Gulmohar Sadan

Facebook Notification popped up on my mobile screen.  Ah, a new friend request, not again this time..oh pls.. I sighed. But the name sounded familiar - Arav Dutta. I began racking my brain hard to recall where had I heard of him before. Clicking onto his name,  I landed on his profile. We have two mutual friends, it displayed. Upon further browsing, I found those mutual friends to be my schoolmates. I had lost contact with my schoolmates quite long back and some of them were mere friends on Facebook now. So, here and there a glimpse of their whereabouts always flashed in the news feed and I hardly gave it a damn.

What I loved about my childhood was the chaos in the city and yet the serene residential area that thrived within it’s boundaries, that still preserved the culture of the city intact. Every festivity was celebrated with great pomp and joy.  This was often perceived as an opportunity to socialise and mingle among the residents. Quite famous were the Gurba-dandiya during Navratri , Diwali and Christmas where people flocked at each others’ homes and also thronged the stalls late in the night. Quite a show of festive gesture!

Recently I had moved back to this sprawling city of Mumbai on account of my official transfer and I wholeheartedly looked forward to pursue my dream job here. The entire city seemed so lively in contrast to the other places I had stayed so far. It seemed to enliven the good old lively memories of my childhood. Soon I managed to book a nice residence in the heart of the city. It was much of as surprise when I happened to bump across an enthusiastic agent who proactively arranged for a meet with the sellers and helped me strike a decent deal for a flat in 'Gulmohar Sadan' . Felt so proud to own a home that too within such a short span of search, when I was hardly hoping to get even a rented place.

Everyday my work kept me busy from dawn to dusk until I managed to pull myself away from work by my 5 pm, each evening. On the way back I often shopped for fresh veggies and cooked myself a decent meal. Left overs were packed off as lunch for the next day. Always I had my dinner accompanied by the daily soaps and often dozed off on the cozy couch after a heavy dinner. It had become a routine that I loved my life after work enough to stop seeking any better career prospects floating in the market.

First few days went as usual, but after a few weeks, I started getting sudden buzzes on my phone or either doorbells rings, right in the middle of the night. These incidents drove away my sleep and I used remain very anxious for the rest of the night wondering who was the culprit. The calls or the doorbells used to buzz sharp at 12:00 am. The door binoculars did not reveal anybody’s presence though I pressed my eye for a good deal of 60 mins trying to capture any movements outside my door.

Firstly, I suspected my agent to be playing a prank on me to frighten me off, as it happens in metro cities. But slowly on enquiring from the neighbourhood, I realised he was one of the respected entities of the town and doubting on him was next to insanity. Even to me, he seemed to be a genuine sort of person and it would have been unbelievable to doubt on person of such caliber, who was rich and respected in the society. Next on the doubt list were the mischievous kids in the colony. But there were hardly any kids aged older than 7 in the whole block. So it was again impossible for any child to reach the height of the doorbell. Next, I suspected the vegetable vendors or any sales man who would have tress-passed the area at odd hours. Again, the community was gated and under surveillance.

“Yes, on surveillance!”

Upon realising this, I soon approached the security guard of the building. He was one of the fattest guy I had ever seen. It was usual for him to take hours to get off his seat, let alone go and play pranks around, that too in the middle of the night. So, it was utterly nonsense to even doubt on him. I asked him if I could get me a copy of recording of the entire night watch captured by the cam. He laughed off and asked, 
“Ma’am, do you think we really spend on cameras especially when you have a heavy security like me dispatched to guard the block for the entire night? And still you think someone charging you Rs 300  for maintenance per month would actually install camera in the first place?” 
He chuckled.

I was apprehensive by now and just left the spot hopelessly. The buzzing episode continued almost everyday and it almost took away my entire night’s sleep. Someone at work also suggested me to check if it was due to some paranormal activity. Now, I wasn’t a great believer of spirits or its entities. But there was no other reason I could think of. Next day, I tried contacting the owner of the home to check if there was any abnormal incident in the past of that home. They attended my call normally and spoke really sweet and calmed me down of my fears. They said there was nothing bad about that home or the neighbourhood and put all my fears to rest. But the recurring incident of the night had made me go crazy and sleep deprived. I tried staying at my friend’s (colleague who turned into my confidante soon) place for few nights, but i wasn’t really feeling good since I knew I had to return my usual home one fine day and stay in the night. 

