As the day dawned, he continued staring at the sky through the open window of his bedroom. He had occupied the couch next to the window more than 6 hours before after an half-hour's effort to get some sleep proving futile. As if the sight of the orange sun gave him new energy,he suddenly stood up and looked around himself. He noticed that nothing had moved since the time he had occupied the couch, including his friend who lay peacefully asleep on the bed next to his.
He had always envied his friend ever since he had known him.His friend was so calm even in nerve-wrecking situations.He had often wondered how.But,today the sight of his friend's calm face was testing his nerves.Impulsively, he went and shook him. His friend grinned with half-open eyes on seeing his tensed face and muttered, "Hey, chill dude.It'll turn out alrite". Unconvinced, he gave a watery smile to his friend who had drifted back to sleep."I mustn't annoy him too much. It'll mean trouble for me only.",he thought,rebuking himself. He paced the bedroom a few times befor picking up the file that lay on his bed. He held it carefully and flicked through the pages .Curriculam vitae,certificates,transcripts,... yes everything was there. He took a closer look at the transcripts to see if someone may realise they were fake."No",he thought "I'm just being too paranoid."This file was the result of 48 hours of hard-work.It looked too perfect for anyone to doubt.He wondered if he had forgotten to include something."Passport,perhaps?",he questioned himself,"Did they ask for passport during job interviews?".But he had no chance of knowing as he had been unemployed from the day he had dropped out of college.
Today's was once in a lifetime opportunity. It could make or break his entire life."No",he told himself "I'm not going to spoil the day by being tensed.In the end, the confidence with which I speak is only going to prove decisive.Even if they ask for passport, I can make some excuse."
The clock struck 7 times indicating the time. He rushed to the kitchen to prepare some breakfast for him and his friend. He returned with a tray having 4 sandwiches and 2 glasses of milk. His friend who had woken up by then, grinned and took the tray from him.By the time he had finished his glass of milk,his friend had devoured the sandwiches and the milk in his glass."We'll start in an hour.And buddy, you'll mess it up if you look so tensed",he friend said walking out of the room.
Exactly an hour later, he was driving the scooter with his friend at the back. They reached the police checkpoint and there was a long queue ahead.He had anticipated this. But,he knew his nerves wouldn't stand the wait.To his friend's surprise,he cut the queue and drove towards the policeman.Before his friend could come of the shock and rebuke him for his hasty action, he was already talking to the policeman. The policeman watched disinterestedly as he rambled on about how crucial this job was to him and if he didn't reach the place in another 20 minutes,it was as good as gone.
"You think the other people in the line are standing here because they want to?Are you the chief minister's son or something?",the policeman shouted,glaring at him.
"Saab,please saab.If you leave me early, God will bless you, my ammi,abbu,my entire family will bless you.Saab, please I really need this job ..."he pleaded.
The policeman cut him short saying, "Acha, you are begging so much so...".Then he came closer and whispered"100 Rs."
His friend who was really amused by now took out a fresh hundred rupee note and slid it into the policeman's half-outstretched hand. The policeman gave a brief grin and moved slightly back allowing them to proceed without checking.
He started the scooter and drove at full speed. Just after he turned around the corner, he stopped the scooter and got down.He wanted to jump up, throw his hands up in jubilation but he didn't want his friend to think he was too excited. He carefully removed the packets of cocaine tucked carefully on the inner side of his jean which were held tightly with his belt.As he handed them over to his friend, he said "That guy didn't even ask for the file to see if I'm really going for a job interview".
"I told you that policemen in this country aren't so thorough.They just want money we give them.Ok, then I'll go and deliver this to the party.I'll tell Salim bhai how good you were.He'll be really pleased to hear how you managed to escape without checking and he'll allow you to join our gang also. We need young people like you. Toh kal Salim bhai ke adde pe aajana"
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
From the pages of an unopened book...
PS: This is a work of fiction culminated from the random ramblings of the author and hence (Obviously) doesn't resemble anyone living or dead. (Hee HEE!!!)
Amar opened his eyes drowsily and groped in the darkness for his alarm clock. The glowing arms of the clock indicated that the time was 5:55 am, which meant there was five minutes left for it to start buzzing. Turning it off, he pulled the curtains back. Sunlight streamed into the bedroom lighting it up instantly. He pulled out his journal from under his pillow and made a note of the time he woke up. As he caressed its thick blue cover, he idly contemplated on the monotony that had settled into his life. His journal which he never parted with, was a reflection of the same. His routine which never changed was well documented in his journal.
After a quick shower, he made his own breakfast which consisted of a glass of boiled milk and four slices of toasted bread groaning under the weight of excessive butter. Yesterday, his wife had stormed out of the house after they had had one of their innumerable arguments. He had diligently made note of it in his journal. Stuffing food into his mouth with one hand, he slowly opened his yesterday’s entry in the journal and glanced at it. Now, he could vividly recollect the whole episode. He finished his breakfast and rushed to catch a bus to his office which was located at the other end of the city.
