A hit and run case

It was drizzling heavily and the sky was dark being a new moon day.Ananthu felt he should have left for home much earlier.The rain showed no sign of abatement rather it looked a heavy down pour was soon to follow.The wind was strong.He had told his wife he would be back early in the evening and would not stay for the cocktail party after the conference at a far off beach resort in the East coast road.She had wanted him to accompany her to her cousin’s place for a birthday party.But he could leave only very late but earlier than others.
He could not see even short distance ahead and the lights from the oncoming lorries were blinding.He did not want to stay for the cocktails but could not refuse when his senior boss insisted that he stay back when his colleagues failed to persuade him.He didn’t want to drink much.. The music was loud,, someone was dancing and the atmosphere very cheerful.But once he started drinking,he did not know when to stop.Not that he became totally drunk but he was tired and feeling tipsy after the day long deliberations and the head was heavy
After some distance the traffic thinned down when the rain became heavier.Despite the wiper in feverish action ,he had to squint his eyes to keep himself on the highway.He was passing thro some villages possibly as he saw the dim lights from the scattered hurricane lamps from yonder .He wished he had not started driving in such an unfavourable weather.
It was then he heard something hit his bumper. He got out and saw a white figure under the tire.It was dark and raining heavily he could not make out. But it was motionless, possibly dead. He became terribly afraid that he had killed someone.His heart beat so fast that he thought it would busrt. He was scared bonestiff and his immediate reaction was to run away from the scene,.If he were smart he would have got down and gone to help whoever was hit. Instead the coward in him made him run away.He backed the car a little and drove fast straight for a few miles till his heart calmed down.
He was afraid to go back.He knew hit and run case is far more serious than hitting.He did not go home as he was afraid police would be after him.he was not in a frame of mind to analyse. He took a room in a small hotel in a suburb and never stirred out for two days.He was afarid of calling his wife as his mobile would be traced.He never thought rationally that there were no one around at that time.He thought his life was ruined and that he cannot avoid jail.It was misearable staying in that dingy room watching TV for news about the accident.The papers also carried no news item. Still the burden of his sin weighed heavily on him. He pleaded to God to forgive him for not helping the injured person in After two days he decided to go home and tell his wife what all had happened before surrendering to the police.
When he went home late in the evening after it was dark, Ananthu found his wife lying down with face swollen with crying and worry.The house was in disarray and the children quiet in their rooms. When she saw him haggard in his two day old dress, she was greatly surprised and hugged him sobbing at the same time without a word.
After what appeared etenity she asked”What happened and where had you gone without informing? Do you know the amount of worry and suspense you had put us all into? We even lodged a complaint with police that you were missing.I was afaid you were involved in some road accident as that highway is notorious for.”
Ananthu narrated what had happened and his apprehension that victim’s people would be after the police to trace him.He said “I just came to inform you before going to police and surrender telling that I had hit a person in the darkenss of the night and did not stop to give him aid. I cannot bear the guilt anymore.It is making me sleepless and mad”
It was then Ananthu’s wife broke into laughter.This irritated him.
“What is there to laugh about? I had committed a blunder by hitting and running.I will set it right by surrendering”
She replied “Do you know that very night we had the police do extensive verification for any possible accident on the highway after you left the conference hall? It was found there was only one accident during the rain when a life was lost due to careless driving”
“Did I ot tell you? Whose life was it? Was the victim a man or a woman? Ananthu asked
Ananthu’s wife roared again with laughter and said it was that of a white calf.