An Eerie Night

“Don’t worry, sir. Nobody can dare touch you! We would accompany you to your guest house,” A worker in the chain shop said emphatically.

“No, I would wait for the driver. Let me not trouble you at this hour of the night.” I uttered.

“What are you talking, Sir? You are the man who saved our union leader and our friends when they were injured in Heat Treatment Shop some time back and we cannot let you go alone through the jungle at midnight. For your information, the driver is busy enjoying liquor with his friends and we do not know when he is likely to turn up. He would turn up when he comes back to his senses.” The man said.

I remembered the incident, which happened yesterday. I convened an emergency meeting yesterday of all the production people of Chain shop and was explaining my position. We were supposed to deliver one thousand pieces of chain assembly to the Assembly Department for the production of Bi-cycles the next day and dispatch the same to customers. It was an emergency situation and if we fail to deliver it the

order would be cancelled. This order was a boon for us and we cannot afford to lose it. All the participants agreed to produce the desired quantity – five hundred pieces in the morning shift and another five hundred pieces in the night shift. Morning shift people kept their promise and I was a little bit apprehensive for the night shift production because of the presence of some notorious elements on the shop

floor, who might play some tricks to jeopardize our production. Would it be possible for us to deliver the cycles the next day as per commitment? I was not sure.

I was having my dinner in the Guest House when my driver rang me up.

“Sir, would you visit the shop floor in the night shift today?”

“I am not sure but please call me back after fifteen minutes.” I dropped the phone.

Immediately I got a call from the General Manager.

“Robin, I am doubtful whether you can get the desired production from the chain shop. Better take a round after 10 p.m. and ensure that we do not fail.”

“OK, Sir. Let me finish my dinner and start.” I replied and put back the telephone.

“Sir, are you coming to the factory? I would pick you up from the guest house within five minutes. Be ready.” My driver rang up in between.

“That’s fine!” I replied.

In fact, I was in two minds all the time. Our Guest House was located a mile away from the factory premises and the road connecting the two was completely deserted with long pine trees silhouetted against the rays of the moon creating a shiver down your spine for an unknown fear especially when you walk down alone. Shadows of the trees always gave a feeling that somebody was hiding behind one

of the shadows and ready to pounce upon you and rob you of your belongings. Although no incident was reported so long the recent reports about the presence of few hooligans around this place, where there is nothing around for miles but only coal mines - active or abandoned, suggested that walking in the night along this stretch alone may prove to be a soft target for these ruffians. As reported by our security officer some of them were found to carry out a recce of the place several times in the past and naturally, I was apprehensive about my safety if I am to walk alone on this abandoned stretch in the night!

The honk of the car startled me and I locked my room and rushed down the corridor of the guest house on to the car, past the garden maintained by the gardener immaculately with thousands of flowers blooming, illuminated by the moonlight and spreading their fragrance all around. The fragrance of the flowers gave me a feeling that nothing was going to happen to me that night. The car moved furiously and within a few minutes, I was at the factory gate. I got down and walked leisurely towards the Chain shop. Everything was so silent excepting the rumbling sound of the machines running in the Chain shop which was becoming more and more audible as I approached the shop on foot.

I entered the shop silently through the gate and watched the operators working with full energy. There was no dearth of materials like link plates, rivets, packing boxes, etc. and the machines mostly automatic were producing the chain assembly with a rhythmic sound with components being fed through hoppers or chutes. The operators were all attentive and occasionally removing the parts which they

thought were not properly manufactured. The last man in the line was quietly packing one chain assembly in one packet and putting these in the pallet kept in the corner. I was trying to understand the nitty-gritty of the problems the workers face every day while producing the parts as well as assembly.

The supervisor of the shop spotted me first.

“Sir, when did you come?”

“Just now,” I spoke.

“But what is the reason? Don’t you believe us?” The supervisor looked askance.

“I have complete faith in you. I am confident about the production but probably I can help you at this hour of the night in case...” I explained.

“What do you feel now?” the supervisor asked.

“Everything is fine. The customer would be happy to receive the materials tomorrow for which they are sending their truck for collection.” I uttered.

“Assembly people would take a few hours to pack and you can be rest assured about the delivery in the morning shift itself.”

“Thank you so much for the production and please keep it up!”

“We would finish the production by 2 a.m. and you need not wait up to that time. You may leave now for the Guest House and sleep without any anxiety. We are organizing a cup of tea and biscuits for you now. Please take your seat inside the chamber."

I sat down in the chamber with a big table in front of me with five or six wooden chairs around it. I was wondering how the British people built up this Raleigh Cycle factory with automatic machines on a sprawling complex near Calcutta more than fifty years back and how its products ruled the market for more than a decade for its world-class quality. But the advent of low-cost competitors coupled with inefficient operations and corruption hastened its downfall and I was given a free hand to pull it through, although the task was never so easy, if not impossible.

Corruption has become so rampant and Managing Director ultimately had recruited and sent three of us - Works Manager (it’s me), Maintenance Manager and Finance Manager for this herculean task from Calcutta. Shall we be successful? We were facing resistances real or artificial almost every day the moment we tried to correct a situation and it was telling upon our health at last. Officers and supervisors were at fault most of the time rather than the workers. I was not able to bring them together in spite of my best efforts. One old General Manager was putting a spoke in between and creating troubles for us and we must get rid of him if we were to be successful. I was totally absorbed in my thought when the sudden entry of a man with a cup of tea brought me into my senses.

“Sir, your tea is ready. Shall I bring more biscuits? You must be feeling hungry.” The man said.

“Thanks a lot. I would be leaving now!” I uttered.

The man left the room. I started dialling the security number.

