Uncertainly Apartheid

Could it be so that some Unearthly fate hits someone so hard that it becomes their only dream to get over it? No matter what and how good you did, it is not being looked upon by anyone now. Just a feeling of seeking answers to those sorts of questions must've ripped so many hearts into many pieces. Many of those kinds could be found scattered around the Globe, but Gurgaon's Homeless Shelter was a shed for many including my friend Dheeraj. 

"No!" shouted him, waking up from a nightmare. 

“Again?”I asked. "What was it this time?”

" A... A bulky, moustached man, in his late 30s. He was chasing me with a rod."

"You see, even men are being crazy for you. It isn’t that bad."

“Stop pulling my leg Suhail. First that 'CP' thing, then a water tank and now this?"

"Sweet truth comes from the darkest nightmare, relax!"

"What if it isn't as expected?"

Mrs Sharmila came to us and asked him to take the day off from our cashier job. Dheeraj's trembling made Mrs Sharmila ask him so.

"I'm also working hard late-", I intervened.

"Just dress up and get your ass to work Suhail."

"I guess it is better to keep myself busy from all this. So, I guess I shall be working. But thanks for asking that, aunty"

"Listen Dheeraj. You've been keeping yourself busy for the past 5 years. It's very little of anyone to ask you that. Even Doctor Manohar came yesterday to the shelter while you were away showing some X-rays of you right Cebum. He also said that you are progressing day by day on your memories."

"Its Cerebrum!” I told her.

"I already told you to get your ass to the Bazaar in time Suhail, this time there'll be no excuses to be accepted by the Manager."

Dheeraj always felt like a son to Mrs Sharmila, since she took him in her shelter. The poor chap was found lying half-dead beside NH-8 express Highway. In no time it was obvious that he lost his memories; God knows how. He even forgot his name, so Mrs Sharmila named him ‘Dheeraj’ meaning calm. And five years in, he's still on the trail of how he ended up here.

"Aunty I must get ready and what you've done for me is nothing less than a miracle. Asking you anything more will be like greed."

"As you wish Dheeraj but stay safe. You boys, look out for yourselves. And don't forget to bring Milk for kids tonight", leaving the common sleeping hall.

On the way to work, I asked him, if he still remembers any minor details about his home. That sort of query was enough to make him sick, as he gazed in my eyes with such fierce, even a lion could've been scared easily!"

"What the fuck do you think I am into? I do not even know my age, how am I supposed to peek over sheer depths of darkness in my memories?" 

"You look 18-ish"

"And you look sick today... Are you on drugs again?"

"No, No! That's a long time. I guess the Bacardi must’ve something!"

"What? Are y... Are you serious? Do you know what aunty will do if she finds out? You know that I am worried for you, being a homeless again?"

"Homeboys made a couple of shots for me last night. I couldn't resist! I’ll stop, I promise.” 

"Yes, for sure If you do not have any money left and that crappy manager finds a reason to fire you, then you’ll stop for sure. Now move fast."

The only worse thing waiting for me after being scolded by Mrs Sharmila was my manager in such an anger as if I have slept with her daughter. 

"Here you come Mr Lazy-ass. You know it's the fifth time this month. What excuses you cooked for me today?"

"Your honor, I have no excuses to make, Just the facts at your feet. May I?"

"For God sake, it would've been much great If I hadn't listened to Mrs Sharmila for your approval."

"Sir, you know what this poor soul is searching for! Wouldn't it be a shame for me, not to help my dearest friend in need?"

"That's what you've been saying to me from the start. How about this one, Pack your things and get away from here? Go and help your mind fucked friend for your whole life.”

"That's really mean of you to say that. Why are you dragging him in?"

"In? I am asking both of you to get out of my place! I will speak to Mrs Sharmila about this but till then, out you go. Both!"

Disheartened both of us went to the park. Indeed, sitting on a bench in a park brings the best in everyone. 

“This is what I get. Just because I am friends with a lunatic who doesn’t even have anything to worry about. Just lying at the shelter waiting for someone to carry him!”

“Hey easy there pal, I got you to worry about. Don’t say that. Anyways, you remember my homeboys, right?”

“Bulky giants with cigars to mouth all the time. Yes, I do remember them!”

 “Let me speak with them. I am sure they’ll find some errands for us to run.”

The very next day, my friends told me to meet Mr Sudhir. He was a trainer at a gym in Delhi. We took tickets for the bus, and we bid our farewell to Mrs Sharmila that we’ll be taking our stuff to Delhi for new living. She told us that we were always welcomed at her Shelter. Hence, we left at five in the morning the very next day. Soon after reaching there, I got in contact with my friend’s local at Chandni Chowk. They provided us with a room nearby. It was almost dusty from inside with shattered window glasses with rats running across the beds. The fan was the only thing that worked properly. 

