“It’s
Diwali time, it’s Diwali time.” Sanjeev squealed, as he bounced around his room
from corner to corner. His little white teeth were displayed in a permanent
grin. His cheeks were flushed red.
“It’s
Diwali time.” He raced into his parent’s room. Papa sat on the bed, glancing up
briefly, before going back to his newspaper. Mumma sat next to the dresser, combing
her hair. She turned to her seven-year-old son and smiled.
The
festival of Diwali always got him excited. The entire city lit up with an amazing
diversity of diyas and lights, of all sizes, shapes and colors. The fridge in
every home was stocked with fancy sweets and mithai.
Sanjeev
loved the lights and the mithai, but neither were his favorite part of the
great Indian festival.
“Diwali
is tomorrow.” Papa interjected, folding his newspaper.
“I
know that, Papa.” Sanjeev replied, still skipping around. “But, today we go to buy
the firecrackers.”
He
beamed at his mother. Her eyes met his in a knowing gaze.
“When
are we leaving? When are we leaving?” Sanjeev demanded.
“In
ten minutes.” Mumma told him.
“Yayyy,”
Sanjeev roared his approval. “How are we going? Are we taking the bus?”
“Yes.”
“Yayyy…is
it going to be the big red double-decker bus, Mumma? “
“Yes,
beta, we’ll take the double decker.”
“I
love that bus. Can we sit on the top level, Mumma?”
“Yes,
beta, we can sit wherever you want.”
Sanjeev
went to his room and brought out his red toy bus. It was a tiny replica of the
double-decker buses that adorned the streets of Mumbai.
He
came back into his parent’s room, singing, “Wheels on the bus go round and
round; wheels on the bus go round and round…”
Mumma
grinned at him. Sanjeev rolled his toy bus on the floor.
“You
know which crackers I’m getting this time? I’ll get the Ashoka Zamin Chakras,
you know the ones that go on for extra-long, and give colored sparks.”
Mumma
put her comb down and started putting on makeup. “Okay, now let Mumma get ready.
You also go put on your shoes.”
“I
love those ones, Mumma. Also, this time I’ll get the Peacock rockets, you know
the big ones that go really high and burst into a rainbow. Those are soooo
awesome. Can I get those rockets, Ma? The big ones this time?”
“First,
go put on your shoes.”
“You
know Rahul was telling me about this new cracker called Phoenix Comets. He said
they are like square blocks that jump up in the air, spin round and round and
give amazing sparks. And you know, after they stop, you think they are done, and
then suddenly they start spinning again.”
“Can
I get those ones also, ma?” The sparks in Sanjeev’s eyes also appeared to be spinning
round and round.
“Yes,
beta,” Mumma smiled. “We’ll get the cool
new crackers also. Now, will you put on your shoes quickly?”
Sanjeev
dashed off to his room, and returned within the blink of an eye, with his shoes
on. He entered the room mid-sentence. “…go round and round. Wheels on the bus
go round and round…”
Mumma
started walking towards the door, with Sanjeev trailing at her heels. “We’ll be
back by lunch time.” She called out to her husband, as she stepped out of the
house.
“Wheels
on the bus go round and round.” Sanjeev continued to sing. “It’s Diwali time,
its Diwali time.”
Mumma
took his hand as they walked down the slope leading to the street. Their place was
part of a cozy residential society, located in the heart of South ‘Bombay’ or
‘SoBo’ as the kids had started calling it. There had been some unseasonal rain
last night, and the ground was still wet. Small puddles formed in the
ever-present potholes that littered their streets.
The
bus stop was right at the bottom of the slope. As they came nearer to the stop,
she saw the red frame of Bus No. 132 already stationed there.
“Let’s
move quickly, the bus is here.” Mumma said, and increased their pace of
walking. The next bus would be half an hour later.
They
just reached the bus stop when the bus engine revved into life. The big wheels
started to roll forward.
“Hold
on a minute.” Mumma shouted. But, those double-deckers only had an entrance at
the back, and the driver probably didn’t hear her.
Mumma
put Sanjeev ahead of her and lifted him onto the bus.
