’10 years of life in jail!!!’ – Based on a real life incident

The phone kept on ringing. I had no problem attending to it, but my body was pleading to ignore it. Last night’s weed and licker has weakened it down. I opened my eyes to see the earth spinning infront of me and abandoned the idea of answering the call. Luckily the phone stopped ringing. Relaxed, I was about to get back to sleep when the phone started ringing again. Cursing the caller and all his relatives I took the phone.

“Hello?” I gave my most hatred hello ever.

“Hello, This is SI Jaganathan calling from Ernakulam Police station. Is this Vivek Menon Speaking?”

what!!! I looked at the phone screen. It didn’t show the number 100, instead it’s a ten digit mobile number. Must be a prank, I thought.

“Yeah, but who the hell is this?” I said with the support of weed in my head.

“Ninte Thantha, ( meaning your father). Didn’t you hear what I said!!! Ok I will give you a chance to know me better. Come to the station tomorrow morning at sharp 11 o clock.” The man on the other side barked at me. I was startled by his anger and voice which made me nearly drop my phone. The fear has returned me to conscience.

“I am sorry Sir. I was in the middle of sleep, Sir. But what have I done, Sir?” I get annoyed of too much ‘Sir’ coming from my mouth.

“Do you know one Salim Rahman?” The police officer asked.

“Salim Rahman?? Is he from Kozhikode Sir?” I hoped for a negative answer.

“Yes”

“Then may be I know him Sir. We went to the same school in kozhikode.” I said, thinking of why the hell he is asking about Salim.

“We have arrested your friend red handed with a possession of 5 kg of marijuana and during interrogation he said you have given him the stuff.”

“What the!!!!! sorry. Sir he is not my friend. We just went to the same school and I am not sure whether we are talking about the same person.”

“We will talk about it. Come to the station tomorrow at sharp 11 o clock. And don’t even think of leaving the place. It’s not that we can’t come to your hostel and arrest you. I just don’t want to create a scene there at the college. So be here tomorrow.” The police officer said and hanged the phone.

I stood holding the phone gazing at the blank wall, bewildered. Some minutes ago I was sleeping innocent with nothing to bother about. I was like a free bird, flying and floating in the air. But the then newly turned up incidents shook me out of the booze to spoil the money I spent on those weeds and drinks, realization of which made me more sobber.

I looked at Nikhil sleeping in the other bed. His lungi has almost left him and is about to touch the floor. I envied at him because he didn’t get a call from the police officer. May be becasue of the last night’s headiness, I started crying. I couldn’t stop myself and went on crying and crying like a school kid on his first day at school.

Hearing me howling, Nikhil woke up.

“Oh god, it’s the weed.” Nikhil said, annoyed. “Don’t worry chap, you are pretty safe here. Give it some time, it will go. Get some sleep and please don’t howl like a dog.” He said and turned to other side of bed.

“I got a call from SI of Ernakulam police station” I said, mourning.

“It’s ok. It’s just an SI huh, I got call from Bob Marley when i smoked pot for the first time. Just go to sleep.”

OK that’s it. I gave him a kick on the back and flew him off the bed to the pile of unwashed clothes at the corner of our room.

“Oh god, what is your problem?” Nikhil grumbled, grabbing his lungi from under the bed.

“I am serious, I got a call from police station.” I showed him the phone. He looked at it for a while, and still sceptic.

“It must be a prank. Why would you get a call from police station! You don’t even ride a bike.” Nikhil said.

“He said they arrested my friend Salim, red handed with 5 kg of marijuana.”

“What!!!! Marijuana?? Your friend?? You have these kinds of friends selling Marijuana?? And why the hell do they call you when someone else is caught” Nikhil said bewildered.

“Salim said I was his partner in this deed and I gave him the stuff” My sound faltered while saying it and my stomach took a somersault inside when i finished saying it.

“Sorry??? What did you just say?” Nikhil said still looking at me in hope that he has misheard it. I remained silent. Not wanting to say it again.

“What the _____!!” Nikhil sat on the bed.

“What will I do?” I asked, still standing infront of him. He didn’t say anything. Instead he took a cigarette, lighted it up and took a long deep puff. Blewing it away, he asked ” Is this the same Salim who was your best friend at school?”

“Hmm yeah, we have been thick friends from LKG to Plus two.” I said.

“Until you cheated him nabbing away his girl friend” Nikhil interrupted. He knew that story. I have told him about it before.

I lost Salim when he came to knew about what i did to him. He was pretty serious about Karthika, his girlfriend, who never loved him back. For Karthika, Salim was just one among her number of boy friends including me. The day he realized the real Karthika, he was deeply hurt. It was during our study leaves for plus two public exam. When he found out that I too was involved with her, he was completely broke. After that he didn’t talk to me. I was down feeling guilty for what i did. I never knew that he was unaware of Karthika’s number of relations and stories. I thought they were just goofing around.

Later on, Salim lost himself in distress and screwed up the public exam. I tried to contact him over the phone many times. I dared not to go and see him for I was feared that he would kill me. It was heard that things are not so good at his home. There were frequent arguments between him and his parents over his poor marks in exam.

Eventually I moved from my town to join the college in Ernakulam and never heard anything about Salim until this phone call.

“So this may be his way of revenge. He still is not done with you.” Nikhil said.

“Hmm, yeah I think so. That ba**ard…. It has been long 4 years and he has not got over it? I was just a kid that time, why didn’t he think like that?” I said, annoyed.

“That man must be out of his mind. He may not even know how sensitive these drug cases are! We won’t even get a bail.” Nikhil said.

