Gopanna
realizing that he was being taken to some unknown place asked the hazy and
darkish figure that dragged him, “Who are you? Why do you drag me across weird
places that I have never seen?”
“I
am not supposed to talk with the souls I carry with me. I am a messenger of
Yama (God of death). We have to do our duty and travel far. Please keep quiet.”
“Did
you say souls? I am not dead and am no soul. I think there is a mistake. I am
hale and hearty with no complaints whatsoever even a common cold. How would I
die so early in my life?”
“I
agree but you met with an accident and fell from the cable car you were
travelling alone to the top of the hill. Since your time was up, I had to
engineer a mishap to bring your life to an end.”
“I
am 45 years old and my wife and two small kids would be waiting for my return.
I am sure you must have committed a mistake. You have messed up my life,” cried
Gopanna.
“Did
you say you are 45 years old? What is your name by the way? Just wait, let me
check,” the figure said and looking at its palm added, “I came to your building
correctly and when I did not find you, I came rushing to where you were. Is
there anyone by your name who is 65 years old in your building?”
Jumping
with joy with a shred of hope, Gopanna replied, “Yes, there is Bopanna who
lives in the adjacent flat. He is 65 years and has been ailing for long with
some respiratory problem.”
“My
god, I had made a serious blunder for the first time. Why do you people have
similar sounding names? I am sorry for your predicament but you will find
yourself alive now at the bottom of mountain where the cable car crashed. Find
your way back to your home. I hope you are not seriously hurt,” said the figure
before it hastily vanished possibly to claim Bopanna’s life.
***
Meanwhile
Gopanna’s house was in great gloom. The crash of cable car at the top of hill
was flashed in the media and hotly discussed. There was some small consolation
that the causality was limited to only one passenger. Nevertheless, the rescue
team plunged into operation despite the heavy rains during the intervening
period hampering its efforts. The cable car had fallen into a deep gorge lined
with big and small trees. Visibility was poor. While the broken car could be
traced, the passenger’s body remained untraceable. The search was given up
after intense search for couple of days.
Articles
appeared about the technical flaws in the cable car operations and the suppliers’
failure to address them. There was a clamour that they be hauled up in the
court. The state government under pressure with an ensuing by election in a
fortnight in the constituency, announced a compensation of Rs.50 lakhs and issued
a written offer of a job for the victim’s wife. The cable car company offered Rs.25
lakhs as compensation that was increased to Rs. 35 lakhs after hue and cry. The
party in opposition, not to lose the opportunity, pressurized the government to
give rent free accommodation till her retirement to victim’s wife.
Gopanna
held a small position in the state government and was leading a hand to mouth
existence in a rented flat. Though the loss to the family was irreparable, the
generous gesture by the government and the company somewhat lessened the
severity of the blow. All these happened in lightning speed within ten days
before the date of the poll. Gopanna’s wife meanwhile had joined in the new job
and moved into her new accommodation close by.
***
When
Gopanna woke up to the roaring noise of a river, he saw around thick bushes and
trees and realized that he was at the bottom of a hill as in a steep-walled
canyon. Luckily it was morning and as he tried to get up, he found one of his
legs broken and hanging loosely from ankle. There was a deep gash on his face
below his eye up to jawbone. There were bruises all over the body. The saving
grace was he was not hit on the head and was mentally alert. He looked around
for help and there was not a soul visible. He cried in pain and prayed to god
for long time before he dozed off to sleep.
He
did not know how long he slept till he heard a soft voice, “Dear son, get up.
This is not a place to sleep as wild animals would be on prowl. Let me help you
to get up,” He saw a dark, tall but muscular figure in loin cloth with long beard and matted hair.
“Do
not be afraid of me. I roam in these areas. I have some powers and I will carry
you up to the verge of the city where you will find people to help you. Just
close your eyes till I ask you to open,” he said as he smiled betraying an
unevenly aligned yellow teeth.
