The message I received -
Time: Till 7 at Thane stn. From there we will go to CST. Money max 300, 100 for Abhishek. Stay at Pratik's place. Who all are
coming? Confirmed (Vinayak,Satish,Pratik,Navin,Abhijeet,Jagdish,abhishek) This is last year, do come.
Dad: "Why don't you stay at home and have your new year?"
Dad's stupid son: "No. All of them are going to be there and I have to. I'll be coming in the morning as early as possible."
And, I left my place in the evening and reached Thane much earlier than I was supposed to be. Satish called me to get Mayur, and naturally I didn't. Mayur called me, and after much trying to locate the co-ordinates we met at the local ticket counter.
"Why are you carrying a bag?", Mayur was puzzled. I didn't respond. Meanwhile, Satish was on his way to Thane, I went to get some Sinarest tablets, as I was very sure of my nose going red that day; unfortunately the chemist was selling full strip. I didn't buy it.
When I returned, Satish looked rejuvenated for the new year's eve. He took a steep look, "Did you sell your books today?"
"Nah..I got money. 100"
"Huh..?"
Vinayak managed to pull up in time. It was really good to see someone else with a bag too.We boarded the very next train to CST. As I was the last person to get into the train, I didn't find a place. That was disappointing when others did. I cornered myself and finally found a place to sit- my favorite double wall corner window. For unknown reasons, I was dull that day. Messaged few people, and surprisingly cell didn't vibrate in time. Having removed my cords, I plug them to listen to Nymphetamine, and ducked my head on my bag. Calm Sleep. And, all I remembered was loud beating of drums, and constant melodious stroke of guitar, and we reached CST.
Woke up with cords still plugged in my ears, I realized clock must has skipped few hours. People had been waiting long. Owl's night was up. Nikhil was dude that day. (If you read this!)
Suddenly, wind went live and brought chillness in the bones.Road was busy with foreigners,locals, wanderers and seekers. Had our rats satiated, we headed to Gateway of India. None knew the exact road, but all of them tried leading the herd. The place had tight security with officials, guards and uniform people whom I didn't manage to recognize. I couldn't really understand the point behind putting such security after the 26/11 incident has already happened. If it were to happen again, why would they choose 31/12? Just to be in Limca BOR? Anyway, this made me feel good. If I die, Meraj will die too.! That was good. That was merrily really good.
GOI was still the same as it was. Yet, going to that place feels good.The structure being built to commemorate King George V's visit, we people go there. That's good! One thing the herd lacked was a photographer. And, a camera too.!
1) Why does Vinayak carry such a beautiful device with no battery?
2) Why doesn't Vinayak know how to operate it?
Anyway, one who owns a bat doesn't necessarily mean he can bat.
We had people. We had beautiful structure behind us. And, we got homo sapiens sapiens' brains to conceive poses; all in total vain.
I called all the lovers of food -especially chicken. Or anything else, roasted or baked and salted, if properly. We went to Bade Miyan. That place was sick with people. Like an epidemic of humans over there. Get a place to dine- No chance!
Still couldn't imagine how can a stall can reap off to that extent.?! We had our food packed and decided to have it at Marine Drive possibly, if that could happen to happen. And, all were wolves at 10 in the night. That's it. No sooner did we walk few steps, the packet was opened. We devoured that dainty delicious
thing. I didn't even have the slightest idea what I was eating, but it did have egg. The saddest thing was I was the last person in group of four to know the packet was opened, and after that some more people went sad. Sadder than me. It was all licked up.
And, who opened it? Meraj. [Sala..]
Earlier that night, Meraj stepped on a woman. And, reason being practicing voyeurism in public. Everyone else did, but it was Meraj who stepped.
[Meraj should be hanged till rotten.Done!]
Not more than a mile, we found a place for snacks. Kind of hotel. And, closest to it was a bus stop. There! We had our food. All packets opened. Who would wait for Marine Drive? The clock- 12. When in hunger, devour. People looked at us, but they surely missed the taste.
Two of us vegetarian, Mayur and Pratik. The only saddest part of being a vegetarian is a non-vegetarian can eat veg. They were looted.
And, we reached Marine Drive. The place was calm, only to go live at 12. Splendid fireworks at every stroke of an hour illuminated the dark sky. We sat there and had some time. Some talks. Still didn't figure out why Meraj laughed and no one else did. [Meraj should be hanged till rotten] Then we moved in, earliest possible time, to get the best view, and to reach nearest station in time. People flocked at a place to sneak at the disco at some prestigious hotel. Hotel construction builders on intent made dance rooms transparent. At least it was transparent from the road side. I didn't had any interest to stand and look at the women in black dresses dancing, but I did show some interest just to make my mates feel accompanied. Seriously. I was dull as I said.
