A thrill ride

A thrill ride

It was just another ordinary day in my ordinary life. I was driving my car to my office, after dropping my kids at school. Everything is predictable in my life. My life is so well-planned that I can tell what I will be doing in the next ten years or twenty years or even thirty years from now. I like to wear the same kind of clothes and eat the same kind of food every day. Sometimes it becomes boring and monotonous. I was just thinking absently about what meetings I had that day. I had no idea my life was about to change forever.

I was waiting at a red signal in the morning rush hour, with impatient drivers honking their horns and two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws trying to navigate in between. Suddenly, something unexpected happened. A man opened the passenger door and sat in my car next to me. I was so shocked at first that I didn't move a muscle. My brain alerted me that there was a big danger and started pumping adrenaline. I glanced at him slowly, without turning my head. He was a man in mid-thirties and well dressed. He had a leather bag on his lap. He was slowly pulling out a shiny metal thing. Without even looking at it directly, I knew what it was. He poked the barrel of the pistol on my belly. The signal turned green and I started driving.

I was sweating profusely in spite of the A/C. My mind was racing to find what this man wanted from me. I am neither rich nor powerful in any way. Maybe it was a mistake. He mistook me for someone else. His calm manner made me shiver. He broke the stony silence with his cold voice. "Just do what I say and you will be fine." Then he asked me to drive to a popular bank in the heart of the city. As soon as we reached there, he directed me to park in the farthest corner in the underground parking.

Scary images started materializing in my mind. I saw images of my picture being shot and blood flowing from my head being flashed in newspapers and news channels. A tiny part of my mind which was still functioning rationally told me that this was not a regular robber who is after my wallet, cell phone or my car. He looked more methodical and I knew he meant serious business.

Then he informed me, menacingly, that there was a car parked in front of my house and a man armed with a gun was guarding my house. If I did something wrong, he will walk right into my house and shoot my wife. A chill went down my spine. I didn’t dare to breathe. My mind stopped thinking and this man had my full attention. I knew instinctively that he would do what he says. Now the question is, what does he want from me?

He opened his sleek laptop and punched a couple of keys. He then calmly explained his plan. I was astonished at how simple it was and yet how devastating at the same time. He gave me the numbers and the fake driving license. I hadn't spoken a word to this man. My throat was bone dry. He told me if the transfer is not over in an hour, my wife will be killed.

I composed myself and took a drink of water. I walked into the bank. I asked for the manager and told them my name- my fake name. Unfortunately, I had realized only a few minutes ago, that I had the exact resemblance of a rich industrialist. My mission here is to transfer 20 crore rupees from this look-alike person's account to an international account. Yes, that’s it. Just rob a rich man of 20 crore rupees and walk away just like that. This man had been watching me for some days and planned the robbery.

The bank manager came out of the room quickly and gave me a warm handshake. He was a respectable old man. He treated me like a very valuable customer. He ordered some cool drinks for me. He was a little surprised and disappointed at my request. I started sweating and was dabbing my face with my kerchief. I was so nervous that he is going to call the police anytime now. I remembered the man in my car say “if anything goes wrong, your wife will be dead.” The manager’s face didn’t show if he was suspicious. I was relieved when the cool drinks arrived and took a sip of it. He asked for a photo id, as a formality, and I produced the fake driving license. He punched in the account numbers into his computer. He said the transfer will be over within one hour. I thanked him and left hurriedly. I felt like a bank robber. My heart was pounding and I almost jumped at the sight of the guard in the entrance of the bank, with the huge gun.

I ran all the way to my car like a mad man. I looked back to see if I was being chased. But no one was there. I calmed down a bit. The man was still in the passenger seat, busy with his laptop. He told me in his ominous voice that 'everything' will be over soon. Even in my panic, my instinct kicked at the back of my brain, saying that he is going to kill me when the transfer was over. He was still pointing the gun menacingly at me, while he was checking his international account. I knew I had only a few minutes left to live. I heard a clock ticking away in my head. Is this how my life is going to end? I looked at the toys my children had strewn all over the backseat. I looked at my wife's picture I had glued to the back of the shade in my windshield. All my wonderful memories with my family flashed in my mind. I made a sudden resolution that I am not going to give my loved ones any sorrow.

In a fit of fury, I grabbed the stone Ganapathi statue on the dashboard and hit him hard in the center of his head. Blood started pouring down his face. I later happily told and retold the story to the police and my family, how I heroically grabbed the gun from his hand and made him call off the man in front of my house. The wire transfer was also successfully stopped.

My days are not ordinary anymore. I am happy and grateful to be alive. I realize that each day is a gift and I cherish my family more than ever.