“Hold
onto something, beta.” She yelled.
Sanjeev
went silent with this sudden surge of activity. He followed his mother’s instructions
and grabbed a hand-rail near the entrance.
The
bus picked up some speed. The fumes of its diesel engine made their way to
Sanjeev’s nostrils, mixing with the smell of recent rainfall. He winced, and
looked to his mother.
Mumma
grabbed a handle on the entrance with one hand and ran with quick strides,
alongside the bus. She lifted her right foot and put it on the platform, inside
the bus entrance. Her other leg was still outside, on the ground.
Sanjeev
looked into his mother’s eyes and registered a look of panic.
Mumma’s
tried to swing her left leg into the bus. But, the bus jerked ahead, and she
couldn’t hold her footing.
“Shit,”
Mumma shouted. The bus began to gain more speed.
Mumma
skidded her left foot against the ground, still holding onto the hand-rail. Her
right foot wobbled on the platform.
Sanjeev
stared at his mother, with a knot building inside his stomach. He moved his
hand towards Mumma.
The
bus shot ahead again. Mumma’s right leg, which was inside the bus, was thrown off
balance. Her hand left the handle, flailing in the air.
Sanjeev’s
heart nearly stopped beating. He saw his mother’s fear-stricken eyes right in
front of him. His arm remained outstretched, but it was too far from her.
“Aaaararghh.”
Mumma screamed. In a flash, she was airborne. Her body hurled forward and
landed with a thud face-first, a foot ahead of the rear entrance of the bus.
Her arms and legs spread out in every direction.
The
rear wheel of the bus went round and round over Mumma’s leg, pressing it
against the ground.
“Yaaaarrrghhhh,”
Mumma screeched louder than Sanjeev had ever heard anyone scream in his life. All
the color drained from his face.
The
bus jolted to a stop. Sanjeev was thrown forward, along with many other passengers.
He fell to the floor, but immediately picked himself up, and jumped out of the
bus.
A
crowd had gathered around the fallen body of Mumma. Sanjeev ran to her side.
The bus driver also made his way there.
Mumma
lay on her back, her eyes half-closed, wailing loudly. Her left arm reached for
the wounded leg.
Sanjeev’s
face remained white as snow. He head was spinning, his vision blurring.
The
crowd began to yell things.
“What
should we do?”
“Call
the police.”
“Let’s
take her to a hospital first.”
“Did
you see what happened?”
“It’s
her leg. The bus ran over it.”
“Wasn’t
there a kid with her?”
A
young woman bent down and massaged Mumma’s leg. “Does it hurt?”
“Where
do you live, madam?” Somebody shouted.
“Which
hospital should we take her to?”
“Where’s
the boy who was with her?”
Mumma
opened one eye, and pointed towards Sanjeev, who stood like a statue. Strong
arms grabbed his shoulders.
“What’s
your name, beta?”
“Are
you her son?”
“Where
do you live?”
Sanjeev
opened his mouth to say something, but no words seemed to come out.
The
arms that held him shook him gently. Sanjeev blinked and saw a pair of soft
eyes looking at him. The Good Samaritan was a middle-aged man, who pulled
Sanjeev aside, and patted him on the head. “Don’t worry, beta. It’ll be alright.”
“She’s
my Mumma.” Sanjeev blurted. “She’s my Mumma.”
“Ok,
good.” The man nodded. “Can you tell me where you’ll live?”
“Shyam….Shyam…Shyam
Niwas.” Sanjeev gestured up the slope.
“Good.
What’s your name, beta?”
“Sanjeev.”
The
man looked up the slope. “Wait here a minute, Sanjeev. I’ll be right back. Stay
here.”
He
spoke to a few of the others who were gathered on the scene. Within moments, he
returned to Sanjeev. “Is there anybody at home right now?”
Sanjeev
nodded. “Papa is there.”
“Ok,
good. Now, let’s go to your house and get your Papa. Can we do that, Sanjeev?”
Sanjeev
stared at his Mumma. An ambulance with its flashing lights had appeared and was
parked nearby. She was being lifted onto a stretcher.