[Sacchhi..!]
And, it was 12. Nothing was up in the sky. No clock. No count down. People were confused - is it 12 or is it 5 to 12? Sooner it was 12.02. we greeted and howled. That was voice of 1/1/11. That was good and loud.! Everyone called up their family and relatives, friends. And, some more emotional stuff. Though I had best of network coverage, I didn't call anyone, except my brother. And, holy disappointment, he asked me where I was. I said, "Haunted night.Happy nightmares.Bye."
And, I remember Navin saying not to see a fight on new year day when I was so deeply interested in foul words people were exchanging.
"...Year goes bad if you see a fight.."
We had to rush to nearest station because we would be definitely missing the last local to Vashi. We passed Marine lines, and came back to Marine lines. That was stupid. We manage to quicken things up, and luckily there was a special local running that day for vashi.
We boarded the train, and there it happened. But, I was the last person to know about it. I was standing alone at the other door, when it happened.
The drunk fellow almost fell between the train and platform. He slipped, and as his body hung up in air, luckily Navin caught his hand. Meraj lost his state. Mayur somehow helped that man by grabbing the other hand and they pulled that person out of running train. That was NDE..Near death experience!! The person was almost dead.
Meraj regained his state.
The drunk guy had his temple struck, mentally. It was for the first time I saw that NDE can certainly bring a person out of hangover when nothing else can.
Numb.
Mayur, strongly superstitious guy, believes year will go rocking. We had a call from Trupti. She was excited. Well, no one knows why she always is! "...Happy new year girl.."
We changed local at some station.I was lost in vapors of undefined state.And, I remember putting my bag on the upper 'whatever'. Putting in the cords, I was asleep again near the door with some music playing at the background. Meraj said I looked drunk when I wasn't. Trust me.
Train kicked up pace fast. I looked at my bag at Mankhurd, and thought of taking it at Vashi when I will get down.
Lazy.
But, it's not my fault. It's hereditary.
While getting down, I remember Vinayak talking to me. We stepped down, and the train left the station.
In the ground way, Navin asked me about my bag. Here's the list that flashed in 2 secs-
> Oh! I left my bag in the train.
> Oh! I'm dead.
> Okay. Navin must have taken it. Navin is a good friend of mine.
> Oh! He hasn't.
> Oh! I'm dead again.
> Sala Navin.
We rushed back to platform, but train had gone. We went to Railway police station. That man from my native was very helpful, apparently. I said I had some documents, and some cash-1000. He gave me an advice. Then, advices. Meanwhile, the train and my bag was getting further from me. Seconds and Seconds. I wonder why trains run so fast.!
The man had the train checked at Belapur, and asked us to wait. They said they didn't find it. That was shocking. And, amusing too. If I would have said it had 5000 cash, at least police could have taken pains to have the train checked really. Later, we found it was Panvel-3 train.
Meraj decided we should leave for Panvel. That was good move for two reasons- Meraj had always wanted a night out on road. And, I've never been to Panvel.Nerul down even. And, hopefully we'll find the bag.
We boarded the last train running that night to Panvel, and we knew we could only get back the following morning. The journey was painful and beautiful. Consolingly, Meraj tried, if not lifting my morale, but not letting it go down. Meraj's
good at it I must say,[Sach me..], when I was tensed, but not sad. No, definitely not sad.
Meraj: "..Things have happened good earlier,we have done good this year. So we'll hopefully find your bag.."
I knew that wasn't really going to happen. My luck when I need it, it brings its fellow companion- Unluck.
We reached Panvel at 2 in the night. That place was good, and is. We found a train on halt next to platform we descended, and we didn't know for sure whether it was the same train in which I lost my bag, but we had it checked thoroughly.
We looked for train number- Panvel 3. But, we didn't find it.
Then, I looked at the platform number- it was 3. That's it. It was Panvel 3. Adrenaline rush. We had already checked the train. Getting it confirmed from the motorman, we checked it again. I didn't find the bag.
We reported to railway police station if someone with a halo on his, or probably her, head must have submitted it. But, no luck.
The man asked to report it down. There went the list -
ATM Card
Driving License
Railway Pass till FEB
ID Card (with old cell no. Sad.)
PAN Card
And yea, 2600 cash, T-shirt and pant,and other accessories like pens, and stuff (Which I didn't tell him). Pen drives- 4+2 GB too.
