Ocotber 13th 2009
It was a normal day in office with the usual set of escalations, cribs and deliveries. Back home from work also had been the usual set of activities. Had cuddled under my blanket by around 10:30 and was driven away to sleep land in 5 mins…..something very usual again…. But something that happened after 45 mins from then, was not something very usual…
“Tring Tring……Tring Tring…..”
I opened an eye to see who was calling me at this time..My cellphone flashed – Anirudh Das calling….I couldn’t think of any reason why he would call me at that time…By the time I could answer the call, the ring had woken up my husband too. I picked it up and said – “Ya… Anirudh!” I don’t remember what the earlier lines that Anirudh said were, but my husband murmered…."oh your project!!!" and went back to sleep.
Anirudh was continuing on the call....“Ritha..Nishanth got a call from Vishal’s mobile. It seems he has met with an accident and is admitted in Vittal Mallya Hospital. We will be going there now.”
“Whaaat????”
“Oh you were sleeping!....sorry sorry”
“Nooo problem”
These had kind of woken me up completely from my sleep and I walked out of my room. From the living room window I could see that the rain was lashing outside. I talked.. “Take an auto Anirudh, don’t take your bike….its raining very badly outside.”
“Ab Ritha is waqth kahaan se auto milega….koi baath nahin….we will take care”
“Ok…drive carefully…. and keep me updated”
I don’t know what made Anirudh call me for this, but to be frank, I have no complaints either.
I sat alone in my living room trying to digest what he told me. Thoughts rushed in my mind..Vishal did not directly call…somebody else called Nishanth…that means he is not in a very good condition….Sent out a small prayer to God too for his well being.
Then thought we should try to contact his roommates atleast….Messaged Anirudh – “I think we should try calling up his roommates also”
After sometime, Anirudh had reached Nishanth’s place….all wet to pick him up and head to the hospital. Nishanth called me…"Hey Ritha, this is about Vishal..Anirudh told you everything right?"
“Ya Ya Nishanth tell me”
“Do you know any of his roommate’s or friend’s numbers?”
“Hmm…no actually….but I have Ramit’s Pune number… he will know someone… you can call him and check” (Ramit was in our project earlier, and had quit the company now for his MBA in Pune. Ramit was Vishal’s roommate when he was here)
“Ok can you send me his number.”
“Ya I will send it now”
“Alright Ritha….we will check”
I sent Ramit’s number to him…
Nishanth calling…. My cellphone flashed again…
“Ya Nishanth”
“Ritha…someone called again and they are telling a different hospital name now…Bowring or something.. he was talking in kannada…so could not make out properly also”
“Do you want me to call on his cel then?”
“Ya I think that will be good”
“Ok I will call Vishal’s number and get the details…I will call you back”
I dialled Vishal’s number….and someone cut the call..
I tried again…that someone who cut the call, picked it up now….
Below is the translation of what we talked in kannada
“Hello…actually we got a call from this number that there was an accident”
“Yes Madam…how many times should I tell? Why is no one coming? The body is here only!”
“Can you please tell me which hospital?”
“Bowring Hospital”
“Where is it?” My Bangalore knowledge is still very poor…I learnt later that it is quite a famous government hospital.
“Government Hospital Madam….Bowring Hospital…shivajinagar. Please come soon. By the way who are you?”
“I am his collegue…is there a ward number or something where he is?”
“No No….Body is outside only as no one has come….only when someone comes, checkup will be done.”
“Oh…..ok…. people are on their way….will be reaching soon.”
“Ya Ya come fast…and you can collect the mobile from Shivajinagar circle police station.”
“Ok..ok..thank you”
“Please don’t call again and again…we are on duty”
“Ya ok…but if we are not able to find it or we have any doubt…we will call again…please bare with us”
The guy did not respond and simply cut the call…
I called up Nishanth and told the whereabouts of the hospital.
Hearing my panic voice over the phone and getting hospital details, my husband also came to the living room. He said… “don’t take so much tension…do you also want to go?” I said… “No that is ok….Anirudh and Nishanth are going….they will tell me”. My head was reeling with words…"body lying outside"
I called Nishanth again – “Were you able to reach Ramit?”
“No not yet…trying…”
Few more mins passed…
Nishanth calling….
“Ya Nishanth”
“Hey Ritha..I talked to Ramit….he said Vishal is fine and he had talked to him an hour back.. Vishal apparently lost his mobile phone at around 10 in the night today…looks like the person who stole it met with an accident!”
“Whaat?? Oh god….anyway give me his roomie’s number…I will talk to him and sleep”
Nishanth passed on his roommate’s number to me and finally I got to talk to him.
“Could you not block your sim Vishal???”
“I did actually…they said it will take 2 hours….so in sometime I think it will get blocked”
So finally what we thought was a tragedy….ended on a happy note.
Not sure what happened to the thief in hospital…..dont know if that was a real call also or not….hope everything was good at his end too…
Thus ended the unusually panicky 1 hour………which shook away sleep off many people associated with Vishal that night.