Then one fine night, there was a loud tapping on the main door and that scared the shit off me. I locked myself inside the remotest room in my home and tried calling up my team mates. But to my surprise the network turned so worse, there was no signal to reach out to anybody. I chanted every possible prayer till my energy drained me to sleep. Next morning, muttering up all courage I just opened up the main door and was shocked to find  blood stained palm prints right on my door. I was so nerve wrecked, my immediate reaction was to tap my neighbours door. But there was no response what-so-ever. And I ran all the way to the security guard. The dozing guard grunted back to me as if I had just seen a nightmare. Gritting my teeth, I just fled to my friend’s place as usual after packing my few essentials.

After a few days, I mustered enough courage to return back home along with this friend of mine. Both of us stayed throughout the day and retired to bed early that night. It was sharp 12 am and the clock pendulum struck the musical chord. My heart was pounding as usual and anticipated the tapping or buzzes to go on anytime soon. Sooner than expected, the tapping started with all might on the door. The sound woke up my friend who was terrified at what was happening. She was the gutsier kind and wanted to check on who was outside the door doing this menace at this unearthly hour. I was so shaken, that I almost pleaded her to let this phase pass and to capture any possible information by staying within the door limits just using the binoculars or either the key hole.

An adamant that she was, she just stepped out of the door after convincing me to keep calm and the door swung tight right behind as she stepped out. I almost led out a shriek and tried opening the door with all my might to pull her inside, but it seemed as though someone held it close with mightier force. I just let it go and collapsed on the floor awaiting some bloodier mess. But right at the next instant, the door creaked open and my friend just walked in, closing the door with the same sleepy look. I shouted at her as to why did she step out to face a disaster on her own and all she let out was a laugh. Upon grilling her further as to what she saw, who was it outside…., she just appeared irritated and went off to sleep ranting, 
“The worst has just passed. I am so sleepy..”

Seeing her behave so negligently, my fears disappeared for the moment wondering if the reason for occurrence was extremely silly. Throughout the night I analysed about different reasons that might have been an answer for the anonymous ring and door taps. Alas my mental anxiety just dazed me off to sleep. In the morning, I got up and prepared my usual breakfast of scrambled eggs. Tried to wake up my friend and she seemed to be in a deep slumber. I watched my favourite daily series till the morning changed to afternoon and soon it was four in the evening . I suddenly realised my friend was still sleeping. walking upto her bed, I just shook her up…

”Lazy bone… just wake up…. Now getting up for few minutes at midnight does not certify that you lost a lot of sleep .. hello wake up…. Just eat something at least…”.

Her body seemed cold. And countless shaking seemed to have no effect on her. I soon alerted my other team mates and also called the doctor. The doctor straightaway prounced her dead after checking her pulse and I jolted severely. The police team reached my home and took me to the station for further interrogation. Meanwhile the body was sent for post mortem. I just did not have any details for most of the questions. My entire team just stood by my side throughout. I almost broke down and was benumbed. I described every shuddering details to the police department including the door tapping, the blood stains found one morning, anonymous phone buzzes… and the investigation team seemed to find this case all more intriguing. I even told them my neighbours were unresponsive. 

Next moment, we all landed up at our neighbours door and police tried ringing the bell and tapping the door. Then they called for the security guard, who informed them that he had no idea about the owner’s whereabouts since the flat was lying vacant since the past 10 years. The police broke the door open and searched inside throughly. In the hall, there were dried stains of blood on the back of the door and on the adjacent walls. And a contact card lying in the open wardrobe. The contact card read – Arav Dutta.

