We Are In The Same Boat Brother
- roshmi sarmah
- Jan 28, 2018
- 12 min read
Updated: Aug 25, 2021
It was 3:30 pm on my watch and I stood looking at the tail light of the last transport (number 6) destined to my place TINSUKIA (A place in Assam, INDIA). I took the cell phone out and asked the ‘Google Assistant’ to ‘Make a call to Rupam Khaund Da’. After a few rings: “Animeshhhhh, how are you?” said Rupam da. “Trupam Kaiii, I am good, bro do you still have the IRCTC app installed on your phone?” I questioned hurriedly without asking about how he was doing (later I apologized for that). His positive reply enabled me to say: “Bro can you tell me the timing of the train to Tinsukia from Mariani (Railway Junction situated in Mariani, JORHAT). Actually, I couldn’t find any road vehicle to ferry me”. He said he will inform me after a couple of minutes and hung up the phone. Following a couple of minutes, he said no train was there by then. I nodded and hung up the phone with a thank you. I was holding my finger to my cell screen while I felt someone’s presence near me. I turned around and discovered Mona had at last arrived. I was extremely cheerful to see her after long months. Yes, Mona! She was (in certainty is) the little one of our department and probably the only child in the entire school of engineering. As ‘Big Data’ was broken into four V’s, I defined Mona in 3B’s- Brave, Brilliant and Bindass. She was my first university crush however later she converted me to her good friend and again by her grace I am now her beloved brother (She took the advantage of Raksha Bandhan). Sometimes I questioned the unseen “Why am I blessed with an uncountable number of sisters?” yet the answer is still not found.
As I had to receive a certificate (Photography) from our university on the annual fest, therefore, we planned to meet on that occasion. She came from Shivsagar (A historical Place of Assam) while I was traveling from Tinsukia. Anyway leave it; let’s be back to the scene. I grinned at her; however, I couldn’t see her beautiful teeth out as she was wearing a half mask in order to shield herself from dust. What’s more, presumably there was another purpose behind hiding her teeth since she was wearing a very dark red lipstick, and she knew when I see that I would definitely laugh at her (though not from my heart). After that, we went to the nearby restaurant (in Jorhat Town) to talk. Amid our conversation, we ordered two cups of tea and two sweets (that taste really awful). Our conversation started from our engineering days and ended up describing her friend whom she left aside for shopping. She then took her cell out and called Kaustabh. The lion was dozing then so didn’t get her call. After a couple of more talks, she decided to leave. I nodded and say farewell to her (for short-time) and she went seating on the front seat of the ‘Auto’. As I came to know about the night-super’s timing (from 8 pm onward) therefore thought to return back to my university (from where I came to catch a bus to Tinsukia) premises and engaged myself in seeing the events.
My phone vibrated and I saw Rituraj was calling me (It was 4:15 pm at that point). I received his call and replied to his: “Where the hell are you now? Will you stay tonight? Are you serious that you are attending the fest?” etc? When he got my affirmation he said me to wait there till he comes. I was asked to accompany them to the festival in his car. I waited there for 12 minutes and after that, I again got a call from him. “Kalu (my nickname), we are almost near you but I neglected to say that I got my car full yet somehow I managed a special ROOM (he was talking about the boot space) in my car for you”, said Rituraj. I comprehended his words yet reacted very softly. His provocation won’t enrage me. He hung up the call when he received a negative response from me and advised me to reach the university on the ‘maggic’ (local four-wheeler passenger vehicle). I did likewise and it took around 45minutes to reach upon. That 45minutes I went in deep slumber (I slept for only 1 hour from 5 am to 6 am, and at 7 am I caught up the first bus to Jorhat. In the bus I made a couple of companion of age 15 who didn’t enable me to rest).
