checked my watch. It was 1:15 AM and almost 4 more hours to end my shift.

I went back to my chair, with coffee in my hand and set my status as “ready for call”

We have to meet our targets. A Minimum of 120 calls a week.

I again started browsing through Wiki. Then a call arrived in my monitor.

“Incoming call +91 92753 48630” It showed on my screen.

I answered the call without knowing that, this call was going to change my life!!!

“Good evening. This is Natasha from WindTel. How can I assist you?”

There was silence from other side, but I could clearly listen to the sound of somebody breathing heavily from other side.

“Hello. How can I help you?”

There was Silence again.

Yet another Killer call!

“Hello. Can you hear me?” I was in no mood to talk. We can initiate the disconnect if there is no response for 20 to 30 seconds. It was 15 seconds already. I started to say my sentence and had kept the mouse-cursor on disconnect button already.

“Thanks for calling WindTel…Have a …”

“I need help….” A feeble sound interrupted me.

Oh shit!!!

“Good evening. This is Natasha from WindTel. How can I assist you?”

Again there was a silence from the other side.

This Killer is going to “Kill” me tonight, I thought!!!

I kept silence for another ten seconds or so. Still there was no response from other side.

“Hello Sir. Can you hear me? How can I assist you?” This time I will disconnect.

“Hi….” A pale sound came from other side.

Again a boy, hiding from his father and calling me, I thought.

“Hi Sir, How can I assist you?” I asked with utter patience in my voice.

“My…My name is Richard….” The boy said in a highly muted tone.

Hiding Below the blanket!!!

“Hi Richard. Please confirm your calling number”. This call was on record and I wanted to store the number in his voice.

There was a silence from other side.

The caller information populated in the screen. The connection was in the name of Richard Joseph Anthony.

“Hi Richard…your number is 92753 48630…Is that correct?” I hated this silence. I will finish this fast, I thought. We have got “call-handling-time” targets also. We are supposed to resolve each query in a call on an average time of 90 seconds.

“Yeah...That’s right!!!” The boy replied, again in a very pale voice.

“How can I assist you, Sir?” – tonight, I will not repeat this question to this kid one more time.

“I…..” Then there was along pause and I waited.

“I need to talk to my Father” finally the boy said, but this time with a heavier voice.

Wow! Wonderful!

In my career for the last 2 years, I have never heard such a request from any of the customer.

“Sorry, Sir. I could not get your query properly. Can you please elaborate the same?”

Then I muted, said the F word with some adverbs to it, and again un-muted.

I had to get rid of my frustration somehow!!!

The boy took a long pause and said –“I have got no more balance in my pre-paid mobile.”

I checked his account balance in the monitor screen. It was zero.

Of course it will be zero, I thought. And that is why he is calling me. He need not have any balance to call me.

“Yes sir. You are right. You need to re-charge your pre-paid card at the earliest to make further outgoing calls.” I said, because I was trained to say so.

This boy must be drunk, and now he is calling to flirt with me!

“I had more than two hundred rupees balance in my account. I talked to my friend for a long time and did not realise that my account balance was getting over. Now I don’t have any balance now…but I need to talk to my father. That’s very important for me now”

This boy is going to be a parasite!!! What kind of a retard he is?

I checked his call statistics. I clicked on the last call.

The boy was telling truth. He had made his last call for more than 1 hour and that too to another network STD call, which has eaten up his account balance of Rupees two hundred and ten.

The last call disconnection reason was shown as –“reached zero balance” in red colour!

“I will surely assist you in this sir. But before that, could you please tell me your account information to confirm your identity. This is for security reasons Sir.” I am going to close this call soon.

“Today’ he said, “Today is my Birthday” he said it in a very low and dull voice, as if it was his death day.

Oh! So that is the reason why you are calling me now!!!

I checked the date of birth of the Boy, 5^th March 1985 it said.

Oh Boy! Elder than me!

“Many many happy returns of the day, Richard” I said with a faking happiness in my tone!

There was a dead silence from the other side!!!

“I need to talk to my father….” The boy said after some time.

