No one was
behind him now, only the empty street. Mannu was delighted, not because the first
semester papers were over, not even because it was his birthday tomorrow, only
because he was going to meet Pia, see her for the first time. He was nervous
too. Music from the Bee Gees played loud in Mannu’s head. It was irresistible
to avoid lip sync on the melody and he was that Romeo who was going far to see
his Juliet. From one end to the other, he couldn’t believe his passion for his
blind love. Pia couldn’t believe either. Really, the truth sometimes is
unbelievable! In a dizzy speed the bus was crossing traffic jams and red lights.
Time was running faster. Reaching badi
chaupad, Mannu ultimately decided to step down and take an auto. Only
twenty minutes remained for the train to depart. As usual the auto rickshaw wala demanded a high amount. Unusually
Mannu agreed to pay and asked him to drive as fast as he could. On his way back
to the reception Mannu called Major to enquire about the blind escape from the
back yard of the hostel. He didn’t answer. Mannu called again. He didn’t
answer. Mannu called Nitesh. He, too, didn’t pick up the call. Life didn’t give anything to Mannu in one go.
Mannu picked up his bag and with firm
steps he walked on the second road to freedom. Mannu didn’t had a clue about
the backyard escape, but he had the courage to do all that was needed.
The jump
was no big deal compared to what Mannu was going to do after it. The wall was beyond the mess. It was the
boundary of college and unlike the front walls it was barbed. There were mess
workers around, dedicated to the job with their soul. No one asked why Mannu
was here. All were busy.
God helps those who help themselves.
Mannu
spoke to himself, with his gaze fixed on the seven foot wall.
He didn’t
look left or right. This was no casual jump. It was to take him far away from
an ordinary life. He never looked back either. Whoooaaa! He clung onto it in
one go. Now his ears could sense some footsteps running towards him. Mannu
muscled up his body, pressed his lips together and jumped to the other end of
life.
The clear
skies, the open lands and freedom! All he had to do was to run for his love.
And he did it with pace. He landed in a plot with cow dung, some goats basking
in the sun. He ran towards the main road. Time was fifty minutes past twelve.
The wait for the city bus started. He had to board the next one no matter how
stuffed with passengers it may be. After a five minute wait he boarded one.
“Lo Saab..,” The driver spoke and
accelerated. Mannu was looking at his wrist watch minute after minute as if
that would speed up the speed of the auto.
“Bhaiya...hurry up. Train will leave in
ten minutes.” Mannu spoke, guiding the driver from the back seat. Rushing hard
he paid the money in advance and asked the driver to keep the change. Again
there was a jam at the chauraha just
at the entry of the railway station.
“Rok do bhaiya.” Mannu requested him and
ran towards the railway station. Hitting people, shoulder to shoulder, avoiding
the queues and escaping the call of coolies, Mannu reached the platform at five
minutes past two.
The train
stood right in front. Whooo aaa!!! He gazed at it, breathed heavily to relax
himself and laughed at the situation. Till the last moment things were
undecided. But today was his day. Life had just begun. Looking for the bogies Mannu could fairly
remember the days of October. Now was a new start. Bogie number J1. Again Mannu
stared at it for a while. Very sure of what he was going to do, where he was
heading towards, he stepped in. The time was seven minutes past two.
Welcome
to North Western Railways.
No comments:
Post a Comment