“Hello, is it Security?

“Yes sir, what can I do for you?” Somebody replied from the security department.

“Has my driver returned?” I asked.

“No, Sir.”

“Please inform me whenever he comes. I am in the Chain shop.” I dropped the phone.

Where did the driver go? Is he enjoying himself with his friends or sleeping somewhere? Will I have to return to my Guest House alone through the dreaded stretch? Will I be alive? The extra car key was also missing! I could not drive myself. I was struck up. Shall I stay in the security room the whole night? Whom should I disturb in the night? Shall I inform the police? I was sweating although the air conditioner was working with the lowest possible setting of temperature. Was it a sign for new trouble? I had taken a challenge to ensure that the livelihood of thousands of people connected with the industry is not jeopardized but definitely not at the cost of my own life. If I am killed by a thug, people would at best arrange a big meeting mourning my untimely death and the death of a possibility of any survival of the company which have been limping for quite some time with the dole money provided by the Government. People would clap a lot and talk about me, eulogizing my achievements or otherwise and forget about me after a couple of months coolly. My family members living in Calcutta who were totally dependent on me would be left in the lurch. Suddenly the sound of the thunderstorm coupled with lightning

flashes was heard through the shed which was shaking like a toy. I jumped out of the chamber in sheer panic! It was raining cats and dogs outside and Just then a heavily built workman advanced me the proposal of escorting me to my guesthouse, I was talking about, along with my supervisor. Shall I believe them? I was in a dilemma! Is the threat real or artificial? I rang up my security officer and there was no response. I decided to start for the Guest House flanked by two stick-wielding workers who are ready to risk their lives to protect me during my journey towards it.

“Are you afraid of any thug?” one workman asked.

“You are there to help me. Why should I be afraid of anything? Nothing has happened so far and we would reach Guest House without any incident. Isn’t it?” I spoke with a little bit of trepidation.

“You are right but we would not take any risk. If anybody dares touch you he would get a taste of the power of my stick. I was a master in Lathi-Khela in my locality.” The workman was very emphatic.

“Lathi Khela is a wonderful game I heard. How much time does it take to learn all the techniques? Is it possible to arrest a bullet if you are fired upon by somebody?” I asked.

“There are experts in our locality who can rotate the sticks at such a furious speed that even a bullet finds it difficult to penetrate and hit the man. It takes more than ten to twelve years to master all the techniques but I mastered the technique of hitting a man with the stick even if he is at a distance of ten meters!”

“I am impressed. What about you?” I asked the other man.

“I am a wrestler! If a man pounces upon you it would take a minute for me to pin him down on the ground. My father taught me in the village all the techniques. I wish I could encounter somebody on the way so that I could rehearse a little bit!”

“By the way why have you come with me? I could have gone alone.” I asked.

“Sir, you do not know the game of politics here. Our G.M. does not want you to be successful and this is his plan to injure you, if not kill you. That is the reason why he has taken away the driver of the car so that you are forced to walk this stretch in this hour of the night. We know you are serious and sincere and we won’t let that happen to you and that is why we are here to escort you.”

The discussion was going on and on unabated and I was having firsthand knowledge of the lives of workers which are age-old stories of miseries, neglect, deprivation, and lack of education. But everybody understood his fault now and was trying to erase that situation completely by educating their children and not committing the same mistakes as they had done. That is the only ray of hope I could visualize and felt satisfied.

We were close to our Guest House when a man suddenly appeared with face and head covered with a black cloth and a torch in

one hand and a pistol in another pointed towards me.

“Hands up!” The man shouted.

I was startled and the two workmen escorting me stood erect and one of them threw the stick straight onto the pistol in a flash! The pistol being hit by the stick flew away like a bird into the air! The glove on the right hand holding the pistol fell down.

“Oh, my God! What are you doing? I am the Security Officer- Chakraborty!” the man in disguise cried in pain. “Stop! I was testing your skill only.”

“We are so sorry, Sir.” both the men cried out. “Here is your pistol, Sir.”

“Never mind, you Rascal! I was here to watch the stretch in disguise and never thought that you would be so serious!” The security officer said.

“Mr Chakraborty, did you have any doubt in their ability to protect me?” I asked.

“But I did get the news that you were travelling without any expert bodyguards and hence I took extra precaution! But my joke to scare you backfired on me for these rascals! But I am satisfied that there are other people to protect you and my load would be less. Let’s go to your Guest House.”

“Let’s go back,” Workmen uttered in unison.

“Thanks so much, you boys. I would not forget your gesture and the skill you have shown. Keep it up! God bless you. Chakraborty would take care of me now.”

“Call us whenever you are in trouble at any hour of the day. Just mention our names - Ratan or Tapan. We are available at 4151/4152. People would not dare touch your hair if they know that you are known to us. Take care, Sir!”

“Bye!”

I looked at Ratan and Tapan for quite some time till they melted in darkness.

Chakraborty, at last, escorted me up to the corridor of the Guesthouse when I got a call from my General Manager.

“Are you sure you would get the desired quantity of chains tomorrow?” My General Manager asked.

“Yes. No problem.”

“Are you safely back to the guest house? I was worried. You could have informed me. I heard you were attacked on the road?”

“I know how to protect myself!” I uttered and dropped the phone in disgust.

The eerie silence of the night suddenly sent a shiver down my spine! Is it an indication of the impending trouble? God knows! I looked around. The smiling security officer was standing like a Ghost behind!

“Sir, you are great!” he uttered.

“No, you are great! You have saved my life although you scared me a lot!” I said.

Daylight of morning appeared in the Eastern sky at a distance behind the mountain range. We walked slowly towards my suit.