The Walk

 I started my walk as usual but as soon as I got out of my gate, I started to feel a little weird. I didn’t have this type of feeling in my life. The feeling was of fear yet happiness, like a mixed juice. I have a daily route for my walk. I start my walking from my society gate towards Deepak Stores, where I meet my ‘not so serious about health’ friends who come to walk just to eat Deepak’s samosas. After greeting them I go to Rajmal Road. I like this road and walking on it. The road is never filled with honks of vehicles and gossips of humans. Four to five people you will see on the road hardly. I go there and listen to my favourite Kishore Kumar songs. Listening to these songs always makes me young and romantic. Sunita said yesterday, “These evening walks are making you my Sharukh Khan. Your romance is beating Bollywood, Dinesh”. After five rounds I had that feeling again. Just like when I got out of the gate. This feeling and why it is coming. I started to panic and when I looked up………

When I looked up the trees were upside down and all the buildings were bending. I cannot believe my eyes. What is this happing and who is doing it? I panicked more. My head started to roll and when I thought I was going to fall someone came from behind. That person held me and I wasn’t even sure if that person is he/she. I tried to look at that person and it was male. He was checking my pulses, so he must be a Doctor. In a second, I felt like normal. I stood up and said, “Thank you, mister. I feel good now. You continue your walk’.

“No worries, Mr. Dinesh.” He spoke.

I got a little bit confusing. I was seeing that person first time in my life and he knows my name. this has not happened to me before. I know the person if I have interacted with him at least once.

“Oh, you just haven’t recognized me. Hello, I am Dr. Awasthi. we live in the same society. You helped my wife for a personal loan.”

When Dr. Awasthi was speaking, I was not paying attention as some strange moments were happing behind them. It looked like a crow but it was big as a dog. I haven’t seen anything like that in my life. I was getting afraid.

“Mr. Dinesh Aggarwal, are you even listening, or you're bored already.” Dr. Awasthi said.

“Yes, Dr……”. I still didn’t get his name.

“Dr.Awasthi”. Doctor laughed after saying his name two more times.

“Sorry, it is not a good day for me. Strange things are happing to me.” I spoke with him after quite some time.

“What a similar day. Some strange things have also happened with me and you are the manager of D bank so things must be hectic for you every day.” Doctor said.

I was going to say not like this but any sane man will not believe what I have seen today.

“You can’t imagine every day what I have to go through. You said about helping someone.” I tried to ask him.

“Yes, you helped my wife to get a personal loan. Mrs. Suman Awasthi.” Doctor spoke.

“Yes, yes I remember. She wanted to start something with her friends and wanted a loan. Sunita my wife introduced her to me.” I didn’t know the details but tried to feel it. Every day I meet with hundreds of people how am I supposed to know every detail about them and right now I cannot even remember my neighbours. Such a strange day.

“She started a group of women who helps women to get out of domestic violence. She always wanted to do something for women empowerment.” Doctor seemed very proud about his wife’s work.

We started to walk and I liked the company of Doctor. I liked to go on a walk alone but today Doctor’s company felt me safe. No more strange thoughts as we are walking on Rajmal Road.

“So, any specific reason to come to walk every day,” Doctor asked me. I was surprised he knew I come every day to walk. I never noticed him.

“Specific reasons?” I was confused.

“Like health reasons or alone time or something personal.” Doctor elaborated his question to me. He seemed desperate for the answer.

“Yes, there are specific reasons. Some alone time and my therapist suggested it also.” I told Doctor.

After listening therapist, Doctor seemed more curious about my situation and I knew that moment we are going to have a long talk now.

“A therapist. Everything alright Mr. Dinesh?”. Doctor sounded concerned in his voice but more curious.

”Ohh yes, everything is alright now. Had a rough patch in marriage so did couple’s therapy. This therapy and this evening walk made me really a different person.” I was happy to tell Doctor that this is life-changing for me.

“Great to hear it. I like these walks very much as it gives me a time to reflect on myself and things that happened in my day.” Doctor told me his agenda in his walks.

“Then I will take your leave so you can reflect on your day now. It's 5:45 so I need to head back home or Sunita will blow my phone” After this, I was going to leave Doctor but it felt like he held my hand to stop me. When I saw, my hand no one was holding it. After this incident, I wanted to go home.

Doctor looked at me and said, “Today was a quiet day, nothing much happened in my day. It will be good if you give me company for some time. If you want to. I don’t have friends maybe I can try to be friends with you”

I was not going to stay but his last words made me stay. I am not this emotional person but I don’t know know what made me stay with him.

We started the walk as Doctor started to tell me his whole journey. What made him pursue a doctor's profession, his love story (ohh boy what a love story, one can write a movie on it), his struggle to get his first home, all the stories piled up. I thought it must be 7 and now I really need to go home. As I saw looked at my watch I panicked. The watch was showing 5:45. I took out my mobile in hurry to see the actual tie and it was still 5:45. I asked Doctor for the time in his watch also showed 5:45. “It’s impossible”. I said it very loudly.

“What is impossible Mr.Dinesh” Doctor asked me in his polite tone.

I mumble jumbled some words and finally said,” It’s the time Doctor. it hasn’t moved and t is till 5:45.”

“I must say you are having some strange thoughts and I will talk about it tomorrow.”

“Doctor, Doctor. Where are you? I started to search Rajmal Road but there was no Doctor.”

I feared and started to run to my apartments. Near my apartment, I saw a bunch of people staring at something on the ground. I approached the crowd to see and………..”

It is Dr. Awasthi in a pile of blood. The crowd was saying a big branch of tree fall into his head. Someone checked his pulse and he was dead.

I started to walk and wanted to go home as fast as can. As I got near the gate someone said,” Mr. Dinesh.”

I heard the voice of Dr. Awasthi. I looked back and he was standing there smiling at me.

He politely said,” Don’t be late for tomorrow.”

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