Déjà rêvé

(HARDIK SHRIVASTAVA)

Lying on my bed, under the blanket, fan was running at its usual speed as its blades were visible, AC was on 23 while my head was resting on two pillows sandwiched, as i like to sleep with raised head. Eyes were closed but mind has woken up when i could hear the door knocked..Once…twice…thrice.

I decided to be there for a while but when it was irresistible, i had to open the door and it was her, my maid. She looked as if she owned me, but i couldn’t as my one eye was still closed and second could barely notice her. Her usual question followed, ‘what will you eat bhayya? ‘cook some drumsticks and rice for the lunch and some oats with boiled egg for the breakfast.

I came and sat in my chair thinking to scroll my phone for a while and then go to take bath to be ready for the office. Meanwhile i got a call from a friend, which he hardly does as far as i can recall and i was shunned but took it and had few chats, some old and some new, like we do when we had to talk with such friends after a long while. I hung up by saying; need to leave for office, which she also agreed on as she was to leave for office too.

I went to take bath, came back and had my breakfast, got ready, worshiped god and left. Weather was cool drizzling and cloudy so i decided to take car instead of bike for the office, saving myself from the unexpected rain.

While driving, i stopped at the first signal and saw a boy, with bare feet running from vehicles to vehicles to sell the umbrella, colourful ones but perhaps people were not interested. I was watching his actions until he knocked my window. I lowered the window pane of my car and purchased one, though i never needed it and asked him to go to the other side of the road where he might sell more as there were more pedestrians who might need umbrella to save them from rain.

He was happy from my idea and started running across the road, traffic police was absent as usual and in the excitement and with the bundle of big umbrellas, he couldn’t see the vehicles on that lane coming in speed, however i could see those vehicles clearly but before i could have shouted, one speeding car rammed him.

There was loud knock on the door, trembled the walls and the bed i was sleeping on, i woke up with both pupils wide open, seating forehead, shivering hands, mind in a different world, when the door was knocked once more, ‘bhayya, are you there inside, please open the door? My maid shouted.

I hurriedly wiped my forehead from the blanket and removed it, went to the door and opened. She was staring me as if she owned me while i could only say sorry for being late on the door. She asked me, ‘what will you eat bhayya?’ i replied, ‘cook some drumsticks and rice for the lunch and some oats with boiled egg for the breakfast. i scrolled my phone, talked to an old friend who called me after a long while, hurriedly took bath, had breakfast and left for the office. Weather was cloudy so took the car, until i stopped in the first signal.

Nothing unusual until then, when i saw a bare feet boy with the umbrella running across and the whole scene frightened me like a reel of similar events happened before, AC was one, weather was cool but i was sweating. Wait, am i experiencing the Déjà rêvé. I was puzzled, i was in shock. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. All events flashbacked until i realized, the same car on the other side of the opposite lane. I had very less time as until then the boy was already on my door and he was ready to run towards the pedestrians. I hurriedly opened my door and started running towards him, name was now known but tried to call him back while that car speeded up and was coming towards him, just before the car could ram him, i could hear the loud knocking of door again.