Friday, September 21, 2012

You wanted me, here I am

"I will never forget this day in my life!" shouted an old man sitting beside me in the Airport lounge. It was the next day of Christmas.

"Sir!" I called him.
"How can I possibly forget that incident?" he continued. (Ignoring me)
This time I didn't respond him.
"Have you ever seen Saw-I?"
"Yes sir, twice!"
"Have you listened to the statement of the girl who escaped the Jigsaw killer?"
"Yes sir! 'He helped me' is her statement!"
"I will never forget that day in my life!"


"45 years back, It was the next day of the holy Christmas. 26th December."

(Now on, I shall continue the story from his view.)

26th December.

The holy chant of Om Namo Narayana filled the home with a divine feeling. My parents went to a marriage of my father's friend. I was alone in home and was getting ready for my college. Being brought up in a traditional and an orthodox way, I used to perform all my rituals everyday. I had finished my morning sandhyavandhanam before the bell rang. I hurried to the door and was irritated to find a man standing there with a CD in his hand. He must have been in his late thirties. Neatly cut and shaven. A frame less spectacles. A round neck T-shirt and a blue jean. He was so modern yet I could sense a power from his face.

(Yet another sales rep! At this time?)

"Is your father here?"
"Nope he has gone out!"
"May I come in?" Give me a glass of water. I have travelled a long distance to see you... sorry your father!"
"Please sit down!"

(Its late already!)
I handed him a glass of water. I was in a hurry to finish my assignment!

"Why so serious?" asked the guy.
"I gotta finish this assignment!"
"Kill the Batman."
"Excuse me?"
"It is a great film! What a film with a common story yet an extra-ordinary narration and direction."
"You are talking about 'The Dark Knight'?"
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah an exemplary film with an amazing direction!"

(He started quoting dialogues from the film. Yeah I love the film. But it wouldn't be nice to hear them when you are in a hurry! At last he seemed to leave.)

"Okay! Its time! I shall take my leave now! Tell your father that I visited him! Give him this CD and this paper! This has my address and contact number. Tell him to call me as soon as possible!"

"Okay sir. Thank you! I will surely inform him!"
"You wanted me, here I am." He left.

(I didn't understand the context of his last Dark Knight reference then!)

I used to go to my friend's home, pick him and leave for college. I got ready, locked my door and handed over the key to my neighbour. I started my bike and left for my friend's place. His place is a few streets away from mine. When I took the right to his home, I noticed a crowd in front of his home and there were police barricades blocking the street. I was bemused and eager to know the happening. My friend signalled me to leave to college from his terrace. I came to college and met him during lunch.


A shock.
A big shock.
I must have been paralyzed for a minute.


There was a RDX bomb blast near his home by a rowdy group to kill their opposite group's leader. The thing which made me paralyzed is the place and timing. It blasted at 8.15 in the open space next to his home. That is the place I usually wait for him everyday. That is the time I usually wait standing in that open space.

What would have happened if I had come early by 10 minutes? I would have gone!
What would have happened? 

I was in a big trauma and so I could not open my mouth!

That evening I reached home and cried to my parents regarding the one! I went numb again! It was then that I noticed the CD and the paper the man gave me in the morning! I let out a cry of shock and surprise!

WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THAT GUY HADN'T COME IN THE MORNING AND SPENT TIME WITH ME SO THAT I ENDED UP LATE IN MY FRIEND'S PLACE?

I opened the paper and was flabbergasted to find that the address was my next door number which was the temple's address! The CD? It had nothing! An empty one!

My neighbours told my mom that there was a mental patient roaming around the street and entered some of the houses! The description given by them exactly suited the man who was talking to me in my home in the morning!

Who was he? How did he meet me? Why did he talk to me for a long time? Everything remains an unsolved puzzle to me till now! Did he tell this sentence purposely? "You wanted me, here I am."



Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman


Its the divine power.

(From now, its my tone!)

"How can I forget this day in my life?" said the man.

I too was flabbergasted!!!! I am not sure if it was divinity or a random happening! But I am sure that this has changed his life and perhaps will change mine!

You wanted me, here I am

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