“Sure Sir. As I explained, the only option to talk to your father is to re-charge your phone as soon as possible. Thank you Sir. Is there anything more in which I can assist you now, Sir?” I moved the mouse-cursor to the disconnect button.

“I cannot walk…” The boy said.

Then I realised that, the boy had no intentions of leaving me tonight. So I slightly moved my cursor to another button in the monitor, which read “Red Call”.

I clicked that button. This means that, now I can take how much ever time I wanted to resolve this call. This is something like a wild-card, which is used to deal with awkward customers. We have some limits in using it and this was the first time I was using it in this week.

I went to my Google page and typed “Richard Wiki”. I have a lot of time to kill, while talking with this kid.

Wikipedia showed the result:

The first or given name Richard derives from the Germanic elements "ric" (ruler, leader, king) and "hard" (strong, brave, court), therefore it means 'powerful leader' as well as 'King's Court'.

Since this was already a red call, I can now ask my own question. So I asked- “Why are you not able to walk, Richard?”

“See Mam…I cannot explain you everything. But, I want to make a gentle request now. I am in a problem now and I want to talk to my father. His phone number is 92753 37635. Can you please note down this number and call him please. And please ask him to call his son, Richard immediately….Please….I beg you”

Wait…! I was not expecting this!

The boy sounded serious but, there are different ways of playing prank. Especially it’s his birthday today. And, the friends must be having a good celebration tonight. And, moreover, it was not my work to help these strangers, even if they were honest.

“Sorry Sir. I cannot do that. Is there anything else in which you need assistance?” I replied in a harsh tone.

“Look Mam…I don’t have any other option. The only person I could call having zero balance was you and that’s why I called you. Please do this favour for me. Think that I am your little brother asking for a help. You need not do anything else. Just call my father and tell him to call me and disconnect the call. That’s all!!!”

Now I had all the rights to disconnect the call according to our rule! But I didn’t….

I have attended many prank calls before, but this guy sounded a bit more genuine.

“Why should I help a stranger? I don’t even know whether you are fooling around or not….” I said.

There was a silence from the other side and then the boy said…”Please…….”

“Tell me your father’s phone number again” – I asked him.

“It’s 9—2—7—5—3—3—7—6—3—5” He said the number very slowly.

It’s a WindTel number. I typed this number on a different window on my screen. The user information got populated. The connection was in the name of Joseph Anthony Sebastian, 58 years old. I cross checked the contact address of Richard with Joseph’s. Both were same!!!

God, It Seems this guy is not lying…What should I do now?

In another window in my screen, I clicked on the button “Request for a bridge call”.

We are not authorized to make outgoing calls from the call centre. But, under the special consent we can raise a ticket for out going call. The request I made just now is to make an out going call to Joseph’s number. I can include Joseph in to our conference call, which is called a ‘bridge call”.

I typed “Bridge call Wiki” in Google. Result for “conference call came” as it is commonly known by this name.

Conference calls can be designed so that the calling party calls the other participants and adds them to the call - however, participants are usually able to call into the conference call themselves, by dialing into a special telephone number that connects to a "conference bridge"

“Richard…Are you there…?” I asked.

“Yes…” He replied.

“See… I can help you out in this. I can call your father and put him in our conference. You can talk to him directly. It will take some time to connect the call. Up to that time, I want to know some details. Where are you right now?”

“Oh thank you very much” he said, “…I am in Leela”. Then there was a pause.

“Hotel Leela?” I asked him and typed “Hotel Leela” in my Wiki.

Hotel Leela Venture Ltd is an Indian hotel company, currently with seven deluxe hotels, located in Mumbai, Bangalore, Kovalam, Udaipur, Goa and 2 in Gurgaon.

“Yes…” he said in low tone.

“Which place? There are many Leela hotels in India”- I said to him as if I knew everything about Leela.

After a long silence there I heard the sound of a deep sigh. Then he said -“See… I am really sorry, but I cannot tell you all these things right now!”

My boss approved my request for the bridge call.

