CHAPTER 04
Happy had never liked the hardcore software business. We were glad to be together again, finally, after the farewell night in college, and we kept talking for hours that afternoon. We were planning an outing for the evening when we realized how tired we were and how badly we needed a little rest. I don’t remember which one of us fell asleep first that afternoon.
‘Wake up, you assess. It’s already 11.30.’ Someone was struggling to get us out of our utopia of dreams. In the hostel, Sannu was the first to wake up and, of course, the only one to wake up others. So we knew that it was our early-morning Sannu. Sannu used to wake up early in the morning after that happy and lucky and then lucky used to call to wake us up. Still, how can somebody thumping your door to get you out of bed be pleasant? We human beings have such a weird nature-while asleep, we hate the person who is trying to wake us up, but once we are awake, we tend to love that same person because he did the right thing. As usual, Sannu was successful in his endeavor. It was 11 in the morning. We went back to sannu’s house for breakfast after having breakfast. It was the first time Lucky and Happy had come to the city, so we decided to explore Kolkata’s streets. Fortunately, our host possessed three bikes his own Pulsar and his younger brother’s Splendor and one of his dads. We got ready and pulled out the bikes from the garage. Lucky and I got on the Splendor, Ruby and happy on the Pulsar, and sannu took his bike “Discover.” We crossed the river Hooghly, over the Vidya Sagar Setu, shouting and talking to each other. Speed-breakers couldn’t break our speed that evening. And where were we? On cloud number nine. Being with our best buddies after such a long time is, at once, sentimental and thrilling. We went to the Victoria Memorial and a few other places. At times, we got down to have some fruit- juice. At times, we halted to enjoy Kolkata’s famous snacks and sweets. At times, we got down because one of us wanted to pee- which initiated a chain-reaction among the rest of us. Ruby and I were standing apart from these shameless boys. They won’t change anyhow. We realized they are still too silly and stupid. We were at someplace, enjoying ice-tea in an earthen cup, when Sannu asked, ‘When do we need to get back home?’ It was already 10.30. ‘No worries. I have the keys to the flat upstairs. We can go any time we want. Hopefully, we will not move in before 1,’ Happy said, finishing his ice-tea down to the last drop. ‘And where are we going to be till then?’ Sannu was concerned. Sannu and his 11 p.m. sleeping time, I remembered but didn’t bring it to the others’ notice. Happy looked at me and asked with a smile,
‘Shall we go to the same place?’ ‘0h! That one …?’ Before Lucky’s dirty brain-cells could start thinking something filthy. I tried to clear the picture. ‘Gentlemen! We are going to a very cool place now, and I bet both of you will End it …’
I wasn’t aware of Kolkata that much, but yes, I can surely say that I knew few places of Kolkata, which Happy and I always wanted to visit and also planned to go whenever we plan our reunion. I was trying to finish when Lucky became impatient and cut me off. ‘Oh, yes. I heard that Chandramukhi was from West Bengal. So, are we guys planning to …?’ His wicked smile and naughty eyes completed the question. ‘You’re nuts,’ Happy said, laughing. ‘Don’t think too much, Lucky Just follow us,’ I added. Without revealing any more, we were back on our bikes, driving to our destination. It wasn’t yet midnight when we reached the place. The air here was a little colder. At first glance, it looked as if we were in the slums. There was a run-down garage that was shuttered. Some trucks were parked outside.
Their drivers were probably sleeping. We parked our bikes beside one of the trucks and walked through a small street to the right of the garage. The place was badly lit and utterly silent. Our voices and footsteps rang out loudly. The sounds of insects added to the eeriness of the place. Lucky heard a pack of dogs barking somewhere nearby. I don’t know if he really heard them, though. Maybe it was just his poor heart beating loudly. ‘Shhh! They will wake up,’ said Happy with a finger on his lips. ‘Who?’ Sannu whispered. ‘There are people sleeping on the ground ahead. Watch your step,’ Happy said. ‘People! Sleeping on the road?’ Ruby slowed down. They were local fishermen. Some were sleeping, and some were hung-over from home-made liquor. Suddenly, the street ended in a wooden channel. This was a staircase-like structure going down, and we could hear a dull sound, like that of water beating against the shore. We stepped on this channel, leaving behind the insect-sounds. In a few seconds, we were at our destination. It was the river Hooghly, and we were standing at its bay. Sannu’s and Ruby’s fear turned into delight. ‘This is the Launch Ghat and, right now, we are in Howrah. This is the point from where the ferry takes you to the other side: Kolkata city,’ Happy announced, pointing across the river. In our excitement, we jumped onto the wooden harbor-like structure, from the channel. Surrounding this harbor on three sides was the river in its perfect velocity. It was a beautiful night, with the moon overhead and the stars shining bright. And beneath this sky, the five of us!