“Mumma,”
Sanjeev yelled. “Mumma.”
But
Mumma didn’t hear him. Her eyes were closed. Soft moans continued to come out
of her mouth.
“Don’t
worry, beta.” The Good Samaritan told
him. “They’re taking her to Breach Candy Hospital. She’ll be properly taken
care of. “
Sanjeev
stood there, breathing heavily. He began to feel dizzy.
Strong
arms gripped him again. “Sanjeev, you must take me to your Papa and tell him
what happened.”
Sanjeev
nodded and started walking up the slope, along with the Good Samaritan.
He
raced into his house. “Papa, papa, where are you?”
The
Good Samaritan waited near the door, while Sanjeev found his father. Sanjeev
jumped to his Papa and hugged him.
Papa
looked alarmed. “What happened?”
Sanjeev
looked down at the floor, trembling. “Mumma…Mumma…”
Papa
put an arm on his son’s shoulder. “Where is Mumma?”
Sanjeev’s
eyes had a glazed look. “The bus…we were running for the bus….and…we were
late…and…”
Sanjeev
felt his body shaking.
“Don’t
worry, Sanjeev.” Papa said, but his eyes grew wider and wider. “Just tell me
what happened.”
“I
got into the bus, but Mumma couldn’t….” Sanjeev babbled on. “Mumma was running
and running…and trying to get on the bus…but she fell down…and then…and
then…the bus drove on her leg.”
Papa
took a deep breath and exhaled. “Where is she now?”
“They
took her to the hospital…the man with me knows…”
Papa
let go of Sanjeev and went to meet the Good Samaritan, who succinctly explained
what he knew and informed him that his wife was at Breach Candy Hospital.
Papa
took it all in, and his face appeared calm. “It’s lucky that Breach Candy Hospital
is right across the street at least.” While he was talking, he was buttoning
his shirt, and putting on his shoes.
“Sanjeev,
I’m going to the hospital where Mumma is, you stay at home till I…”
“No.”
Sanjeev cut him off. “No, I’m coming with you.”
“Sanjeev,
you don’t need to…”
“I’m
coming.” Sanjeev had a defiant look in his eyes.
Papa
shrugged. “Let’s go then.”
Breach
Candy Hospital was full of hustle and bustle. Doctors in white suits walked
with clipboards in their hands, and black stethoscopes around their necks.
Nurses in blue scrubs, went from room to room, doing their rounds.
Papa
insisted that Sanjeev remained in the waiting area while he went to find out
what was happening. Sanjeev sat on a wooden bench, observing the constant movement
around him. Families gathered in and around every room, with grave faces. A
pungent, medicinal odor filled the air, and was making him nauseas. He hated
the smell of hospitals.
Sanjeev’s
mind conjured up images of the big red bus, and of his Mumma falling under it. He
could still hear her screams inside his head. He rocked his body back and
forth, without realizing it.
After
what seemed like an eternity, but was really only twenty minutes, Papa emerged
back outside. Sanjeev stopped rocking, and sat bolt upright in his seat.
Papa
slowly walked over to him. “Mumma’s going to be fine. Her leg is fractured, but
the doctors say it will heal soon.”
Sanjeev
nodded, holding his breath.
Papa
put his arm around him. “Everything is going to be alright, beta.”
Sanjeev
nodded again. The screams still rang out in his head.
“Mumma’s
sleeping now.” Papa said. “You go on home and have dinner. I’ll come and get
you in some time.”
Sanjeev
looked at his Papa, whose serene look comforted him.
“I’ll
see you soon, beta. We can talk to Mumma
tomorrow, after she wakes up.”
Sanjeev
gradually rose to his feet. He walked out of the hospital, and onto the street.
He felt a cold numbness had gripped his body. He entered his room, feeling
light-headed.
The
red toy bus lying on the floor caught his eye.
‘Wheels
on the bus go round and round…’ He heard the tune in his head.
Sanjeev
picked up the toy bus, and stared at it. He took it to the kitchen, opened the
garbage can, and threw it inside. He slammed the lid shut.
‘Wheels
on the bus go round and round…’