It seems he is in track with the developments over here. I had marked this as “Red call” long back.

I dialled Joseph’s number and waited for him to answer.

In the Old Testament, Joseph is Jacob's eleventh son and Rachel's first. In the New Testament, Joseph is the husband of the Virgin Mary. Wiki.

After two rings, an anxious voice answered the call – “Hello..?” It was Joseph, I assumed.

“Hi Daddy…” Replied Richard, as we three were in conference now. I silently kept listening to the conversation.

“Oh my God! Its you Ricky …Where are you? Oh my God…thank you” I felt from his voice that, he was so anxiously waiting for this call at this time of the night.

“Daddy…Calm down…I…just called you now to say my sorry.”

“What? Where are you now? Come home dear. We will talk and sort out everything”

“No Daddy. Its too late and I won’t be coming home”

“What do you mean by – “won’t be coming home”. Just tell me where you are. I will come and pick you from there. Mama has not eaten anything for 2 days. Everybody here is waiting for you to come. We will sit and talk and solve all our differences. Just come home” and then I could hear a silent weeping sound from Joseph.

“Daddy…It’s not what you think. I have done the mistake and I know no one can forgive me for that ever in my life. I am bad. I realise it.”

“Its ok son…we all forgive you. You please come home…” said the desperate father.

“No daddy…It’s all over. I cannot live with this shame anymore. I am sorry daddy”

“What?”

“I just wanted to say bye to you all. I love you daddy and tell Mama that I loved her a lot. Once again, I am sorry Daddy. Sorry for everything…and I pray that I will be a better son in my next life.”

… And with that Richard’s line got disconnected.

There was a loud cry from Joseph for sometime. I could not keep listening to it and I disconnected the call. I was cold and my head was spinning. I felt numb!!!

I just listened to a final “good-bye” from a son to his Father, before he killed himself!!!

After a few seconds, I clicked and opened another window in my screen. In the screen, I clicked on “Request for Location Co-ordinates/Tower” button and entered Richard’s number in it. I clicked on submit button and waited for its approval and result.

Then, I took my cell phone and dialled Richard’s number. It started ringing and I felt my heart beating in a different pace!!!

He answered and there was a silence from other side again.

“Richard this is Natasha from WindTel. You just spoke with me. “I said.

“Hey…. Thanks dear…I could not say thanks to you. I could not have talked to my Daddy without you tonight.” And the line got disconnected again.

My heart was aching now!

I again dialled the number and it was switched off now!!!

Gone! It’s all over!!!

I saved his number in my cell-phone.

After a few minutes, a pop-up came in my computer screen saying:

Phone number: 92753 48630

Status: In Range, Switched Off

Tower: HAL Old Airport Road- 2, Bangalore.

The Leela Palace Kempinski hotel in Bangalore is in HAL Old Airport road, I remembered.

I Googled to get the contact number of Leela. When I called them, a lady answered the call.

“Good evening Leela” She told.

“Hi…This is Natasha. I just wanted to know whether my friend Richard is staying in your hotel tonight.” I asked her, my fingers crossed.

“Just a minute Madam. Hold on…” she told.

“His full name is Richard Joseph Anthony.” I helped her.

“Hmm…Yes Mam. He is staying in A-304. Do you want me to connect to his room?” She asked.

“No…” I told, my eyes were wetting and my throat was drying out when I spoke. “If I am not wrong, he has taken this room to kill himself there tonight. Can you send a security or room service to check his room once?” I disconnected the call.

*************************************************

Time: 10:00 AM, 25^th April 2010

Location: Bangalore, India

I was sleeping my ‘Sunday-sleep’, when my mobile phone beeped for an incoming message.

I checked my mobile. I felt I was dreaming.

Incoming message: From Richard-Bridge call

Message: “Hey Natasha. If you don’t remember me, I am Richard. Thanks for saving my life. That was a wonderful birthday gift for me that day :-)”

I felt happy for being “The Bridge”!!!

“A bridge is a structure built to span a valley, road, body of water, or other physical obstacle, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle” said my Wiki.