And, I also documented wrong cell number. I was completely out of state. That was stupid of me. Meraj knew my number doesn't start with 9, it starts with 7.
But, he didn't say anything. [Meraj should be hanged till rotten.]
There.! I lost my bag.Finally, I realized it that I have lost it for sure.
We had coffee. Bizarre. Not because I lost my bag, but it was dripped out of Nescafe and tasted like goat's milk.
[I haven't tasted the goat's milk. But, surely it would taste like that coffee.]
No trains till morning. We had a relief now. Enough of running. We sat down to have talks. And then, it was all forgotten. The bag,
the incident. We continued with talking stuff, which weren't really depressing, rather was very interesting. [Meraj, love you!]
I did ask Meraj to go to Sweksha's place. It was only 3 a.m . He denied. That was depressing too, but he had sense.
I lost my senses earlier, six of them.
We stayed there all night. And, checked the train once more. Still the bag wasn't there. And, stupid people believe in stupid miracles.
What that book is? - Holy Bible.!
We left Panvel in the morning, and reached Vashi. That was refreshing morning of 1/1/11. Cold like hell.
Called up Pratik to take us home.And, he did. Nice guy. Bike. Chilling Cold.
Satish was asleep, and other people were watching some movie when we got up there. Suddenly, they paused. And, I wondered why did they pause- to hear story, eh? And, I was looking for food. They kept it for us. I did manage to see beer cans, empty beer cans to be precise. That was again depressing. I ate the my part, chicken again, but nothing like Bade Miyan. I ate Meraj's part too.
Satish looked stoned.
Then, somehow I devised a detailed plan while I was roaming alone in the room aisle, and others were sleeping. People helped me with money. They contributed. Suprisingly, Nikhil contributed the highest. Good healthy sum.Plan was to buy formals and go home, that Meraj had shared earlier that night. So, that doesn't need explanation where did money go.
We left Pratik's place early in the morning. Funny thing that happened was Mayur got locked up in Pratik's room, when all of us were down. Luckily, Mayur keeps a mobile, and he called Pratik to get him out. That was funny, indeed.
Others went home. They were really supportive that day, but all went home. Sad.
Pratik and I went to Student Book Depot in Vashi, and sold some books to get more money. I bought some formals. That was fun too, because it took me more than an hour at the shop.
And, I finally was on my way to home. Massacre waiting there. That's really difficult when you know it's going to be massacre,and still you have to go to that place. Just because it's home- where one lives.
And, I was making plan, rehearsing what should I tell to mom. And, more importantly what I shouldn't.
When I reached home, my brother, who out of no sense in normal times, asked me about my bag. Mom was on the terrace. I rushed upstairs, and I told her- I lost my bag. Her eyes went wide open like my mouth went wide open when I devour Bade Miyan.
Mom didn't ask about the money because I brought home formals - the money was given to me for formals.
With some hither thither, I took water on my own.I put Aaj Tak on tv.No shouting at mother for Live India. That day I taught my brother some Integration stuff. I was being nice. I tried to be. Within one hour, every thing went normal. And, my mom laughed. Laughed hard at me.
"..Jarur wo sunnewala kaan mein dal ke gana sunn raha hoga.. isliye kho diya bag..tu na.."
I couldn't even nodded. It was the truth.! I smiled sheepishly.
My mom is cool. She promised she won't tell my dad that very day. Maybe sometime later she will. And, I went to sleep, though I never sleep in the afternoon. Never. But, that day I slept.
When I woke up, papa asked me about what happened to my bag.
And, I went - 'MY MOM IS NOT COOL..' !! I gave her stern look. And, she laughed. "..ab bhugto.. bag kaise ghuma diya bata.. ?"
Dad was furious, but didn't even shout, or thrash me. He was mad at me because I was careless.
But, that's not my fault. That's hereditary.
It's been long time now. All I have now is Vashi to Panvel (return) railway ticket dated 1/1/11.
Panvel was fun.!
....................................................................................
PS:
Deer reader, if you are the one who has accidentally stolen my bag, then poke me on - http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/abhishekplays
Meraj, don't take above shit to heart. I love you! And, always will :D
You're fantastic companion, you 'try' to soothe people. Nice! Nice!
And, someday I'll return your 350 Rs that you have contributed. And, I also take this place to let you know the money that was supposed to be given to you, I have bought memory card. Yuhu!
Live in agony deer..!!
Thanks people for reading.! Thanks people for helping.! Thanks people for making 1/1/11 memorable. :-)
Haunted night people!
And, I hope my parents don't land up on this page. Or my brother.