As he travelled in the rickety bus, his mind went over the fight he had had with his wife yesterday evening. As soon as he had entered the house, his wife had rushed in from the kitchen to make him comfortable. He had wondered aloud, “Why this sudden concern? Do you want some money?” This, he realized, had been his biggest mistake. He himself had opened the controversial topic which had been the cause of several of their recent fights. What had followed was something he shuddered to think about. His wife had started wailing at the top of her voice telling him in so many words that he was jeopardizing the future of their son. She had further accused him of using the money he earned on drugs. His anger had risen at that instant and he had struck hard across her face. After she had stormed out of the house and he had calmed down, he had realized the truth in her words. Due to his inability to provide money, their son had had to discontinue his college studies and was presently at home with a bleak future ahead of him. However, he realized wearily, there was a limit to what one could earn through straight-forward means.
The bus screeched to a halt in front of his office which was essentially a small dingy room where he sat all day receiving and sanctioning cheques. His employer was one of the richest men in the city. He had left Amar in-charge of his transport agency consisting of over fifty vehicles. As he entered and sat in front of his old table, the driver of one of the trucks rushed in. He remembered that he had to give him money before he left for the long trip to Delhi. “How much?” he enquired rhetorically. He knew he had to give him Rs. 10000. He was shocked to hear him ask for double the amount. When he raised his eyebrows, the man smiled and said, “Sir, Life is all about making adjustments. Please do me a favour and give me the money. I’ll give you Rs. 5000 for your help”. Amar thought for a minute and then agreed, “This is the first and last time I’m doing something like this .I’ll somehow adjust this in the record. Now, take Rs. 15000 and leave before someone else comes in.” The driver smiled and made his way out. Amar opened his journal to make a note of this transaction. He always had a habit of recording every single transaction of his in journal . Suddenly, he could hear pattering of feet and he jerked his head up only to see his employer and a policeman rush into the office. He couldn’t understand anything and stared blankly at them as they came and stood in front of him.
His employer spoke to the man in uniform, “Now, that we have caught him red-handed, you can arrest him officer. I have always suspected that some sort of adjustments have been going on in the office records.” He turned to Amar and said reproachfully, “I have always treated you like my own son. I left you in-charge of the office because I had complete faith in you.” The officer said, “Mr. Amar, the whole episode that took place here was a pre-arranged one. I have sufficient proof to arrest you for being involved in bribery.” Amar retorted, “I agree with you. You have proof that I was taking bribe this time. But without proof you can’t accuse me of having been involved in it previously”. The policeman nodded and turned to the employer. “He’s right. How do we get proofs of his earlier dealings?” The employer’s eyes wandered and suddenly a flash of realization was seen on his face. With a smug look he said, “I think if we look through his journal, we’ll get sufficient proof.” For a moment, a look of terror clouded Amar’s face. Then, his face relaxed and he handed over the bulky journal to the officer in uniform. “Feel free to look through it”, he added, confidently.
The policeman who had noticed the change of expressions in his face knew for sure that the journal contained some important information. But, as he turned the pages of the journal, he saw that only Amar’s boring routine filled the pages. With a disappointed look he was about to hand the journal back, when the employer stopped him. “We saw him making an entry of today’s act. So you can use the diary as an additional proof for atleast that.” he said. The policeman turned the pages rapidly only to find it hadn’t been recorded. By now, his suspicions grew and he understood that something was amiss. He had watched Amar filling his journal with his own eyes but now, he was unable to find the entry. He flipped the pages of the journal until he reached the last page. He went over the whole situation in his mind while he unconsciously caressed the back cover.
As he continued doing so, he could see a small flap on the inside part of the back cover. As he moved the flap aside, he could see pages filled with details of bribes taken. On finding that his secret had been discovered, Amar hung his head in shame and confided, “I thought I was smart and had hidden these pages containing details of the bribes I had taken under a flap. Now that, it has been discovered there is nothing left for me to say”. He turned to his employer and said, “Sir, I’m sorry to have taken you for a ride. My wife found out about my addiction to drugs and refused to give me any money. I used all the money I had saved for my son’s college fees on drugs. When I was left with no money, I had no other go but to cheat”, he started sobbing.
Amar opened his eyes drowsily and groped in the darkness for his alarm clock. The glowing arms of the clock indicated that the time was 5:55 am, which meant there was five minutes left for it to start buzzing. Turning it off, he pulled the curtains back. Sunlight streamed into the bedroom lighting it up instantly. He pulled out his journal from under his pillow and made a note of the time he woke up. As he caressed its thick blue cover, he idly contemplated on the monotony that had settled into his life. His journal which he never parted with, was a reflection of the same. His routine which never changed was well documented in his journal.