The police contacted him and his narration sent a chill down my spine:

He used to stay in the home where I was staying presently and the owners from whom I had bought the home were none other than his parents. The reason behind the sale was purposely hidden as no families from the native Mumbai even came forward to buy that flat. Reason being, one of the brutal incident that happened in the next door.  There was a spinster who stayed alone who was slaughtered by the previous security guard on one midnight. The entire incident was hushed up by the housing society who were scared of the bad reputation that would attract this community. The offender just fled the city and has been on the run till date. Ever since that night, there used to be strange cries emanating from that home, so much that even the adjacent people vacated the home. The prospective owners put up this flat, where I stayed, for rent. So many families entered the flat only to vacate it unconditionally in the next few weeks.  Gross shrieks, thuds and taps on the door shuddered many a bachelors and families who tried living in this home. And the home where the girl was murdered remained closed for ages; for the owner had shuddered at the very mention of the incident and delayed to come down to check his flat . Eventually owing to his old age, he passed away and there were no takers for that home.

I shuddered at the mere thought of having ended up buying this home without proper enquiry. Just then the inspector received a call from the post mortem lab and appeared all more anxious. Turning towards me, he led out a sigh and said,

“Your friend died of choking and the lab results state that she passed away yesterday at midnight 12:00 am.” Hearing this I collapsed on my knees as I uncontrollably recalled the change in her behaviour the moment she had walked out of the door that midnight. 

A trip that made me wiser

I was back from Chicago on a rather busy Monday morning, after meeting my besties over the weekend. Thrusting my luggage into my small yet comfy room, I hurriedly hustled out of my home with my office bag. It was going to be a rather busy Monday for me with meetings lined up 10:00 am onwards. Breathlessly I sprinted towards my bus stop, that was located at 0.3 miles distance from my apartment. Every time my feet touched the ground, my boots sank deep into the bed of snow formed all over the pavement. It was taking me twice the usual time it took me to reach my stop, despite rushing over the snow clad path. Every second my eyes scanned the time flashing on the display of my cellphone.

Still 0.1 mile to go and I was almost breathless by now. Small clouds trailed out in the cold air whenever the hot air gushed out of my mouth. The place where I resided was about three hours drive from Chicago. It was just another county that did not have much to be boasted about, rather than humble universities and my client company  at which I was currently serving.

Soon the bus stop was within my line of sight and I slowed down the moment I saw my bus leaving the stop. I wished I was bit far ahead for the driver to spot me. An elderly man, in his 50s, drove the public transport with due sort of respect for every passenger. Whenever he caught sight of me, on the other side of the road; frantically waiting to cross the road to board the bus, he patiently halted for me till I hopped onto the bus. But not this time, bad luck! Yes, for I was far behind even to be sighted.

My cell phone showed it was '9.36 AM' and I was let down! Barely had managed to let myself an entry in the office by 10 am on the pretext of my Chicago trip, and here I was in confused state after missing the last bus! Impatiently I swiped my phone to search for the cab service app and managed to book a pick up. The  cab service map showed – driver is arriving in 4 mins. And here I waited, tapping my foot impatiently on the dry patch of snow that covered the weeds. 4 minutes passed and now the map showed cab is at 2 mins distance. My eyes scanned all over the place for the driver only to realize my blunder. I was here standing at the bus stop and my pick up address was given as my home, again 0.3 miles away. I quickly buzzed the driver and there was this man in a pure asian accent on the other end of the phone.

“Hello, Good Morning. Would you mind picking me up from the Hucks gas station which is right on the Allen – Willow Knolls Dr intersection?” I quipped eagerly. “Hello… ma’am.. am not able to get you.. yes am on the Allen road… What's Willow?.. Uh..no.. Am arriving in 5 mins.. pls hold on…”

And before I could clarify further he straightaway disconnected the call.

Again I dialed him back and repeated my lines rather hurriedly; worried lest he reached my residence only to find me stationed about 0.3 miles away and myself waiting hopelessly only to find him deserting me after registering “no show notice” against me and cab service billing me for that amount, plus being stranded on the pavement.

“Ma’am I just don’t understand why are you so worried.. I don’t get the place you are saying, its different from what has been registered for pick up” he bellowed.

