181. Blast from the Past – The day I “lost” my Brother
I don’t remember exactly when this happened. Maybe this happened when I was around 7 years of age and my brother was 5.5 years of age. Over a period of time, only the incident remains in the mind, while the dates are forgotten😊!!
We were living in Karol Bagh and two of my cousins were living near IIT Gate in Delhi. All of us cousins used to meet only during some special occasions like festivals or other such occasions. It happened during a weekend. Me and my brother wanted to visit our cousins and play with them. Our parents had some other work so they let us go to our cousin’s place on our own. In those days it was safer to venture out alone without having to worry about being kidnapped (incidentally, the next year, in 1978 we had the famous Billa and Ranga case where they kidnapped 2 children and murdered them😊)!!
We had to catch 2 buses to go to my cousins’ place. Bus No 8 from Arya Samaj Road Bus stop to Super Bazar, Connaught Place. Both the stops were the 1st and last stops of the bus. And then Bus No 620 from Plaza, Connaught Place to IIT Gate. Coincidentally these 2 stops too were the 1st and last stops of the bus😊. And both Super Bazar and Plaza bus stops were on the same side of the road. So, no issue of crossing any main roads!! Hence, our parents allowed us to venture out alone. We had to walk some 5-7 minutes to reach the Arya Samaj Road Bus stop from our house. There was a 2-minute walk from Super Bazar to Plaza bus stop. And another 2-3-minute walk from IIT Gate bus stop to my cousin’s place. I have a vague remembrance of their house being seen from the bus stop itself. We just had to cross one small park and then reach their house. Moreover, there was a small ground where the number 620 bus used to park on reaching the destination. And this place was visible from my cousin’s place. So, they too were regularly looking out for any 620 bus that came that day, since they had been informed that we were going to come there!
Since we were kids, the bus ticket was only 15 paise for each trip, per person. So, I was in charge of the money and getting the ticket. My brother had no money with him.
We boarded the No 8 bus and reached Super Bazar. From there we walked to Plaza bus stop. There was a small crowd and there were 3 buses of 620 route standing there. I boarded the 1st 620 bus and went to sit on a seat. After sitting, when I looked around, there was no sign of my brother! I got out of the bus and started looking at the other 2 buses to see if he had boarded any of those buses. I also called out his name and started looking. In the meanwhile, one of the 620 buses started and was on its way. I looked inside the other 2 buses and searched in vain. He was nowhere to be found!
Now, I was in a catch-22 situation. Should I go to my cousin’s place and hope my brother had got into the earlier bus? He knew the way from the bus stop to my cousin’s place and my cousins too were keeping track of all the buses that come to IIT Gate bus stand. Or should I go back home and tell my parents that I have lost my brother😊? If I go to my cousin’s place and if my brother was there, I can spend the day playing with them. In case he was not there, then I would be in a soup. After searching around the 620-bus stop, I decided to go home and inform my parents that I had lost him, since this option sounded better than the option of going to my cousin’s place and not finding my brother there😊!!
After reaching home, I took my own sweet time to walk from bus stop to my home and further some more time to climb the 1st floor of the house, where we used to live. I knew that I was going to be thrashed for losing my brother😊. So, as I reached home, I started crying and informed my parents, while crying, that my brother was lost and I had no idea where he was. My father immediately went to our neighbor’s house and dialed my cousin’s house. He was informed that my brother had reached their place and was playing with my cousins😊!! Apparently, he had boarded a different 620 bus. And he did not buy any ticket!! The conductor might have thought that since he was a kid, someone else would have bought his ticket! Apparently, he had noticed that I was missing and had coolly occupied a window seat and started seeing outside!! Only when he reached IIT Gate, did he see that I was not present😊. My cousins saw him alighting the bus and called him out to come to their place. When asked about me, he apparently said he did not know😊!! Before my cousin’s parents could call my parents, my father had called them.
Once I got to know that he was well, I asked my parents whether I can go now to my cousin’s house to play😊! They told me not to bother and since it was late, I can spend the time at home itself!! Later on, I think, one of my cousins accompanied my brother till Connaught Place and made him board the No 8 bus. My brother then made his way back to our house after having enjoyed his stat at my cousins’ place!!
I was scolding myself in my mind that I should have gone directly to my cousin’s place instead of coming back to my place😊!! I also would have enjoyed playing with them!!
Since I was a kid, the notion of not playing was more irritating than having lost my brother😊!! And my brother too was happy that he could get to play with my cousins rather than worrying about where I was😊!!
Thus, ended the day when I “lost” and “found” my brother back😊!!
Cheers till next time!!
Today’s Observation
Statistics are like a bikini suit. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital! 😊
Comments
Post a Comment