“Is it going to work?” 

“He said it was a franchise of a top gym. I am hoping a decent pay even as a janitor.”

“Yes, I hope so! Goodnight then.”

We went to see Mr Sudhir. As he approached us, we felt an imaginary aura unleashing from his biceps. He was giving us a suspicious look, though.

“You must be the boys for janitor occupancy, right? Well, nice to meet you. My name is Sudhir Chauhan.”

He chatted with us for fifteen minutes or so, and he asked Dheeraj about his name and his domicile?

“Actually, it is a long story but take it that I am from Gurgaon,” he replied.

He told us to wait for a day to decide. A day later he gave me a call and told me that only I was to be admitted for the job from next Wednesday. This response hit Dheeraj’s face with a touch of great melancholy. I asked him not to worry and search for some other occupancy in the town. 

“Maybe, fate isn’t likely to be in favour of me.”

“Trust me buddy that’s not how fate works. Anyways, did you take a glance at Mr Sudhir’s face yesterday? He was looking at you suspiciously. Do you know him already?”

“Even if I did, is there any reason not to tell you that?”

“No, I guess not. Well, why don’t you search for the cashier job here? I guess it’ll be easier for you to find it here.”

“Let’s see.”

On the first day, I was fully fledged for my new work, making sure to remove each spot from every corner of the gymnasium. I started with floor brushing and mopping then gradually got into equipment cleaning procedure.

As I was doing dumbbells, I thought to make some reps for myself as no one was watching. After fourth or fifth reps, I saw a man entering the gym, gazing in my eyes. He was muscular and had a signature moustache. I was scared to death as I thought he was about to complain, me using the Dumbbell. I immediately kept the dumbbell on the floor and started mopping. He returned with Mr Sudhir, and I heard him saying, “Just don’t be worried, I’ll handle this!”

That man left looking hell in my eyes through the door and Mr Sudhir shouted to me from the corner to work properly so that I could not ruin my Image on the very first day. That moment, I stopped my breath, praying for only one thing, to just let me have my Job. 

“That dumbbell must cost a lot. I must not get my dirty hands on it.”

Days went by, and Dheeraj wasn’t able to find any jobs. Sometimes, he went by street food stalls to work for daily wages and made a hard living. Many came up to be scammers trying to maximally squeeze out from him with nothing in return.  

Time passed by more hardly for Dheeraj but I kept up with my daily routine. Mr Sudhir wasn’t polite anymore, but that’s just how life was in a metro city, alone and away from our real homes. After all, I was just a janitor, asking more is a sin for us. Day after day, I started to realise the sympathy, Dheeraj needed from the start. His burdens must’ve been much more than mine.

A random day, Just after the lunch break, I saw an old man rushing into the Gym, shouting, “Vikki, where are you son, just be patient. Your Dadu is here. I will take you home I promise!” to which Sudhir’s response wasn’t very nice.

“Filthy old man. Just leave my place or I’ll call the Police.”

“You think your threat will part me with my bloodline? Almighty led me here and soon I’ll be with my Vikki!”

“Throw him out and make sure he never returns.”- Sudhir ordered his gym members.

I wasn’t very sure to act in a way, but then all of a sudden that old man from outside, “Help me, son, you must be Vikki’s companion. Tell him to come to the corporate postal office. Please!”

I surely wouldn’t have intervened, but surprisingly this made Mr Sudhir approach me and told me straight forward,

“You must leave now. Take your salary for the due date and don’t return please.”

“What did I do? You can’t just kick me out without any reason.”

“I surely can, but your reason is that you weren’t good at your work.”

And he left with haughty derision handing me over my salary. I wasn’t ready to bear any more bullshit to kick me out without any reason and that is what I felt when I stood outside that Gym. Moreover, the question surrounding me was about that old man. Who he was? Who was Vikki? Why did he shout to me like that and what made Sudhir kick me out?

On reaching our small ‘hideout’, I must say, as it was our only place to run away from our complications, I rushed to Dheeraj and spit out everything before him.

“It must be that Mr Sudhir wasn’t very nice after all. The ego of big people, I guess.”

“It’s not only that. He is hiding something about that old man and that Vikki.”

“Let him. I already made up my mind to get back to Gurgaon. I hope we can both make something even there.”

“I am not letting my luck decide my future. I am going after Sudhir for the truth.”

“Truth about what? Your altered ego?”

“I dunno, but this time it isn’t about ego. Are you with me or not?”

“I… Ah, Okay but this time, if you are wrong I will not listen to you anymore!”

“Let’s do it.”

