Empty lane

“I prefer to walk from the bus stop to the apartment building. Whole day sitting at the desk, feeling almost stuck to that chair, you realise you need to move literally and also otherwise.



The walk gives the needed movement to the body and thought. I specifically take an almost empty lane towards the last stretch that is comparatively empty, a few streetlights are covered by the overgrown trees, a few don’t work. I guess people think of it as a place where trouble awaits. There are few office complexes there, but by the worn out looks of them it’s evident that many lost money there. A bank and a few other offices were closed by this time.



So, this walk is important, it allows me to disassociate with all the office-based thoughts and helps me get that time of peace at home. Of course it keeps my otherwise unruly temperament in check as well. Everything is fine at this part or it was.



Three months back when I was coming as usual, on that empty lane I saw a black SUV and three-four guys, maybe drunk, definitely drunk, no way normal people behave like that. Laughing at top of their voice, almost screaming while talking, constant usage of slangs, music on high and complete disregard for people.



I ignored it that day, thinking of it as a one-time thing and they were not there the next day, I thought ‘good’. But they were there again two days later, and like that randomly they would appear. This was really bothersome, an added thought of distress to wish they weren’t there. I wondered where the police were at this time, and thought obviously one day they would be caught and warned to not come here.



But it just wasn’t happening and like I said this part of my walk is very important to me, so I decided I would do it. Fight them? No, take a video and take the video to the police. So, the next time I saw them, I took out my smartphone and started recording. Of course I was scared, four guys, intoxicated, with a false sense of having the ability to overpower anything, they could do some damage here but I had belief my daily walking would have some health benefits at least allowing me to outrun them.



One of them saw me, but it was all under my calculation, he asked me what I was doing, I did not feel the need to answer and I kept recording. Then the others noticed as well, hurled a few abuses and started moving closer to me and I started stepping back still recording, it was all under control. Two of them sped up and a kind of fear suddenly struck me, I felt maybe this wasn’t a good idea, but I could still outrun them right, but then again how many of us are actually used to running in panic? Because even that needs a certain calmness of thoughts.



I accepted what was coming, and braced for impact, maybe I would need a new phone too, hopefully I had backed up the essential data. Then I heard it, I mean obviously they heard it too, a woman screaming for help in a panic-stricken voice. I looked behind and there she was, must have been around my age. I did not know who she was and that she was there, but I was glad she was. She was my potential saviour, and she actually ended up being. The four guys were startled, they saw a few people from surrounding rushing, and they hurriedly moved back and drove away. I took the moment to scream and tell them to not come back, but they hurled back abuses.



Stupid youngsters of nowadays, they are a complete mess in the name of maturity. I still had the recording, no it did not show the woman but her scream was pretty clear. I asked one of my colleagues to forward the video to his brother who was in the police. I do not know if there was police action, but I avoided that lane for a week or two and when I returned, I noticed the trees trimmed and some new streetlights installed. The road was covered in white light now. Maybe it would be crowded now, but hopefully with the right people,” said Mr Arora to his wife and then he proceeded to pick the glass of ice tea

Written by Anuran Chatterji