ACCIDENT.
It can happen to anyone.
19-02-2007
Accident. It happened to me about twenty-eight years ago. In those days I was working for Sheraton hotel at Chennai. My office was about eight-kilometer away form my home. Even in those morning rush hours with my new ten gears sports cycle it took me only Sixteen minutes to reach my office. I used to zip past moped even at their top speed of 55 Kim/h. beating moped and zipping through the traffic gave me adrenal rush and thrill. I those days I had stars in my eyes, now I have cataract in my eyes (joke).
That particular day I met my colleague on my way to office. Over the cigarette we exchanged small talks; after that I was on my way to office. Since I was smoking, I had peddled by the side of the road. In the middle of road, one teenager had zipped past me .From the opposite direction a bus was approaching to the bus stop. Here in India State run buses will never stop by the side of the road. They usually stop in the middle of the road. Suddenly from behind the bus an auto, (a three-wheeler used as taxi in most part of the Indian cites). Over took the bus .the teenager came face to face with the auto. I thought that guy had gone for a toss. NO! It was I who took off the flight! Auto driver severed to the extreme right to avoid head on collusion with the teenage. That lucky guy had escaped. Auto rammed on me at about 45 Kim/h near the bus stop. Leaning over the handle bar and smoking cigarette I was peddling slowly. My jaw crashed against the wind shied of auto. That was all I remember. …
Even after hitting me, the auto driver tried to driveway (escape) with the passenger. People at the bus stop blocked his ways and forced him to stop. They asked the passenger to get down and forced the auto driver to take me to hospital.
In India when accident take place there is hardly any one comes to your help because of the legal problem .one will end up running between police station and court without any benefit!
I was lying on the side of the bus stop.
"Yeah, Even after hitting the poor guy, that auto driver tried to escape…"
"We stopped him…"
My senses were restored after a gap of about three to five minutes. Images resolution gradually improved, more than a dozen faces were staring at me. Blood was oozing out of my mouth. "Poor guy…. Who knows where he belongs!"
"GIVE WAY!”WHAT YOU ALL ARE STARING AT"? A small man with big voice pushed others and approached me. He could be a local coolie or even a rickshaw puller.
"Brother, what happened "? He tried to help me to get up. I tried to cooperate with him but could not do so…the pain above the cartilage on my left leg was unbearable. He then lifted me in his arms. There was stinking smell of arrack in his breath. (Arrack. is locally made country drink).the smell of arrack will make you to vomit, it is highly harmful to health too old battery cell zing is used while preparing! Still local people drink such stinking drink) .he then placed me inside the same auto, I asked driver to take me to the nearest hospital. At the hospital, I got out of auto with the help of him. I noted down the auto registration number in my pocket book. I may need the auto driver in case if I had any serious injuries on my left leg or for insurance.
After checking my BP doctor told me that I am normal .I had only panicked. Since it was a road accident, no privet hospital will take risk. They always refer to government hospital. I had ESI (employee’s state insurance). I came out of the hospital. That small man came to me scratching his head. ."Bother, shall I go…" I thanked him for his kindly help. Again, he scratched his head. I knew he was looking for money. I had about twenty-five rupees. I gave him and thanked him again. After giving me an honor of salute, he left the place. He will not spend that money on his family. He will buy another bottle of local arrack. Here in Chennai. There is local guys (poor and illiterate) people drink arrack without even brushing their teeth or without washing their face in the morning! I made phone calls to my office .my chief engineer was busy with inspection work. He told me that he would send personnel manager to me. I went and sat inside the auto and waited for them to arrive. The auto driver came to me. Bend down and touched my feet. …." I do not have driving license… my family depends on me…. Please do not file police case…." He was about fifty years old man .I pulled out my leg. "Look, if I do not have any serious injuries on my body there won't be any problem for you. Only after checking at the government hospital, I can be sure of that. “He then prayed his entire drear god for me; that I should not have any serious injuries on me.
In about fifteen minutes time our personnel manger and some of my colleagues arrived at the hospital .We all went to the nearest ESI hospital. At the government hospital, they took ray on my head and leg. There was no internal damage either on my leg or on my jaw. (As I took off from the cycle my left, leg hit the handle bar.) In the evening, our chief engineer and other colleague came with fruits. They all enquirer about the accident and my health .it was the finest gesture .In five star hotel people work at different shift, always some one was at my bedside. I stayed for two more days and took another three days rest at home before I resumed my duty.
Nothing was abnormal …gradually over the years my face started slightly deviating towards left. Recently I got it checked my jaw. Doctor took 3-D X-ray. It was showing the damage I had on my contilage (part of the jawbone grow were stunted on the left side) . He asked me about the accident, which happened twenty-eight years ago! I had explained every thing to him. Now to replace it with titanium jaw (then I might look like a bionic man) will cost me.Rs.1,50,000! I am not looking for cosmetic surgery. I had always loved myself; not because of my appearance but because of my character and quality as a person. I am an Aquarian bit eccentric, which is normal for any Aquarian people. Read in my blog. APPERANCE CAN BE DECEPTIVE … then you will agree with me. Accident can happen, that does not mean it is fate. We cannot call it as fate. If you analyze the situation at times, you will find fault with you or the other person involved, mechanical failure or act of god. Accident. Theist calls it fate. Those who believe in god can pacify their mind saying, “It is all fate. What else "? Those who escaped accident praise the lord but not me. I am a proud atheist. Accident can happen to any one.
Jivan. ***************