Upon achieving my university premises the guard asked me to show my ID card once again (I already showed once when I visited before a few hours.) I want to argue but realized there weren’t any of their faults, they were simply doing their duty, therefore showed them my ID card and I was allowed to get in. I saw some food stalls at that day first visit, so without looking all over I straightly strolled toward the food stalls. There were various kinds of food and seeing them I couldn’t prevent my mouth from watering. Without holding up more I ordered a full plate of ‘Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani’ and finished the stuff at a glance (I was in wild appetite). Since I found some acquaintances close near the stalls I started conversing with them. I was literally getting bored that time as I discover no friends to talk yet I must thank my acquaintances who helped me to pass my time. In the wake of enquiring about the upcoming events, I found that after a few minutes there would be a dance show probably competition in the workshop (mechanical). I truly had no enthusiasm for dancing (still I respect it from my heart) yet I went to see the dance show not because of how the participant would dance instead to see a young lady (she is a die-heart fan of dancing and she is herself a good dancer) whom I have liked (and I was about to confess that to her that day) since my university days. She is gorgeous (especially in my eyes) and probably an innocent too. I actually never talked to her in person however very often I text her (after she had broken up with her boyfriend but she ignored me many times) on Instagram. When I reached near the show my eyes started searching her, and lastly, after a careful search, I discovered her. She was looking very beautiful that day. Black jeans, brown jacket, her open hair with her entrancing eyes supplanted with an angel. I was seriously about to express my feeling to her yet everything vanished in a fraction of a second when I saw her with a guy (I had never seen him before). Undoubtedly he could be her best friend, boyfriend or her brother still something squeezed my heart and stopped me from confessing. I was like a wet cat in the snow, I came a long way with a hope to talk and confess her but everything appears to be dull at that moment. However, I had decided to keep my feelings within me and thought to express her later (waiting for the perfect time to come). She went and never saw again that day. Fortunately, from nowhere Rituraj alongside my other friends (Rupan, Pallav etc) had arrived and called me. I met them and we went to our hostel. At the first sight, I got wet-eyed to see my hostel after a long time. Rituraj along with Pallav started recalling our mischief’s setting me in the spotlight. Their discussions made me exceptionally nostalgic; I could flash all my hostel days flashing just in front of my eyes. Upon reaching the hostel I hugged all the security guards and wished them a “happy new year”. I converse with them for around half an hour and from that point forward, I stopped receiving their enthusiastic replies (probably they got irritated); hence I went upstairs to the room where my friends were busy boozing (it was 7:00 pm then). I went inside the room and after some entertaining talks, I urged Rituraj to accompany me to the room ‘116’ (my room). Without arguing he accompanied me to the room but we found a huge size lock hanging in the room, subsequently, we returned to our friends again and partook in their discussion. I was confounded about the wrong going on in my life (that specific day). I must state in the middle that I seriously miss my hostel days (though I was in the hostel for 1 year). Amid our talks, I got a call from an unknown number (it was 7:40 pm then); the number from which I never got any call. I glued my eyes to the number and received it after a few seconds. “Hey! Animesh, Priyanka here”, said she from the opposite side. “Hey! Priyanka how are you?… Helloooo, Helllloooo”, said I. The call got disconnected so I called her back. “I am facing some network issue as I’m inside the hostel. Are you coming to the program today?” said I. “Yes yes! Sangita, Mona and I were almost near the university, I heard you are backpedaling to Tinsukia by 8 pm bus. If it’s possible, do stay, we all are here today.” said she. “Yes, Parineeta I am backpedaling by 8 pm bus consequently now I am walking towards the entrance. It’s right around 8 yet I too want to meet you all, as it’s a long time we last met. I had already missed 6 buses, this time I have to catch the bus or else I am over”, said I laughingly. “Atccchhha it’s okay. Happy Journey then”, said she. I seriously want to meet them, they all were (are) my good friends. “By the way, how far you guys are?” asked I. “We are almost near, we need another 5minutes to reach.” she said. I thought probably I won’t get another chance to meet them again so chose to wait for them till they come. And after 12 minutes (approx) they arrived near the university gate and gave me a call. I went near, exchanged handshakes and wished them “Happy New Year”. I checked my watch and it was 7:55 pm, I hurriedly went near the roadside and held up so I could stop the bus. After a few minutes, when I realized that 8 pm had already passed I took out a cigarette and started to smoke (I hoped the bus would shortly arrive). After waiting for more than 25 minutes beside the road, I saw the bus was only a few meters away from me. However, when I turned my neck to my left I saw a huge physique object wearing a black jacket was coming towards me. I recognized him in a click. He was Kaustabh. Seeing him, I thought let this bus too to go, I would catch another, therefore didn’t stop that bus. When Kaustabh drew close, he welcomed me angrily and address me with some very sweet words (those words were so sweet that I couldn’t write out in open). Then he called another friend of our group; Bhismarjjun. How unique his name is, the same goes to his identity. We nicknamed his a SP (he dream to turn into). He was the shortest tampered guy of our department. His signature is that when he gets irate his white eyes takes the form of hot magma, and if anyone asked him at that point why is he crying (I frequently did this to enraged him), he would either walked indignantly or would start hitting things (sometimes people too). When Kaustabh handed over the phone to me, he asked me to stay. However I denied. After waiting more than an hour I found no bus was heading to Tinsukia.
