Did You Say Something?

It was 6:30 in the evening. I was late again. I took hurried steps towards bus stop that was not much far from my office. Usually, I finish my work in time. But the nature of job demands otherwise. I could still catch the bus if it was late. The bus stop was almost deserted baring two of them. One was a boy of age around 25 years and a ruminating lady of age around 50 years. The lady was clad in a saree. We all three did wait for some time. The boy was looking more anxious. He left on foot for destination better known to him. Now only two of us were waiting for the bus. It was becoming dark as the street lights and flood lights at Bus stop were not on. Even the street started to be looking deserted. Just to keep myself busy, I took my cell from my pocket to watch today’s news highlights. Somehow I could not find any interesting news. I put the cell again back in the pocket. I was not worried much about bus getting that late. I am living a happy married life. Apart from wife, I have two children. Daughter is married and doing well and son is of age 22 still studying. My wife is considerate enough. She must be waiting for my call at this time. Otherwise, she will unnecessarily be worried and will send my son to search for me instead of making a call.

It was around six O’clock and still there was no sight of the Bus. Street lights were on by then. The lady just saw me askance. She started a bit anxious and bore a forlorn look. My presence mitigated or heightened her mystification, I was not sure about it. I could understand her plight. Maybe the ambience though serene was looking bit eerie for her. Strangely I was in no hurry. Somehow her presence was making the surroundings more amicable for me. I am a regular commuter on this route, but never saw her at this bus stop or around. 

Suddenly I heard a voice saying to me, “did you say something” and the immediacy changed the whole world for me. It seemed to me that the much familiar sound could come from the lady itself as there was no other person around. Instantly,  I turned back to have a look at her. And lo! The lady eloped and instead a familiar pretty face clad in Punjabi suit was standing before me. I knew her age was 20. She was exactly bearing the same facial expression as the lady was, anxious and jaded. It was simply not possible. Was I looking at some apparition? But I knew her very well. Albeit I did not know her name or where she lived, I spent a quality time with her some 25 years ago. I still remember that fateful day. She was standing at this bus stop waiting for the bus. Oh no! Location of bus stop was exactly same but with different milieu. No buildings around and the school at the corner was no more there. Across the street, there stood a ranch and pastoral land. Some domesticated animals were either grazing or loitering. It was same bus stop where I used to come to catch the bus for my office. I was distraught with this upshot. What time it was, I thought. I went for my cell inside the pocket. There was no cell in the pocket but I was wearing a wrist watch. To my surprise, it was same time as was before this upheaval. That was 6:30 in the evening. I was forced to have a look at myself. I was no more the same person. It was a young boy of age 25 flurried to get back home in time. The boy, (oh no! it was me) was moderately clad in contemporary style. I was perplexed and bewildered.

Lately, I was reading time machine by HG wells and watched the movie Frankenstein. Certainly, it must have affected my psyche. May be I was day dreaming. I poked my elbow with a hard pinch. It was excruciating which left no doubt that it was me in flesh and blood. I have no scientific background. But Einstein and Hawkins are house hold names nowadays thanks to new generation. Einstein considered relativistic effects for frames of reference that move with speed close to light. He established that fourth dimension, that is the time, changes its value according to speed of frame we are in. In ultimate case, when we move with speed of light, change in time is infinite. It is the point of no return. Else we may come back, but surrounding and the milieu may not be the same. I shuddered with this concept of Einstein as the things moved for me with a speed that may be larger than speed of light. Implication of this was far reaching. I might have lost my family forever and would have to build my career all over again. However, instinct for survival was still there. My mind came up with other ideas. Thoughts and dreams sometime travel much faster than light. In a moment things cans change to our childhood experience or we can feel ourselves at any place of the universe as we like. Telepathy or thought transference is now in science domain. I could only pray God for some betterment. 

I wished the girl go away. I knew at exact 6:35 she will utter “Did you say something? ” and wonder what I had to say for that.

“Did you say something?” came from the girl.