A Ray Of Hope

Have you ever got stuck on the way to your house in the middle of a night; 1 km away from your house, with nothing to light your path but the thunderbolts flashing over you, rain splashing the road almost making it hard to tread upon, a phone that has a single LED flash light but dead battery and ALL ALONE BY YOURSELF??

I experienced it!! One hell of an adventure, I must say.

    It happened back in the month of November, 2012. I’d gone to Anna university college, Guindy as I‘d some work which took me less time to finish but then I decided to watch their cultural event Techofes'12, which I ‘d not anticipated that it’d turn into a nightmare later. So... it was very entertaining with all the singing and solo dances, and there was a HipHop dance championship that was scheduled to kick off @ 8 pm. I wanted to leave for home but then I was fascinated by the fact that it‘d be very thrilling to see a HipHop competition happening LIVE. So I stayed back, as I mind-calculated (miscalculated) that even the last bus at 10:30 pm ‘d be enough to drop me home which was 20 kms far, in Tambaram (outskirt of Chennai); not making it very late at night. The competition started @ 8:40 pm much like the big events that never start on time. I was feeling lucky as well as amused to watch them live rather than searching for the videos online in YouTube. The turning point was when it started to drizzle while the 6th dance performance was around half way. I looked at my Nokia phone that was similar to the Nokia 1100 (yeah I owned one, though!! – bought it from my best friend for 500 bucks), it smiled at me – surviving on the last few mins charge on it, the time was already 10:00 pm and all of a sudden it started raining heavily. There was a few mins commotion and the dance competition was stopped midway (postponed to next day, maybe - I did not hear about it later) and people started walking out of the arena (more of a ground) towards the main entrance. Many had their own vehicles and I was among the few who opted for the public transport. Considering what an unfulfilled day it was (but I was lucky at the beginning though, right?)

I boarded the bus at 10:45pm and reached Tambaram stop at 11:50pm. The place was busy and it‘d always been like that even when it rains every time (nothing can stop the energy of Chennai and the surrounding cities). I reached out for the auto rickshaws (autos) and found some: On one side were the usual share autos that’d cost me 20 bucks to get me to the nearest bus stop to home and on the other side were the autos that’d cost me 120 bucks to drop me at my doorstep. Which one should I reach for??! You got it...!! (Even if you don’t) it was obviously the 20 bucks that won over my 120 bucks (being wise – I thought I was).

By the time I reached the bus stop it was 12:15 am and the heavy rain had gotten there before me. So I got down the auto and I had just started for the 750 m walk towards home (it was a little interior place – normally takes 10 mins by walk and 3 mins by auto) when the electricity went...poof. Generally, there used to be autos at the bus stop but at that time no one was there.. empty auto stand (maybe coz’ it was raining or the auto drivers never thought someone might actually land up and ask for a ride in the middle of a night) So I took shelter near a shop and thought of calling home asking for the S.O.S (Huh!) I looked at the mobile expecting a smile but there was none from it (now, that worries me) It had consumed the little charge and was already dead – leaving me with two things that I possibly could not do –one, calling home and two, unable to use the small LED light that might in some way help me in reaching home. That was the part of mobile and on the road I was left with three things I had to take on – 1. my fear of dark, 2. my fear of ghosts (I didn’t care if they really existed or not but at that moment everything seemed real) atleast ghosts were hypothetical but the third one was real – the groaning street dogs. I cannot wait for the power to come back and lighten up my way – wondered how many hours that’d take, so I mustered up some courage – pretending to be brave (I am!!) and looked out for the tiny ray of hope but I found a flood lamp that was lightening up in intervals but gave a deep haunting sound – the thunder lights flashing over my head. The place was dark and deserted but I was able to figure out my way with the thunder lights outlining the objects. So I stepped on; braving against the rain hitting me. On the way, I was wondering what if someone kidnaps me or dogs bite me or even worse – I encounter a ghost. With all those thoughts circling around my mind I reached half the distance when I saw a Taxi. I called out for a ride as a help but he sped off (he must have been terrified by seeing someone in the dark pitched midnight and might have thought I may harm him) Sighing at him I looked at the remaining distance to be walked. Every time it flashed above I could see the outline of the road towards home, to some credit – the moonlight also lighted it up for me. There was another (third) light on the road travelling towards me –the kidnappers (just kidding!!) A bike. He stopped near me as I asked him for a ride. Our routes were perpendicular to each other (see, the impact of maths from high school!!) so he refused to give me a ride (maybe also because he cannot trust me – that was normal) and instead he said "Don't worry there is nothing to be afraid of. Just follow the road CALMLY and you will REACH your destination. Nothing to worry” but before I could say anything he sped off. 

    Ultimately that‘d mean I‘d missed my second opportunity as well. So putting all the faith in the words I heard from him I turned to face the road hoping I should be fine and moved on. The thunder light that sparked my way was finally put to sleep – now there’s no way that I could experience a lightning strike but my one source of finding my way‘d gone – leaving me with only the last one – moonlight. I‘d finished the one-third of the route when I heard "Grrrr..." – I knew who it was – the third fear that I ‘d mentioned earlier stood beside me – it was the dog that I see in the daylight (or I hoped we saw each other in the daylight so that it could recognise me now) but they aren’t friendly at night – if you could relate to me. What if started to run?? Nah!! That‘d be the last thing that I‘d do on Earth, at this moment. So I paced away from it and finally was 2 speed breakers away from my house (that’s how I would measure when I was quite near). I crossed the 2nd and then I came across the 3rd. Wait..!! Hadn't I mentioned that there were only 2 breakers?? Was the 3rd one laid out freshly on that day?? I wondered. I‘d lost my way for a moment. Before I could realize, it happened - thud..!! I slipped and fell down; bruised my knee a bit. I got up, and looked out if there is any tiniest possible way of getting hope. I found the fourth source of hope – a home with inverter up running and that meant people awake. Yay!! I showed up at their gate and struck it so that they‘d come out. They did. Not to my surprise they also were terrified - I can make out with the looks on their face. An elderly man came out and stood near his entrance – I have been dwelling in that area for 3 years now but I don’t remember seeing him. He inquired about what I was doing at this time near his house. I explained everything and I asked him if he could call my dad over phone as I had no charge left in my phone. He took my phone, put it to charge and brought it back after 5 mins, while I was waiting at his gate. I called up dad and asked him to come to the main street near me and disconnected. I was talking to this man and I heard my dad calling out for me with a torch light. I thanked him, went off with dad and reached home. Feeling exhausted I looked at the watch and it was already 1:30 am. Got a small warning from dad, about not staying out late. Next day morning I went out to look for the home where I was stranded the previous night. I found out it, it was very near to the right turn that I was supposed to take but I took the left turn instead which led me to that house – the previous night. I looked back, heart-thanked him (could not meet him again in person) and walked off. That is all the adventure I experienced that night. Now if you ask me, why I‘d put this up in a big blog-story, my answer is -Because of the biker who gave me a small hope. If he hadn’t given me a brave advice I’d still be shivering to take a step ahead. And one more reason, he did not kidnap me (for god’s sake). For the ghost fear – thank god!! I did not see any, that night. Last but not the least -Do not worry when you get in trouble, someone will give you heads up to move further on – with life in your own way. That’s it. Peace out..! x