Car No. 1369

The cab just came in front of me and without giving a second thought I boarded and landed up straight at the back seat. It was chilly cold and windy night with a bizarre storm making a thundering sound. I was sweating inside due to the hectic work pressure and tight schedule and the mind was deeply involved in the ongoing activities when suddenly the question posed by the driver alerted me ‘ Sir, where is the destination? ’. I was about to respond when a cold air ran through my spine after having a look at the Taxi Number. It was ‘ 1369’………………………………

There was tremendous pain at my skull along with a headache. I could feel that I am sinking, sinking against the gravitational pull and going deeply going down in the ocean.‘

‘ Mom , save me. I cried. I am losing vision. It seems the world has come to an end.’

Mr. Basu, ‘ How are you’ . A middle-aged gentleman came forward while looking straight at me.

With a puzzling mind, I replied’ Who are you?’ ‘ I do not think I have seen you ever. Where is this place? It seems to be a hospital’.

The gentleman said’ Oh. Mr. Basu, I never knew you can crack wild jokes. I am Pranab, working in Sankey Wheels, in the ‘Accounts division’.

Another voice followed immediately ’ Sir, we have all come, How are you right now’.

I was fully perplexed, puzzled since my name is Shekar Rudra but why these people are addressing me as Mr. Basu’

I tried to get up, when a nurse came running. ‘ Sir, Please do not get up. You have consumed sleeping pills’.

I shouted ‘Why have you put me in confinement? What has happened to me?’

The gentleman called, Pranab said, ‘ Sir, yesterday after boarding the Taxi, you jumped from the running cab. You were unconscious. The driver admitted you in this Hospital and contacted us through your Mobile’……………………………………

Mom kept on shouting and said today is Mini’s wedding and you all are sleeping. Your father has gone to bring the car since Dhira uncle would be driving it. We, myself and my elder brother got up immediately. We enjoy it a lot when Dhira uncle drives the car. After appearing for the final semester at IIT Kharagpur, I came home to attend Mini didi’s marriage. Dreams ahead with lot of hopes from my parents. Car was moving on G.T.Road. Full of excitement as this was the first wedding in our family. I was sitting in front, adjacent to Dhira uncle while Mom, Dad, and my elder brother were resting at the back. Suddenly, suddenly, loud sound. I started falling down, deep down………………………………..

I jumped up from the bed and shouted, ‘ I have to go home. I need to search for my parents and brother.’

Nurse, Doctor came running. My eyes rested on a mirror, kept at the corner of the wall. I was bewildered at the sight of my face.

 ‘ Oh, my god, what has happened to my hair! I had such beautiful curly hair. Even my complexion was fair but I am finding dark skin.

I came out running, leaving behind all sorts of hue and cry at the back, shouting ‘Mr. Basu, Do not run’.

I started running with tremendous speed and got up on a truck by stopping it midway. Immediately I posed a question to the Driver ‘ Where a

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re you up to?’

 Pat came the reply ‘ Dhanbad’ and I shouted ‘ Lovely, fantastic………..’

‘This is the place that I was longing for. This is my land. This is the house that I was searching for. I stood on the ground, looking , staring at the renovated house. Tears came flowing. Nobody could recognize me. Everything seemed to be new. I could not wait’.

‘I was desperate to search for my parents and brother. I started running again. Followed the G.T.Road and immediately found the place. It was this place through which we were passing by. I could not take the unbearable pain. Went in deep sleep. ‘

‘Good Morning Mr. Basu’, uttered the nurse.’ Again Hospital, ‘ Where is this place, I murmured?’

Nurse said, ‘ Location is Katras, nearby to Dhanbad and you have been admitted in Daffodil Nursing Home, yesterday, by some local people as they found you, lying on the road in an unconscious state. ’

I retorted,’ My name is Shekar Rudra. I came here in search of my parents and my brother. My father’s name is Shantanu Rudra, who was the manager of the local factory.’

Dr. Sudhakar, stared at me, raising his eyebrows.’ What, you are the son of Mr. Shantanu Rudra’ he exclaimed and then started narrating, the 25-year-old story.

‘ I had just joined this nursing home around 25 years ago after passing MBBS. It was early in the morning and we came to know that an accident had taken place where everybody died excepting a bright young guy. Surgery had taken place which distorted the face of the young guy. Unfortunately, he lost memory and suddenly disappeared from the Hospital ’.

‘ My eyes were filled with tears. I sat down and started knocking my head heavily on the floor. That means I have lost my parents. I have lost my brother. I do not know what have I done in twenty-five years. I can only retain that we were going to attend a marriage’.

Dr. Sudhakar said ‘ in the first accident, you lost your childhood memory while the recent accident, which happened after you fell from Taxi, took about 25 years of your memory and this data I collected by contacting your office through your ID card.

I shouted like an insane and said ‘ What am I going to do now? I do not know what have I done in 25 years ‘

Dr. Sudhakar said, ‘Yesterday while talking at your office, we came to know that you did CA, after losing your memory and was working as Chartered Accountant in Sankey Wheels. People used to call you as Abhinandan Basu’

I said,’ But now’

Dr. Sudhakar said’ From today you would be known by Abhinandan Basu, B.tech ( ETC). Please start your life afresh as it is a rejuvenation.’

I said, ‘ If an accident had occurred, how come the car no. was the same’.

The nurse said,’ while you were talking, we were going through your case history.

Taxi No was ( WB04 1369) while the car which met with an unfortunate end had its registration number as  ‘ BHT 1369’

It was a sudden shock, which led to the recapitulation of your reminiscence’.

Again I felt as if everything is coming to an end. I am sinking , deep in the ocean. Mom save me. ‘Am I again losing my existing memory……………’