After a quick shower, he made his own breakfast which consisted of a glass of boiled milk and four slices of toasted bread groaning under the weight of excessive butter. Yesterday, his wife had stormed out of the house after they had had one of their innumerable arguments. He had diligently made note of it in his journal. Stuffing food into his mouth with one hand, he slowly opened his yesterday’s entry in the journal and glanced at it. Now, he could vividly recollect the whole episode. He finished his breakfast and rushed to catch a bus to his office which was located at the other end of the city.
As he travelled in the rickety bus, his mind went over the fight he had had with his wife yesterday evening. As soon as he had entered the house, his wife had rushed in from the kitchen to make him comfortable. He had wondered aloud, “Why this sudden concern? Do you want some money?” This, he realized, had been his biggest mistake. He himself had opened the controversial topic which had been the cause of several of their recent fights. What had followed was something he shuddered to think about. His wife had started wailing at the top of her voice telling him in so many words that he was jeopardizing the future of their son. She had further accused him of using the money he earned on drugs. His anger had risen at that instant and he had struck hard across her face. After she had stormed out of the house and he had calmed down, he had realized the truth in her words. Due to his inability to provide money, their son had had to discontinue his college studies and was presently at home with a bleak future ahead of him. However, he realized wearily, there was a limit to what one could earn through straight-forward means.
The bus screeched to a halt in front of his office which was essentially a small dingy room where he sat all day receiving and sanctioning cheques. His employer was one of the richest men in the city. He had left Amar in-charge of his transport agency consisting of over fifty vehicles. As he entered and sat in front of his old table, the driver of one of the trucks rushed in. He remembered that he had to give him money before he left for the long trip to Delhi. “How much?” he enquired rhetorically. He knew he had to give him Rs. 10000. He was shocked to hear him ask for double the amount. When he raised his eyebrows, the man smiled and said, “Sir, Life is all about making adjustments. Please do me a favour and give me the money. I’ll give you Rs. 5000 for your help”. Amar thought for a minute and then agreed, “This is the first and last time I’m doing something like this .I’ll somehow adjust this in the record. Now, take Rs. 15000 and leave before someone else comes in.” The driver smiled and made his way out. Amar opened his journal to make a note of this transaction. He always had a habit of recording every single transaction of his in journal . Suddenly, he could hear pattering of feet and he jerked his head up only to see his employer and a policeman rush into the office. He couldn’t understand anything and stared blankly at them as they came and stood in front of him.
His employer spoke to the man in uniform, “Now, that we have caught him red-handed, you can arrest him officer. I have always suspected that some sort of adjustments have been going on in the office records.” He turned to Amar and said reproachfully, “I have always treated you like my own son. I left you in-charge of the office because I had complete faith in you.” The officer said, “Mr. Amar, the whole episode that took place here was a pre-arranged one. I have sufficient proof to arrest you for being involved in bribery.” Amar retorted, “I agree with you. You have proof that I was taking bribe this time. But without proof you can’t accuse me of having been involved in it previously”. The policeman nodded and turned to the employer. “He’s right. How do we get proofs of his earlier dealings?” The employer’s eyes wandered and suddenly a flash of realization was seen on his face. With a smug look he said, “I think if we look through his journal, we’ll get sufficient proof.” For a moment, a look of terror clouded Amar’s face. Then, his face relaxed and he handed over the bulky journal to the officer in uniform. “Feel free to look through it”, he added, confidently.
The policeman who had noticed the change of expressions in his face knew for sure that the journal contained some important information. But, as he turned the pages of the journal, he saw that only Amar’s boring routine filled the pages. With a disappointed look he was about to hand the journal back, when the employer stopped him. “We saw him making an entry of today’s act. So you can use the diary as an additional proof for atleast that.” he said. The policeman turned the pages rapidly only to find it hadn’t been recorded. By now, his suspicions grew and he understood that something was amiss. He had watched Amar filling his journal with his own eyes but now, he was unable to find the entry. He flipped the pages of the journal until he reached the last page. He went over the whole situation in his mind while he unconsciously caressed the back cover.
As he continued doing so, he could see a small flap on the inside part of the back cover. As he moved the flap aside, he could see pages filled with details of bribes taken. On finding that his secret had been discovered, Amar hung his head in shame and confided, “I thought I was smart and had hidden these pages containing details of the bribes I had taken under a flap. Now that, it has been discovered there is nothing left for me to say”. He turned to his employer and said, “Sir, I’m sorry to have taken you for a ride. My wife found out about my addiction to drugs and refused to give me any money. I used all the money I had saved for my son’s college fees on drugs. When I was left with no money, I had no other go but to cheat”, he started sobbing.
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