Decades: Chunks of Time

As I reply the last person to leave me in the office and wave goodbye I glance at the windows. It'd gotten dark and I knew it must be the clouds I'd seen earlier. The next time I look at the clock on my pc screen its a few minutes past six. I'd just read my pal kafo's latest blog post and I smiled sadly because I understood her pain. I was right where she was at the moment. Then I heard the heavy downpour outside. There was no way I was leaving the premises in the rain. While I waited for it to subside I took my time to think up an apt comment and wrote it. At the dot of seven I was outside the office gates with a shower cap on my hair. I waste ten more minutes in the light showers before heading to New Garage where I find an almost filled bus heading in my direction. After me there were only three passengers left. I removed my shower cap and stared out into the rain. It was getting worse by the minute. I waited expectantly for what I knew would come next: dripping.

I don't think I can forget Tuesday the 7th of October 2008 for a long long time. I can still see the scene vividly. I came down a pedestrian bridge that morning, and continued walking in a hurry as I was late for an appointment, when something terrible happened. An okada tried to cross to the sidelane (on a four lane road), when it suddenly overturned, at full speed. The passenger got dragged a few feet before being separated from the bike. The okada rider (as we call them), had jumped and landed a few feet away. I stood frozen in place, praying that the passenger had not died, he sat up slowly, and glanced at his laptop bag a few feet away from where he'd skidded to a halt. That was when I noticed his leg. His left leg had broken....at the shins. That is after the knee...it had broken forward at an unearthly angle...and he sat there watching it. People ran towards him...there was a wail of agony at the incident. I still shudder when I picture it. He was just staring at the leg