Bus driver says :
Yesterday was a bad day for me. I had stopped the bus for a few moments at the bus stop near a school.
I am always a bit extra careful when nearing school zones because the children tend to be playful and at the same time, wrong or right, we, are blamed for any road mishap. But yesterday, perhaps, I lost my concentration a little.
A ten year old child got down from the bus and walked in front of the bus in order to cross the road. I started the bus and brushed the child a little, not knowing that the child would not have walked past. The boy lost his balance but managed to get up fast. He ran towards his school fearing that commotion would prevail if he remains behind. The passengers in the bus mumbled that I was careless. Ignoring their remarks, I moved ahead.
This incident stuck to my head the whole day, and the sulky mood continued even as I walked towards home in the evening. I felt that a drink or two would calm down my nerves.
Wife says:
He was drunk! When wasn’t he? Perhaps when he is on duty, he is a bit sane. But otherwise I have only heard him give a long, slurring speech when he reaches home. He even turns violent sometimes, when he is in a sulking mood; he would even throw the plate of food in anger. His anger tantrums are worse when he takes the plate and hits me on my face. Till today, I escaped unhurt. But who can prevent fate?
I could sense his violent mood today in the manner in which he threw his chappals out and came inside. His curses and abuses cross limits when he is drunk and that was what he was doing even today.
I noticed him giving money to my son to go to the liquor shop and buy him drinks. Which mother would tolerate a father corrupting his own son? I told my son not to go and also admonished the father for asking his own son to buy these drinks for him. This man! Would he ever learn? I took back the money from my son.
There was an eerie silence for a moment, like a lull before a storm. He then squatted on the floor without uttering even a word. I placed a plate and a glass of water in front of him. Then I took the hot food from the stove and served him. He looked down at the food and with a swift movement of his hand, lifted the stainless steel plate and hit me on the forehead.
I screamed in pain and within seconds, blood was flowing from my forehead. My son, had left for the shop long back, even before his father sat down to eat food. I tied a towel around my head, cleaned the floor, and sat in a corner. I don’t know when I fell asleep. When I woke up, I could still feel the pain, and blood was oozing. I felt giddy and confused.
Son says:
My father is a horrible man. I dread him at times, and sometimes I even feel like murdering him and go to jail. It is all because I have never seen my mother happy anytime. My dream is to work hard, become rich, and keep her happy.
Yesterday, this man, my father, came home fully drunk and wanted me to go to the liquor shop and buy drinks again. I looked at my mom helplessly. She snatched the money from me and asked me not to go. But I knew that she was the one who will have to bear his anger tantrums. I did not heed her. I took the money and ran to the shop. Once this man drinks, he will be in his own world and not disturb my mom.
I came back with the drinks. My father was mumbling and told me that he desired to hit my mom in front of the bus just like he did that day and wished that she died. It was his usual ramblings, but it was worse that day. Perhaps something happened when he was on duty.
I saw my mom lying in one corner with a towel around her head. She must be having a headache, poor thing! I thought, only to realize that she has been bleeding the whole night and was unconscious. By the time I got up, father left for duty. I called my neighbour for help and he immediately called an ambulance.
Ambulance driver says :
It was the first call in the morning and I had to rush to the spot even without having my cup of coffee. I noticed that the woman’s condition was serious. The doctor who came with me tested her and gave her the first aid. But her condition was so serious that her chances of survival were less.
Her son was full of tears and kept on ranting that it was his entire fault that he did not realize about her condition earlier. I calmed him down, brought her in a stretcher, asked him to get in and closed the rear door. The rear door did not close properly. I slammed the door again. I had no time to waste. She is a mother of a child and she needs to be saved. Who knows? God might be kind to her and save her life.
Damn these drunkards, I said to myself and took off in a good speed. I turned on the siren and my aim and concentration was to alert the traffic to show signs of humanity and consideration to the injured lady and give way to my vehicle. The traffic was very heavy and there was no space for my vehicle to move on fast. If at all there was a little space, some other vehicle raced past and occupied the space.
Now what am I to do? We were almost nearing the hospital. . I could ask them to move her to the hospital manually. Even while I was thinking what to do next, a bus raced past and stopped in front of my vehicle. These bus drivers love to bully the relatively smaller vehicles, don’t they?
Son says:
While I am sitting and watching my mom breathing fast, I was praying to God to save her life. Let God take my life and give back her life. My father must have hit her when I had gone to the shop. Why did I not look at her then? Oh God, please do not leave me with this guilt of a lifetime. I keep on raving and ranting to myself and praying.
The ambulance driver is doing his best to move her to the hospital. But the traffic is heavy and the siren is not as effective as it should be. People seem to be in a hurry to reach their destination. Who is worried about someone else’s life, when he or she is not that close? The ambulance driver slams the brake.
There is a bus in front of the vehicle. When will the ambulance move? My heart is pounding and I am getting restless. I have to contact my father as soon as I get her admitted. Will he be sane enough to respond, he knew not.
It looks as if it is taking a long time to reach the hospital. There are lot of two –wheelers and cars, each one clinging to his vehicle and life, and at the same time, each one wants to prove their own strength. Is it all a matter of chance?
Bus driver says:
When I started from home, I called my wife in order to wake her up. She was fast asleep. Or was she angry? I had taken an extra dose of drink yesterday and I vaguely remember asking my son to get drinks. But what happened next?
I have a terrible headache. Got to get down somewhere for a cup of coffee and take a crocin. I feel sorry for my wife. She is the most tolerant woman on earth. Today I should go home early, take her out, and please her.
But first, I am badly in need of a cup of coffee. I decided to speed up. There were only a few passengers and my aim is to reach my destination as quick as possible. There is an ambulance in front of me. I look at the ambulance. I was not that curious to know if someone was there inside, dying. Today my first priority is to cure my headache. I cannot show consideration to some human whom I do not know, especially when I am having a problem.
I race past the ambulance and rush past the traffic and reach my destination. I rush towards the coffee shop. I am aware that I have been speeding up today. A sort of restlessness and guilt has crept into me. Did I beat my wife? Did I abuse her? What did I do to her to make her so angry? She did not even reply to me today. Not even the usual one word reply?
I am suddenly reminded of my cell phone which I have turned on to silent mode. I notice that there are many missed calls from my son.
I call up…
Now I am rushing to the hospital….God! Please save her. I won’t drink any more.
Will my prayers be answered?