Sachin in and as …SACHIN!!!

Sachin in and as …SACHIN!!!

My name is Sachin. Sachin Tendulkar. I don’t know my exact age, but Bayya told me that I look like an 8 year old boy. This is my story. My story means, I am the main actor plus I wrote this story. It is not completely true that, I wrote this story, because I don’t know to write and read. I always wanted to go to school, but never got a chance.

This story is so narrated by me and written by Bayya. And first thing Bayya told me was that, He would edit and re-edit the story and sentences many times, so that readers will understand what I am trying to say and so that the story takes a good shape. I got angry hearing this, because he was not keeping my original story for readers but still I hesitatingly told “YES”- cause I don’t have an option. Me - the poor slumdog fame Indian illiterate, Bayya – The symbol of literate modern India.

Then, Bayya told me that, this is not a story to show the fight between me and Bayya. Which means, not a story to show the social and economic inequality of India. (This sentence about inequality was included by Bayya and not me. I don’t even know what this social and economic means?) He told me that, this should be a story of my colourful 8 years I lived so far. The fun and effervescence inside me should completely come in this story also. I did not exactly understand what he meant by that, but one thing I understood is that Bayya wants girls, songs, stunts, rape scene, robbery, alcohol, smoke, drug etc etc etc to be included in this story, and he knows that I have enough of it in my stock. And then Finally Bayya told me with a serious face – “Look Sachin. You need not mention about me now and then in this story. It’s your story and the reader should feel that you are telling this story directly to them and should forget me completely.”

I made my face so serious, so serious that He really felt as if I am very serious about this story. In fact the whole idea of this story is his and not mine!!! Oh God. What am I doing? Let me start my story again.

My name is Sachin. Sachin Tendulkar. The real Sachin Tendulkar is a like a God to me. I never miss even a single ball when Sachin bats. I love to watch cricket on those big TVs…Yes you got it, in the T.V shops. I forget to eat and Pee for long hours. Once when Sachin got out on 99, I broke the glass of that T.V shop. Then I suddenly realised that it’s not my father’s T.V shop, and I started running. I never went to that city again. So my point is, this name, Sachin Tendulkar was given to me by myself.

I know many things about this world and I don’t know the remaining. The things I don’t know and people normally get shocked to hear that “I don’t know” are –

1. Where are you from?

2. Where are you “coming” from? - This question is different from 1^st. You will get to know that later.

3. What all work do you know?

4. What date is today? Or what date is tomorrow?

5. Where/who are your parents?

I mean, there are many many questions like this which I can never answer in my whole life- Either because I really don’t know the answer or because I am not really interested to know the answer. But, Now I will try to remember and tell you whatever I know about me, and that will be this story…

Whenever I try to remember about my parents, a big black screen appears in my mind, as if T.V goes blank when Sachin is batting on 99. My black and white life starts in a big city and the only person I remember myself to be with is a big old man with a huge beard but without a leg. He always used to take me with him and used to ask people in the street for money, mainly showing me and his single leg. To be simple, it’s called begging. Sometimes I used to get too tired but most of the time I enjoyed it, because I always got good food. The only problem those days was the night and the cold. We never had the same street to sleep because most of the nights, police used to come and disturb us during the night. He was my father and mother. He took “care” of me for everything in my life. But, the fact is that I never liked him. I used to have dream in which he appears as Henry Olonga limping in his single leg and bowling to me, and I, Sachin Tendulkar, hitting him for a huge Six.

“Henry Olonga” died one day, and that is when I realised that, how important he was for me in my life…and the fact that…I am alone in this whole world!!!

“India is my country. All Indians are my brothers and sisters. I love my country and...”- I have heard them saying this pledge everyday morning, for I-don’t-know-how-many number of days. I used to stand under the shades of a big tree and watch those students standing in an order with all of them wearing same kind of clothes. I don’t know how I reached that school, but one thing I knew was, I was not a student in that school. I was a little kid, may be 3 years old at that time, and all the students in that school were very tall and big. And so they used to call it as a “high” school. Due to the same reason, they did not allow me to study there.