The same evening at seven, we went to the back of the gym. That was the closing time for the place. We made our way to the back of the storage entrance and took a peek through the shattered window glass. Mr Sudhir was locking up the place and over the phone, he said, “I am on my way, just wait a couple of minutes.”

He made himself through a narrow walkway. It was probably behind that old man's desired location which was behind the corporate postal Office. Dheeraj took a glance and remembered that 'CP' logo was the same that he saw in his dreams. Sudhir met his gym boys there holding that same old man’s shirt whom I saw today earlier,

“You are very lucky that Gupta isn’t here, or else what is going to happen could’ve been done in the worse way.”

“You can’t just kill a Grandpa’s love for his child. Tell Gupta, he can never be a father, even of his own son.”

“So sorry for that, I don’t think you’ll ever say that to him because he won’t be joining you in heaven.”

With that, he sticks out a whole knife blade in that poor old man’s abdomen. 

Dheeraj almost puked at this scene but I comforted him while Sudhir made a call,

“It is done. You must also not worry about that boy. I kicked him out earlier today and he too will be taken care of when he will leave for Gurgaon. Now, live peacefully.”

We pricked up our ears as it was very clear that it was all about us in some way. My feet trembled as something similar were about to happen to us. I whispered to Dheeraj, whether we should call the police or wait for him to be alone and do something for ourselves?

“Does he look like a guy to be easily snatched by two skinny guys? We need to call the police and then we'll wait.”

“Can you believe this guy? He was going to kill us. But wh… What did we do?”

“Answers I am seeking from the past five years, are about to be disclosed, I hope. Call the police, and we’ll know the truth.”

I dialled the cops and told them our location. We were advised to follow him. A couple of minutes after following him, police called me for our current location. I told them to turn off their sirens and be stealthy as they were not far away from our previous location.

“They’re coming from another side, let’s snatch him.”

“Alright, you take left and I’ll distract him from the right.”

Dheeraj went through right in open and shouted,

“You will not get away from this.”

“Y… You are alive?! I thought they…. Never mind, I’ll unite you with your grandpa and your dad today only.”

“You knew my dad and grandpa? They… How did they die?”

“Just die, yearning to seek answers you’ll never know.”

“Duck while you can?”

“Duck?!”

A perfect strike to his head while police also arrived at the same time. When he was unconscious, he was all tied up in the police station. When he gained consciousness, he looked into Dheeraj’s eyes and said in a broken tone,

“It was all Gupta’s fault, he abandoned you, I just did as I was told.”

“Is he my father?”

“Stepfather. Your real father died a long time ago. I see it’s true that you’ve lost your memories. But for anyone, as I see, it’s only a blessing. Don’t ask for answers or you’ll break yourself forever.”

“Just speak.”

“Your mother loved Gupta madly only to know later that she was in love with the wrong man. She married him just a year after your father’s death. Gupta never liked you. He always told me that he would get rid of his 'false blood'. That day was five years ago when, as usual, while beating you over a small mistake, he hit you so hard with a steel rod on your head that made you forget everything. After getting to know from doctors that you’ve lost your memories, he found the best excuse to rush you out from his life and on the way back home, he…..”

“….Threw me out of the moving car on NH-8 Highway, beside the city's water supply tank to be found by Mrs Sharmila later."

“Hmm”, he nodded.

“And that old man? Was he my real grandfather?”

“Yes, and your real name is Vikki. While informing Gupta, he must've heard everything as he always sneaked around him, looking for clues. I wasn’t very sure that you were Vikki when I first saw you that day. So I went to Gupta and asked him to be certain about what to do. I hired your friend but not you only on Gupta’s saying.”

"Can you show me his picture?"

Sudhir's phone was in custody and it was brought up by an officer. He pulled up a picture and showed it to Dheeraj.

"Oh shit. Is this man, my stepfather? The man from my nightmares. Fuck!"

“And I was worried that I must’ve hurt your ego, picking up that dumbbell", I intervened.

“Where is my mother? Is she alive?”

“After disowning you, he always threatened your mother that he would kill her if she spoke to anyone about this. Somehow after two years, she gained the courage to speak for you. To get away with that he gave contracts for an accidental killing of her in a road accident.”

I never saw Dheeraj in such silence immersed in the sadness of losing everyone he ever had. Police told us that they will release a search warrant for Gupta and he too, will be punished for his crimes. We had all that 'Vikki' ever needed to know; now it was his only world to live in. I patted his back and said,

"Your dream, it all makes sense now."

"I wish it never did."

"So, What now?"

With tears in his eyes and with a shattered heart, he said,

“After Grandpa’s funeral, Mrs Sharmila will be waiting for us at home, our home.”