Gift

(1)

It was almost eight in the evening and Pankaj was done with the day’s business. He dropped his last passenger at the airport and was returning home with his cab.

It’s been four months since he left his job and started driving his own cab. He found his last job suffocating and he could hardly manage time to pursue his passion of reading and writing. Being an educated and well-spoken guy Pankaj was enjoying his new life of a cabbie, not only that he was making a good amount of money but more importantly he was getting opportunity to know people from various walks of life. He loved talking to his passengers from whom he could gather plots for his writing. Someday a drunk man speaking his heart out and another day a weeping girl pouring out her woos after a break-up with her boyfriend. Pankaj found all their stories interesting.

It was raining cats and dogs that evening and there were silent flashes behind the clouds. Pankaj was in no hurry as he was on his way home. He was slowly passing by the Star Plaza Mall that he noticed a lady standing a few yards ahead waving her hand to stop the cab. She was struggling with her shopping bags in the rain. Although Pankaj was done for the day, he stopped the car and lowered the window glass. Before he could say anything the lady started-

- “I know that you can’t take a passenger without booking but it’ll be of great help if you kindly give me a ride. I’ll pay you whatever you ask for. Actually my phone is not working and it has been about an hour that I am waiting for a taxi.”

- “Where?” asked Pankaj.

- “I stay near Ballygunge.” she replied.

As it was on his way home Pankaj asked her to hop in. She thanked him, got inside the car and Pankaj moved on. After settling down with her baggages she started jabbering -

- “How come it started raining all of a sudden? It is its whims or what? And what are these Met. Office people doing? No forecast ? Disgusting. And to hell with this phone. It is only a couple of weeks I bought this you know , and it has started showing colors… I’ll see them.. I’ll go to the consumer forum if they do not replace the phone”.

With the rear view mirror Pankaj was noticing her face and was enjoying her complaints. He guessed that she coudn’t be more than 25 or 26.

- “It seems that you love shopping a lot” asked Pankaj.

- Not much. But these are for my marriage. It is day after tomorrow.

- Oh Congrats!

- Thanks. You know Maa must be panicking. I should have been back by now.

- “Hmm. Quite natural. It is only a couple of days to your marriage. Your parents must be worrying. But don’t bother, we’ll reach soon.” Pankaj consoled her.

“It is only Maa at home.” She said.

- And your father? Asked Pankaj

She kept silent. Pankaj felt something amiss and said “It is OK. You don’t have to answer.”

- “It is almost nine years we are living without Baba. He used to work in Haryana. It was Durga Puja and like every year we were expecting him at home. But he did not return. First, we checked with the railway authority and learned that although he booked a ticket he did not board the train. Then we called up his office. They said that he had already left for home. Police station, hospitals- we tried everything under the sun, but all futile. I wonder how can a person just vanish like that? It took us years to overcome it. But we are still living with a hope as we did not find his…”

- “I am really sorry” Pankaj cut her short realizing what she was about to say.

They were already at Ballygunge so he asked her to navigate to her home. In another five minutes they reached her locale. The house was colorfully lit up for her marriage. She again thanked Pankaj and approached to pay him. Pankaj refused it saying that she was not his passenger. He was only helping her to reach home safely.

- “You can at least come up for a cup of coffee” she insisted.

- “Maybe some other day… some other time” said Pankaj smiling and left.

(2)

Before reaching home, like every day, Pankaj stopped at his favorite tea stall near Jadavpur Bus Terminus for a cup of hot cardamom tea. Regular faces of retired brigade were there who came at that joint every day for adda. Like any other day, Manas Babu was also there at the far end of the shop busy solving crossword in a newspaper. Pankaj rarely saw him chatting with others there. Pankaj greeted him and he responded with a smile.

Manas Babu was a very soft spoken person in his early sixties. Pankaj heard from others that he was staying in an old age home and was working with an NGO which ran the home. He used to work somewhere in Punjab or Haryana where he met with a road accident and suffered a partial memory loss. He was rescued by the NGO there and they had arranged for his treatment. As he could remember nothing at that point of time the NGO enrolled him in their organization. Long after that incident he could only recall that his home was in Kolkata. The NGO sent him to their Kolkata branch so that he could remember something staying at his familiar place. But no luck so far.

Pankaj was enjoying his cup of tea and was overhearing others offering their opinions on the demonetization issue. Meanwhile Manas Babu stood up and was about to leave. Pankaj noticed him take out his wallet to pay the vendor. Since, Manas Babu was standing close to Pankaj, he could see that kept in his wallet was a photo of a young girl of around 15 or 16. Pankaj guessed that it must be the photo of his daughter. Probably the only thing from the better part of his life left with him. Manas Babu looked at Pankaj and saw that he was in some deep thought. He wished him good night and left. Pankaj responded inattentively. Pankaj was trying hard to relate two different things. There were some resemblance between two different things he had come across that day. Then, something clicked in his mind which left him with goosebumps. “Yes, that photo in the wallet. It was her. And yes, Haryana! Both can’t be co-incidences” Pankaj mumbled. In a flash, he moved out leaving the cup unfinished, revved up and drove the way Manas babu went. Within a few minutes he located Manas Babu. He slowed down and asked Manas Babu to get in.

- “It is only a five minutes’ walk. I’ll manage. Don’t bother” said Manas Babu.

- “Please get in” said Pankaj. This time louder and somewhat with an authoritative tone.

Manas Babu sat next to Pankaj. Pankaj took a U-turn. Manas Babu was about say something but was stopped by Pankaj. “Don’t worry. I’ll drop you at your destination. Trust me” said Pankaj. For next twenty minutes or so none of them spoke. Only Pankaj uttered twice silently, “I can’t be wrong... I can’t be wrong.”

It was the second time the same evening Pankaj stopped his car in front of that colorfully lit house.

- “Manas Babu, this is your destination” said Pankaj.

- “I… I.. didn’t get you” said Manas Babu f umbling in complete amazement.

- This is where you belong to. Said Pankaj calmly. Just go and knock at the door and you’ll find your new life on the other side of it. I’ll not wait till someone comes out. Take my number and give me a call if required. And yes, please tell your daughter that it is her wedding gift from me.

Manas Babu still had no clue. He stepped down and started walking towards the house with dilemma in his steps. Pankaj left.

Pankaj was finally on his way home overwhelmed with satisfaction. He had already got the plot for his next story. But he wanted to write the last scene on his own. He turned the car radio on and it was playing his favorite of Harry Belafonte, “Jamaica Farewell”-

Down the way

Where the nights are gay

And the sun shines daily on the mountaintop

I took a trip on a sailing ship

And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop

But I’m sad to say I’m on my way

Won’t be back for many a day

My heart is down

My head is turning around

I had to leave a little girl in Kingston Town

A call came later that night. Pankaj took the call. He heard a wet voice of a lady from the other end. She said “Thanks for the gift….”.

Very few such days come in our life which carries so much happiness. Pankaj, Manas Babu, his daughter and his wife – that day had gifted a new life to all of them.