I was almost at the end of my tether. “Yes sire, that’s what am explaining you. Am just standing at 0.3 miles from my home and this place is quite easy for you to locate me. You need not bother to travel inside the residential area scouring all the blocks. Instead I am standing right next to the Hucks gas station on the Allen road. Isn't it easy for you to pick me up rather here?”

“Oh yea.. got it. Ma’am am driving I cant talk now.. am coming there right away” he said before disconnecting the call. I was bit relaxed that I could drive across my point before he made it to my residence.  I waited for long and still there was no trace of him. Alarmed, I just tracked him on the cab service map and there he was going away from my vicinity. I called him back again and he said.. “Ma’am almost there. I reached the hucks gas station.” I asked him which gas station he reached exactly and he replied the one near university street. I tapped my forehead loud enough to be heard.

“Sir, can’t you track my position on GPS? Am sure you would be able to understand that’s not the gas station am standing at. Also I mentioned  the “Allen – Willow knolls driveway intersection which is at 0.3 miles from my pickup address I booked. With so much information I just hoped you would make it here”

“Ma’am … ma’am…. I am sorry to interrupt. You are confusing me … I cant get what you are saying…”

I was so damn frustrated by now. My clock showed '10:00 am' and here I was guiding an idiot. I cursed all my stars that day for having landed me in this turmoil. Cancelling the cab and re-booking was futile in such a county where I stayed; for a reason i.e. very sparse population. Its very likely to get the same driver back when you to try to re-book, from my own experience.

I inhaled and exhaled several times and then calmly informed him..

”Ok, reach the pickup address I had registered while booking. I will be there in 5 mins”

Lifting my boots out from the snow puddles, I slowly started on my way back my home . After waiting at the entrance of my apartment for a good deal of 5 mins the driver called me back.

“Ma’am am near the Hucks. Where are you?”

Clenching my teeth, I resisted and waited for a moment for the irritation to get over me before replying.

“Ah well, as I mentioned already, am at the registered address, lest you get confused. Please pick me from 3490….blah blah….”

“Ok ok..no problem.. reaching there”, he said.

And there he reached on the opposite side of road and honked at me. I was too frustrated within and resisted the urge to shoot back a cold stare.

I hopped inside the car behind the driver as I was hardly in any mood to sit next to the driver who caused me so much of distress for past 40 mins.

It was '10:20 am' as my cellphone screen dimmed in the reflection of the broad daylight.

The bald driver turned back to glance at me and shot a smile. I too smiled back politely as I had no interest to ruin my morning further. He seemed to be in his late 40s.

“Ma’am … I had no idea how far Hucks was located from your home.. I was confused and reached another Hucks gas station quite far from your home you know?”

“Yes, I know.. I was locating you on the app’s map. Were you not able to check my GPS location? That would have helped you better .” I replied cooly.

“Oh no.. am not used to GPS tracking ma’am.. I just have this Google navigator, that’s it.”  Sensing the driver is not so tech savvy I just kept from getting into  any further discussion.

In no time I began reciting my office address lest he took me for another ride..“Ok.. my destination is 510 nw…..”

“Yes yes.. I know the address…Will help you reach soon."
"Hope you are not too late for appointment or something..Oh you work there?” he further enquired.

I nodded in affirmation rather reluctantly.

“I too worked there you know for 20 years..” he continued.

Twenty years! Barely I had managed to complete my sixth year  and I was here looking up to a man who had twenty years of industrial experience.

“Twenty.. that’s a pretty impressive figure” I complimented.

“Yes..but I have taken up cab driving full time now…dropping people to their destination all day…”

God knows how many have lost their cool like this before, I imagined.

“Ma’am make yourself comfortable.. you can have water and chocolates kept near the door next to you. And what music do you prefer to hear for now?”

“Uh ..no.. this is a short trip and am not in mood for any music as such. But would not mind if you wanna play your favourite..”

He played some jazz in a medium volume and I hardly minded it.  I am a hard core fan of rock music, who love to play house mix, progressive rock, Electronica/Techno and metalica tracks. I was a good reason for head ache for my family and neighbourhood back in India. My presence at home on weekends was largely dreaded by our neighbourhood folks for creating nuisance throughout the day.