I used to call him masterji, because I thought it was his name. Later I started thinking that it is very awkward to keep a name as “masterji” for a person as wonderful as him. But when I grew further older, I came to know that I was an idiot.

He was wonderful because, I was not related to him in anyway, but still he gave me food three times a day. He gave me a corner of his room for me to sleep. He gave me new clothes; sometimes old clothes; sometimes oversized clothes-but all same kind of colour- but still clothes.

I lived in that place for almost 2 years or so. I played with those “tall” students in that big play ground. Masterji occasionally used to ask me for some help like to get a tea from the near by shop, or to get a pen from the same shop or to get a pencil from the same shop etc. He spoke rarely with me. I always had felt that, he spoke too much in classes and got too much tired and that is why he was not speaking to me. But, I never had complaints about that.

And then, one day I stole some cash from his pocket. And Why I did that- The same answer. I don’t know!!!

He found out that some money was missing from his pocket and he questioned me. I denied. He again questioned me. I denied. He again questioned me. I denied.

Then, He asked me to touch his head and he asked me the same question.

“Beta, you tell me the truth. And if you don’t tell me the truth my head will burst and I will die”

“I did not take it masterji”- I again denied and a drop of water came out from my eyes. Shit!!! Why the heck am I crying???

“Then why are you crying” he asked

I could not answer anything, and I felt that somebody was pulling my tongue hard inside from my stomach.

Then a tight slap fell on my face, and it was so hard that I was on ground.

I ran…..I ran…all I had was some paper inside my shirt pocket. The shirt given by masterji and the paper had “Gandhi” Photos printed on it!!!

How much a 5 year old can run?

So I got bus and then train and (no flight-that will be too much) and again train…

And, Finally I was caught in some railway station.

After that I stopped travelling in train and decided to settle somewhere. Because I was growing up and I should get settled somewhere right? I wandered in many cities. That was the worst time of my life. Days passed. I became a big fan of Sachin and re-named myself as Sachin Tendulkar.

…And then finally I reached the city of Bangalore!!!

I fell in love with her in the first sight itself.

“What job you can do…you little kid?”- She smiled at me and asked.

“I can do any job”- I answered with a naughty tone.

“I don’t want to get arrested for promoting child labour” she said.

And I did not understand that. So I said “hmmmm…Ok”

Then there was a confused look on her face and a big silence for sometime.

I picked my nose and scratched my head until she spoke something.

Then she told –“ok come inside”.

I happily went inside, and it was a big house. Her husband was staying somewhere else so that, they could talk over phone between each other… and as I mentioned, she was beautiful. I always wanted to say an “I love you” to her, because she was really loving me so much. Then, one day she told me that, I can call her “Amma”, which I knew, means mom….and I called her “Amma”.

That night I didn’t sleep and wept all throughout!!!

She had another aunty there in that house to do cooking. So we three lived in that house. I used to help that aunty for gardening, getting vegetables from market, cleaning the house and many such simple things.

My Amma’s husband came to that house from somewhere, so that they could now talk directly…and I did not like him because, Amma started spending time with him and not with me. So basically, that is why I started thinking about killing him. But, before I could execute my plans, he left the house again.

What to say-“Bach gaya…saala”.

Days passed very fast then, and it was the best part of my life.

One day I felt very bad. I was sneezing and coughing all the time and Amma told that I had high fever. So she took me to a hospital and the doctor there looked very funny.

But things changed when he needled me in my ass, and I bit him back on his a hand.

Amma said sorry to him, and I said sorry to Amma. But she was very much upset after that day, and I felt that she started to hate me after that incident. My fever did not come down for many days and I was feeling bad always.

To make the situation worse, Amma’s husband came back to that house again. Days passed and my fever came down and I was back in action again.

One day when I was about to sleep in the night, my Amma’s husband came to my room and started taking with me.

“Are you angry with me?” He asked.

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“I know that. I never talk with you and I never loved you” He told

“I had plans of killing you” I told.

He laughed out loudly hearing that, and even though I felt that he was under estimating me, I felt better to see him laugh.

