Merci beaucoup!!

Sometimes somewhere in the journey called life we meet a person who helps us and leaves, never again to be seen or to be heard off. Most of you would agree with me on this and would have an instance or two to share with all. I too had such an experience not too long ago.

It was a cold winter evening in a small town in England. I was on a bus, on my way back from the office. It was a tiring day and the work was just grueling. I was still working on my laptop, just to finish as much work as possible before the next meeting. Lost in all my calculations and diagrams I suddenly realized that the bus had already stopped at my drop point. I hurriedly threw my laptop in my bag, pressed the stop request button. And just as I was about to get down the top deck of the bus I felt a push on my back and before I could realize what it was, I landed on the bottom beck, straight on my right leg. I could hear a click sound from my right knee. I felt the whole bus looking at me, my laptop still on my shoulder. I realized that I was mistakenly pushed by a gentleman from behind. I somehow limped on my left leg and got off the bus. I thought I have broken my leg and needed help. I stood at the bus stop, no living soul could be seen around. Suddenly my eyes tracked a guy about to cross the road. I shouted for help. Thankfully he heard my cry and approached for my desperate rescue. He too was from my company. I was relieved to find a connection in this land of strangers. The town streets would usually have an abandoned look after 6 pm. As I mentioned, it was a small town and not a cosmopolitan like London.

He helped me sit on a bench at the stop and tried examining my leg. He asked me to get up. While I tried like an obedient kid, I could feel a jolt of pain around my knees. It seemed as if my knee wasn't able to take my weight at all.. It was scary. We both were new to the place and had no idea about the hospital. He went to a liquor shop nearby and enquired about the hospital. He came back and asked me to take his support. We started walking down the road. I was in excruciating pain and my right leg was just useless for the moment. But I kept my courage and limped for a kilometer or so, but there was no sign of the hospital. It was already dark and freezing. I could feel the cold bite my bones. I proposed him to ask some one and call a cab so that I can at least get some quick medical attention. He showed me a bench about 100 meters away and told me to get there by the time he gets help. Those hundred meters are the most difficult steps that I remember taking in my life. Already exhausted by a kilometer of limp, another hundred meters seemed impossible. Thousands of thought started moving in my mind randomly, will I be able to make that distance, will I fall in between, shall I sit on the road itself are just few among the thousands. I prayed and told myself that there are times when one needs to be strong, one need to be positive and have faith in oneself. This was the time, I had to be strong, I need to be courageous and fight this odd too like all others. With my right leg completely in pain, I couldn’t dream putting it on the ground. My left leg had to do wonder today. I jumped a bit on my left leg and kept moving forward. In between I felt like giving up but something inside me just kept pushing me. After lot of effort and pain I landed on the bench. I thanked god, took off my bag and rested a little. I waited for my friend to come.

It was now more than half an hour since I was on that bench but my friend was no where to bee seen. I didn’t have my cell phone either so I couldn’t contact anyone. I was completely dependent on him. The time was passing, it was getting colder every minute and I was sitting on an iron bench, waiting for him to come. I was scared, what if he just got too tired and left me here and went. I didn’t know way back, had no means of communication, no one around and was very dark. Finding a help was not possible at all. I was frightened with the mere thought.

But as the hopes were fading, I saw an ambulance stop right in front of me and my friend came out of it. I was so happy, all this while he was trying to get help for me. The driver helped me inside the ambulance and we rushed to the hospital. The doctors took an X-Ray and prescribed few pain killers. They gave me a pair of crutches to walk with. My friend helped me with that and we walked back home. He also helped me buy dinner. It was now very late in the night and he was still helping me. He dropped me back home, gave me some water and even a spare sim card to make call incase of emergencies. I took his number and his name, so that I can send him a thank you note.

About 3 days after this incident I tried calling him but that number didn’t exist. I searched for his name along with the department and location in the internal office directory but no one existed by that name. I then decided to go to his house and personally thank him. I quickly took the street and reached the house that he showed me. But he wasn’t there either, in fact the lady at the house told me that it belonged to them and they didn’t rent it.

It’s been a long time now but I still didn’t hear from my friend again. He didn’t contact me either. Whosoever he was, I am very thankful to him and to the god. If he wouldn’t have been there for me, then I have no idea how ugly things would have been. This article is in memory of him, as a gesture to thank him from my heart, wherever he is now. God Bless Him.

- Sharat Nautiyal