The city was confronting heavy rainfall then and we got drenched. After Bhishma had arrived, we went to see the concert and as he had his car he decided to go back to his house around 10 pm. I thought to take the advantage, therefore, asked him to drop me if I get any bus or else I would stay in his place. He concurred and I went with him. While we (Bhisma, another friend of us and I) were sitting in the car beside the road I saw a bus crossed by us the other way. Without enquiring I asked them to follow. Apart from being late they followed the bus and stopped amid the road. I walked around the bus and saw it was going to Shivsagar. However, the driver gave me an expectation that a few buses towards Tinsukia are en route, and if I wait there for a few minutes I would surely get one. It was 10:30 pm then. Since it was raining, I decided to halt that night at Bhishma’s place. Additionally, my Mom was consistently enquiring my location. She was stressed over me which I comprehended by her voice. I took my final decision to stay at Bhishma’s place. They turned their car and we began moving. My stubborn mind was constantly stopping me from going. After a few minutes, I saw a bus was coming towards us with a board written ‘TINSUKIA’ in the bold and red font. I took my head out from the moving car and shouted at the bus. Friends who were sitting in the front got terrified and stopped the car. I laughed at them, took my pack and began running towards the bus that had stopped. Upon reaching I bid them goodbye and rode on the bus. My fate was playing a card with me I realized. There wasn’t a single seat left in the bus yet they managed a seat for me in the cabin where I some way or another balanced my butt. The handyman came near me (completely drunk) and asked me to pay my fare. I gave him 2 notes of 100 rupees (regular fare from Jorhat to Tinsukia) but he returned me rupees 50 as a change. I thankfully smiled at him as he stopped the bus for me and furthermore he had lessened my fare. He said: “The fare is 150 rupees”. His words puzzled me and I said anxiously: “But today itself I gave 200 rupees when I came from Tinsukia”. He looked at me and said: “Dibrugarh is our last stoppage. As there isn’t any passenger aside from you, we aren’t going to Tinsukia. We will halt at Dibrugarh tonight”. My rage burst out as words: “Why the fuck had you stopped the bus then? If you were not going to Tinsukia why had you placed this board in the front? How will I go from Dibrugarh?” said I. Our argument was over after the handyman went asleep but they didn’t change their decision. After two hours he reached his home and went down. Then I had left no other individuals to converse with (though we argued he was the one who tolerated me for two hours rest all passengers were in deep slumber). The next three hours, I got occupied in hearing songs with my earphones on. My mood changes according to the music I hear. Sometimes I am a die-heart lover, and sometimes I am a soldier protecting my motherland and sometimes I am a bird flying from west to east. All the songs I heard that night were somehow I found relevant to that day’s incident. Starting from ‘Ballad of a Teenage Queen’ to ‘Dard-e-Dil’, from ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ to ‘See you again’ all seem to be relevant. It was around 4’o clock in the morning when the bus halted close to a petrol pump in Dibrugarh (a place in Assam 47 km away from Tinsukia). All the passengers were prepared to get off the bus and I was the first passenger to get off.
The weather was cloudy then and I was trembling in cold at that point. I have experienced numbers of buses crossed disregarding me (that really hurts when they do so). For a while, I thought to take a hotel and remain there till 7 am (after that I could get a number of buses heading my hometown) then I altered my opinion to travel in a truck (want to experience the ride as I had never done before). After waiting for a half an hour I saw a truck. I signed them to stop. The handyman of the truck was a kid probably of age 12. “Could you drop me off on your way?” asked I. The truck was going to Digboi (place in Assam, 34 km from Tinsukia. It is also known as the Oil City of Assam). He looked at the driver and opened the door and let me get in the truck. The cabin was like a room implanted with a bed. I saw a huge physique man (probably the second driver) was sleeping on the bed. He wasn’t aware of my presence, yet his snore didn’t enable me to stream with the music that I was hearing in my earphone. There was only a single seat which was captured by the handyman. Once again, I confronted the similar circumstances, this time it was even worse than before (only my single butt could adjust). Yet I am grateful to them for the lift. The driver asked in his polite tone about me and I accordingly answered his questions. Meanwhile, he asked me to plug off the earphone from the phone and to play a song out loud. I switched on my JioFi, opened the GANNA app and said: “Bhaiyaa! Do you love listening to old bollywood?”. He nodded and I typed the song’s name “Main Nikla Gaddi Leke” in the search box of the app. I increased the volume of my phone so that the driver could enjoy the song. He laughed all his teeth out. After traversing some more distance the kid came up to me requesting to play a game on my cell phone. I resisted him instead I gave him a ‘Special Head Massage’. He was content with that and after completing 47 km of travel, the truck dropped me near the bus stand. I gave them a 100 rupees note yet they declined to take. In the end, the drive apologized me for the inconvenience (according to them) I faced in the long run. I simply smiled at him and said: “No worry. We are in the same boat brother”.
Written by Animesh Sarmah
Note: It’s a true story that happened to me on 6-1-18.
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