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This years fall...
I spend a whole,terribly hot day working (that too without the luxury of an A-C) and board a train back home.(Not even the luxury of a car). I switch the music on (Cellphones are no longer a luxury) and submerge into the Alter Bridge’s ,Duncan Sheik’s n Pink Floyd’s to dissociate myself from the pain n stink of the evenings ride.I fortunately reach home in one-piece n head straight for a shower.I’m thinking about the things I said to people today, things I should’ve done, things I shouldn’t have ,n in a split of a second something happens… The next thing I know,I’m holding my knee in acute pain,trying to hop on the other leg and at the same time,trying not to fall again! I hover around a bit n stabilise my position.I have a good look at my knee n try not to self-diagnose too much.Then I smile… God’s given me a chance.Maybe it’s a fracture.Maybe its worse.6 weeks…8 weeks… the smile grows wider. I haven’t had a holiday in quite a while.It was three months ago.But then,how am I supposed to walk on the beach n feel the waves at my feet ? No,I cant bungee-jump,neither scuba-dive. Yeah,I could sit on a horse …no,err… an elephant maybe.I have a hundred thoughts flowing through my mind.My hearts racing…but I got to get out of the bathroom before I fall again!
I hold my knee again,limp towards the refrigerator and get some ice.I hop towards the main door in the same limp,n hold it open so that I don’t have to strain my knee again.A few minutes later my brother arrives.He takes a good look at the swollen knee and barges into his closet. “Here it is,” he tosses the knee brace towards me n gives a wicked grin.Its a perfect Ekta kapoor scenario. I see a hundred close-ups of me n my brother,with that whoosh-whoosh sound in the background, lasting for half an hour, n then the dialogue… “Yaad hain tumhey…It’s a jinx.Never ever laugh at a person who’s hurt his knee.” My brother had suffered from a knee injury some time back n this was the same brace I gifted him! (He’d laughed when one of my cousins got hurt in the knee n needed an assistant to put on his shorts!)
I punch in a few numbers to break the news to my friends and near n dear ones.One does find solace when people show concern.Temporarily atleast.( What was that… attention deficit disorder or something!!)
“What do you reckon?”
“I hope it’s not really bad.”
Nah,I wasn’t telling her the whole truth.I wished the pain lasted atleast three weeks.Three weeks of not waking up early,three weeks of stress-free lunches,three weeks watching your favourite movies,writing blogs,reading books I’ve haven’t had the time to read…three weeks of absolute harmony.
“ You get the X-ray done first thing tomorrow, I’ll inform the office.”
“ Look,don’t tell I slipped in the bathroom.It sounds kinda weird,as if I was a kid.”
“Ok. I’ll tell you were playing football.”
“That’s my sis.Thank you so much.”
Since we work at the same place,n since she owns quite a muscle there, n since people know that I actually play football,she was right that she break the news. Women can be so logical at times!
The next day is a beautiful day.I wake up at 7:00!! I cant sleep no more.I’m restless.I try not to limp here n there,but just cant sit at one place.I cook my own breakfast n tea,read the news-papers,hear the analysts say the the stocks are gonna sky rocket soon(next twenty years), n hold my leg up high to the T.V.(I’m really broke investing… heart-broke,penny-broke n now I broke a bone too.)
I try so hard not to think about work that I end up calling and giving instructions to a few people.The days heating up n the pain of sitting alone at home is getting to me.Its like you want to do so many things at one go n you just don’t know where to start!! I finally end up starting at a place where I desperately don’t want to be… A Hospital close-by for a check-up.
I wait with baited breath for my report. Its a strange feeling… taste of ur own medicine! Minutes later,the writing is on the wall.The dreams have vanished.There’s no reason to limp n then the mind starts to hurt more than the knee. I return home heavy hearted but manage to laugh at my foolishness… if only I could’ve laughed out loud n clear when my brother got hurt!!
Still,I have a whole day to be enjoyed. I turn on the p.c. n listen to some music n read a few blogs n try to write one myself. Suddenly a five day-four night package tour pops up on the screen…
… Well,I need to try the shower again.
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