It actually gave me the most wicked pleasure to see others suffering ,owing to my loud deck. And why not? When I was quite a cry baby during my teens, cribbing about my neighbours playing chartbusters loud enough on deck right through my exam days, everyone doled out advices to me on how to focus on studies no matter what other sounds emerged around. And today somehow people don’t seem to like it when tables turned.

Now am not a vengeful person, but I want people to realise - what goes around, comes around. Sometimes I wondered whether they were the silent forces who prayed day and night to liberate themselves from my imposed track of rock, which made me win my H1 B lottery and land here straight at the USA.

If that’s the case, then wow! Sometimes you need more than a prayer, to land into any lucrative prospects… quite true isn't it?! Am imagining them enjoying the serenity around– absolutely free of my exploits. Ha Ha!

“You stay here in the neighbourhood?” He asked, stirring me out of my thoughts.

“Well.. um.. yea… from quite few months… before that I was in California until I got transferred here”..I recited with least interest.

“Oh.. was it H1B? or you pursued your masters here?”

“H1B”

“Oh nice.. so planning for 6 years?”

“Not sure”

“Your family is back in India?”

“Yes”

“Oh my god.. how did your parents even allow you stay so far from them? I cant imagine.. I may not allow my son to go stay away so far… family comes first…”he said thoughtfully.

“My parents are broad minded and they are fine as long as am happy”

“Oh yeah… reminds me of one of my neighbours.. He was an Indian too… His daughter married a foreigner. Since he was my best friend, I asked him how did he agree spot-on despite of not being so open minded about it. And he replied that he was worried lest his daughter eloped away if he disagreed. He would have lost his daughter in that case, which he never wanted to happen. So to retain her in his life, he compromised.”

“Well… indeed true…” I exclaimed.

“Ma’am you spoke so fast on call, I could not understand a word of what you said. But now I can hear you clearly. “

“Oh you could have asked me to slow down in that case.”

“Yeah.. I asked you to.. but maybe we did not get each others accent well”

"I usually rush when in anxiety... maybe..."

I just smiled and looked away on the streets.

I had this habit of speeding on calls, only to be reminded by others – hold on please….as I rushed through. My flow of thoughts gushed at such speed that my words rushed to catch up the velocity. 

As sometime passed, I asked him whether he resided in this county too.

“Yea.. since 1987.. you know. Was a kiddo back then. Then I graduated here and joined this company and was working for a long time. I was too career conscious and ignored my family thinking they will always be there.”

He paused for a long time and I imagined all sorts of possibilities that might have followed due to his negligence.

Clearing the air, he added..”One fine day when I was away from home on a business trip, my wife passed away due to some illness. I rushed back to my home only to find my life completely changed. I could not get over it. Not being able to focus, resigned from my job too. I wanted to join my wife soon after her death. But I could not.. am the only person to look after our five year old son. He is too young and my life just revolves around him. I live for him. To earn our bread I took to full time driving since I was always passionate about driving.”

I was sitting like a statue, shocked over his narration. I had no words to say to console his loss and my throat was parched. My  mind echoed out. - Don’t judge anyone.

Everyone has good or bad days in life and in our daily hustle bustle we fail to realise the other person might be trying to get over their bad days. We are so full of ourselves in our daily lives that we fail to recognise what situation the other person might be facing.

Life is indeed short and we all love to spend it with our loved ones. In this world of cut-throat competition, we all deeply dive in our endeavours of bettering ourselves in the corporate hub. But the realisation dawns upon too late that it was not worth all the lovely moments we missed spending with our dear ones.

As some famous author has quoted, sometimes do stop by the middle of your journey to enjoy the rain…!

"And if your boss asks you why you are late, please do not reply him in anxiety. Instead apologise to him calmly and he would let it go. These things don't matter much in life.", he advised, as he drove me over to the curb next to my office entrance.

I thanked him profusely and stepped out of the cab; much wiser.