The
next moment, he was asked to open the eyes to find himself lying on the road opposite
a government hospital and the bearded man missing mysteriously. Let us skip the
details of what happened after some good Samaritans admitted him in the
hospital till he came out of it after two months with a crutch on hand to
support the one amputated leg, with hideous and twisted face after several
stiches from the eye to jaw and three fingers missing on his left hand. He had
seen in the toilet the facial deformities that his beard and mustache could
hardly conceal and so covered his face with a towel
***
When
he limped to his old home, he found new occupants. They thought him to be a
vagabond but he managed without revealing his true identity to find out that
the previous resident was dead in a recent accident and that the bereaved
family had moved to a free government flat in the Housing Board complex nearby
and that his wife had secured a government job along with heavy compensation.
Gladdened
at the fortuitous turn of events after the tragic accident, he reached his
wife’s new place. Being a Sunday, she was there. Though he felt there was a
look of sadness in her face, she betrayed no evidence of recognizing him, when
she asked, “Whom do you want?”
“Is
this not Gopanna’s house? Don’t you know who I am?’” he asked with a smile that
accentuated the ugliness of his grotesque face. She recoiled with a sense of
horror.at the dreadful figure before her and said, “I don’t know you. Please go
away,” before banging the door shut.
He
stood baffled and called his wife’s name twice and the door remained shut. He
was in two minds whether to force his way inside by baring all the happenings
or withdraw quietly. He thought what if she had not really recognized him?
Would she not welcome him with extended hands if she really knew of his return
despite the injuries?
It
was then he heard a phone ring inside the house. He nudged towards the window
of the front room unseen. He heard her voice clearly as she spoke to her elder
brother, “Anna, I think it is him who had come a while ago. He looks scary and
repulsive in appearance. I could not recognize him initially but when I saw the
dark round mole on his forehead, I realized who it is. I immediately shut the
door.”
Gopanna
could not hear what was spoken by her brother but could surmise from her
response about what was spoken. He was aware that her brother has a shady and
criminal past
“……”
“That
is why I pretended not to know him. What you warned struck me too. I am aware
the government would take away the job, the house and even a major portion of compensation.”
“………”
“I
agree he cannot get a job and will only be a burden. I am also averse to live
with such a warped man though I am willing to pay him monthly some amount for
his upkeep if only he would keep quiet. Please advise me what I should do?” she
asked
“……..”
“Ok.
I will stay put and hope he goes away caring for his children. If any
development occurs, I will let you know,” she concluded the phone call.
After
half hour she peeped through window to know that he left and let a sigh of
relief. For two months there was total silence and she never heard or saw
Gopanna again till one day the boy in the adjacent house gave her a sealed
cover addressed to her by name informing her that someone came and asked him to
deliver.
She
hurriedly opened to see,
Dear
Gowri,
You
will be shocked to see this letter from me after my unwelcome visit. I thought
of leaving you alone and fend for myself somewhere. I am not getting any job
and people drive me away when they see my repugnant figure. I had nearly put in
20 years of service and will be entitled to pension if I prove my identity. But
that would affect you adversely as you know the government would withdraw from
you all facilities and even
compensation. More than worrying about you, I do not want my children to live
in poverty.
I
have two proposals to make. One is you pay me 25% of the compensation received
by you and the second one is to allow me to stay with you and the children for
three days in a month. This will assure you of my total silence. You may hand
over the reply in a sealed cover to the boy in the adjacent house in a week.
Lovingly
Gopanna
Gowri
rang up her brother knowing that she had a blackmailer on hand and this may not
be the only or last request. He would milk her when he ran out of money till
the last rupee. The neighbours would also start suspecting who he was frequently
visiting her. She wished to know what she should do. He replied he would talk
to her in person.
When
the subject came up during his visit the same evening, her brother cryptically
replied, “Do wait for some time to see what he is up to. Meanwhile I will find
ways to stop him from troubling you anymore. Leave this to me. Do not tell
anyone about his visit or about the letter. Burn it and wash it down in drain.”
Gowri
was still worried but strangely there was a total silence for more than a
month with no more communications or visit from Gopanna.
When
she mentioned this during her brother’s next visit, he told her smugly with a
wry smile,” Be in total peace. I have ensured that he does not
trouble you anymore. Do not talk about this matter anymore and especially on
phone with me”
Gowri
stood there with a lump in her throat and tried to fight back her tears.