Then he started asking me many questions like:

Where are you from? , Where are you “coming” from? , What all work do you know? What date is today? , what date is tomorrow? , Where/who are your parents?

I answered “I don’t know” for all these questions- either because I really didn’t know the answer or because I was not really interested to know the answer.

“Oh…you poor kid…” He told, and his face and eyes turned red.

He touched my forehead and told-“You can call me Bayya. Bayya means brother”

… From that night, I left my plans of killing Bayya and we became friends.

I don’t know whether I mentioned the same way before or not, but this again was the best part of my life. I and Bayya spend a lot of time together. Me, Amma and Bayya went to many places. I saw many animals in a place called “zoo”. I went to a place named “theatre”- some other world in which a boy my age called “Harry potter” was doing magic. He was flying on a stick, he was fighting with everyone and he had many powers. I became a big fan of him and even thought of changing my name from Sachin Tendulkar to Harry potter. But things did not work out easily, and Amma told it’s a big process to change the name and all. So I left it there. Days again passed by…

And again, my fever came back.. And I felt very tired. I did not wanted to go to the doctor again, because I never wanted my Amma to be upset again. But still she was. She was very upset that, she even stopped talking with me.

I was about to sleep that day, and again Bayya came to my room.

“Are you still angry with me” he asked.

“I am sorry for that. If I had killed you, it would have been bad” I told.

“I know that. People sometimes make mistakes” he said, which was not a question. But still I replied.

“Yes. I stole money from masterji’s pocket. That was a mistake” I said.

His eyes went wide open, because he never knew my story completely.

“Do you want to meet your masterji again and say sorry to him?” Bayya asked.

Even though it was a question, I did not answer for it.

“It will be good. For you and for your masterji and everything will be fine” he said.

“Yes...I want to” I said.

“Ok…I will take you…” he said “…But on two conditions”

“What are those?” I asked

“One is your fever should come down completely and second is that you should agree to write a story”

The first was a very easy condition, but the second was equally tough, because I never learned to read and write.

“That is ok. But what is this story?” I asked very curiously.

“It will be your story. You will tell me and I will write it for you and the story will be called, Sachin…in and as Sachin. Good right?”

“Yes…it’s good” I said.

But then Bayya suddenly hugged me and started crying. I could feel his tears wetting my cheeks. I was feeling very tired and sleepy. So I could not completely help him by doing my part of crying, as I was supposed to. But still I managed.

Then he got up and asked me –“Have you heard about a disease called AIDS?”

“No. What is it?” I asked. Actually, I knew it. But, since kids of my age was not supposed to know about such “funny” disease, I said no.

“Do you know it kills people?” Bayya asked.

This was a new piece of knowledge for me, but I felt it irrelevant. So I kept silence.

Then he kept his palm on my forehead and checked my fever again, and then he left.

My fever came down after some days and in order to meet my masterji again, I had to write my story. And so we started writing the story!!! I was not good in this story writing thing. So I included “Bayya” in all my sentences. And then Finally Bayya told me with a serious face – “Look Sachin. You need not mention about me now and then in this story. It’s your story and the reader should feel that you are telling this story directly to them and should forget me completely.”

I made my face so serious, so serious that He really felt as if I am very serious about this story. In fact the whole idea of this story is his and not mine!!!

The below part was entirely written by my Bayya and was not narrated by me:

Bayya somehow found that “high” school for me and took me to masterji. I was tired and sick throughout the journey… and then finally I saw my masterji. Bayya and Amma were with me in that room.

He asked me to keep my hand on his head and then asked me-“Did you steal money from my pocket?”

“Yes. I did. I am really sorry for that” I said.

Then there was a huge silence which I did not like at all.

So I said- “but masterji, you told your head will burst if I lie, but it never happened that day”

Then there was a loud noise of laughter in that room.

I was happy to see everybody laughing together with me…my masterji, my Amma and my Bayya!!!

.

.

.

And after some days…I happily said “Good-bye” to this world.

And if you all remember….my name was Sachin!!!