(1)
Life is a big unsolved puzzle.
A person may derive false satisfaction and pleasure
by claiming to have controlled and directed one’s
life but the fact remains that the invisible hands
of fate play their part. Just one phone call from
the Controlling Office and my life had undergone a
sea change in no time. The turn of events appeared
to be so devastating that it made me feel an
absolute nobody; a total nonentity, making me ponder
over my whole lot - my roots; my past; my
credentials; my family's history; its credibility
and everything! Everything seemed to be at stake. .
. .
. . . . All my credentials
were smashed in a moment like a pack of cards- 17
years of excellent service-record, the
uncompromising dedication to the institution, the
enviable standing! Everything was crushed under
dirty office-politics! Just because I stood for the
cause of an upright colleague in his fight against
those guilty of bungling at their office!
. . . The unceremonious exit
from the post was too humiliating and shattering for
me to be absorbed. The incident though a flashpoint,
was not in isolation. The entire experience from the
day I joined the bank was such a revelation that I
was dying to pen it down . . .
(2)
The atmosphere in the hostel was very free and liberal. People attending other programmes and those already staying there were taking tea and chatting in the corridors. The opposite wing corridor was that of woman probationers and we turned to that side almost instinctively. The rear of some female bums in tight jeans well settled over the railings of the opposite wing corridor was giving a very juicy view. As the lady was sitting in a slightly hunching position, her kurti was lifted well above her jeans, treating the men with the cleavage that led to her bums. Our eyes and tongues had popped out at the sight, some of us looked at each other meaningfully, but no one passed a comment. We were yet to lose the inhibitions that were natural to a fresher.
Never
in my life had I seen the police station from the
inside, what to say of jail. And here I was standing
within the massive walls of prison, holding a
drained Philipose by his arm through the iron grille
from other side of the gate. ‘Suresh, please help
me, I am sinking,’ Philipose was loosing his
balance. I immediately grabbed him and tried to
pacify him. In that moment of helplessness that fear
which I saw in his eyes still remains imprinted in
my mind. I shouted for some water but none of the
jail staff paid heed to me. They had no compassion
or mercy whatsoever. Notwithstanding anything
(perhaps except one), they had their own regulations
to follow. One of our lawyers, who were negotiating
something with some jail staff, saw that Philipose
had collapsed. He rushed towards one of the guards.
Some worthless things changed hands for a worthwhile
thing – some water. I was surprised at the way
things moved in the court and now this jail.