“But there are no evidences against me. On what ground can they keep me in custody?” I said consoling myself.

“They don’t need any evidences to arrest you. That’s the problem with this Narcotic drugs case. I have read it somewhere that if a close friend or room mate is caught with it, the others might also be held liable unless they can prove that they had no knowledge of it.” Nikhil said.

“Crap!!! What would I do? Shall we bribe the police officer? May be that would solve this.”

“Yeah. But we should know whether he is that kind of Police officer. If not, things will even get worse and you will get an additional case filed upon you for trying to bribe a government employee.”

I couldn’t even imagine myself held in police lock up, wearing only boxer, along with other criminals. I have seen these kind of situations in movies but never expected it to happen in my life. Even if i get approved as innocent, in the mean time the media would feast upon on my meat. I always dreamed of seeing my photos and articles about me getting published in newspapers and magazine, but never in this way. May be God has misheard my prayer. I should have made it clear enough while I prayed. I was lost in these kinds of stupid thoughts when I heard

“Oh man, we are screwed” Nikhil said, his hand over his head.

“What!! what!!?” I asked in anguish.

“We just smoked weed yesterday night. Oh god!!” Nikhil yelled.

“Yeeeaaah…so what?” I asked doubtfully thinking whether he is thinking about the same thing i was thinking. The Drug Detection Test.

“Yeah. That’s it. We are going to be screwed.” Nikhil said, reading it from my face.

“That will be a huge evidence against me. They won’t believe whatever I say if they figured it out that I took marijuana lately, oh God. We smoked ourself into trap at the right time. That’s it. I am done. My life is over, my life is over, my life is over.” My eyes welled up as i whispered. I ran to bathroom for cover. Nikhil stood there wondering at my dramatic behaviour. Well it’s my life which is in chaose not his, am the one who’s going to be in jail for no reason. I can be worser than this.

Later when I got out of bathroom with puffy eyes, I saw all of my friends in college gathered in my room. They all looked at me with pity as though I am spotted with brain tumour. I glared at Nikhil as he talked with other friends about my misery.

“Thanks for coming to my sent off party. Next time come to sub jail if you want to meet me.” I said putting a smile on my face.

“You don’t have to worry mate. We all are with you. We won’t stay mouth zipped if something happens to you.” The college chairman Arun said.

It would have been much relieving if someone else has said that, instead of Arun. He has become good in giving promises since the start of chairman election campaign. I didn’t say anything back because at some moment even I thought he could be helpful, even though every other person in the room thought otherwise.

“I could organize strike and rally if there were no strong evidence against us. But this drug detection test!!! That’s the problem.” Arun said even though no one in the room paid any attention, except his party secretary Vipin.

“There is a minor chance to break the test.” Vipin said.

“What?” I asked, lights of hope twinkling in my eyes.

“These marijuana content gets settled in our body fat normally. So if you could do some brisk exercises and burn some fat, may be there is a slight chance of failing the test.” Vipin said.

“But there is no time for it. I have to surrender at the police station tomorrow morning at 11 o clock.” I said, feeling surprised at the word ‘surrender’ which just came out of my mouth. I have convinced myself that am a culprit.

“I think that would be a good shot Vivek. You do one thing, use the rest of the time we got, working out as much as you can. In the meantime we fill find some solutions and precautionary to take before you walk into police station tomorrow. And also eat less today, try to burn maximum fat.” Nikhil said.

I nodded, though exercise is the first thing i hate the most, it’s my only chance to get rid of this. I decided to do work out, to strain every muscle in my body such that i won’t have to strain myself in jail in future. Putting on the tracks suit and Jogging shoes, with the song

“Baar baar haan, bolo yaar haan

Apni jeet ho, unki haar haan.”

from the movie Lagaan, playing in my head. I left to the college gym, with the air of a warrior leaving his home to fight for his country.

Later that day, I returned to hostel when the sun set, exhausted from continuous 5 hours of working out at college gym, running 10 laps around entire college compound which made me vomit my intestine out, that too twice. I could feel rats running inside my empty stomach because I treated myself with a small sandwich and a diet coke for lunch.

As I walked through the hostel corridor I could sense the compassionate gazes falling on me. I briskly walked to my room and shut the door.

“You are drenched in sweat!! Good work man. You have done your part. God won’t be that cruel to put you in jail for 10 years.” Nikhil said

“10 years???” I screeched. I was going to collapse when Nikhil jumped forward to hold me.

“10 years!!! How can you say it so easily!!” I yelled at Nikhil

“It’s the lawyer who said it, not me. My father’s colleague.I contacted him to ask about the legal aspects related to our problem. He said the possession of 5 kg of marijuana is a serious offence and the person may get punished for a maximum of 10 years with fine if proved guilty. What he said is never admit that you are involved in this. Just tell them the truth. They will try in many ways to trap you.” Nikhil said.

“Didn’t you ask him for any way to avoid the the drug detection test?” I asked eagerly

“Hmmm… I wanted to. But you know I can’t. He is my father’s close friend. If I told him that we smoked weed, he would definitely tell it to my father. I don’t want that to happen.” Nikhil said.

“Go to hell you moron !! It is 10 years of my life and you are trading it for your pride??” I barked at him. I wanted to tell him that if i get caught, i will surely betray everyone who had even tasted a slight speck of marijuana including him. But I know that’s so cheap and silly.And I clearly know that i won’t do it. After all Salim has mentioned only one name, MY NAME.

After bath I went to bed, skipping the dinner to avoid extra calorie. It is hard to sleep with empty stomache. Moreover, the word ’10 years with fine’ echoed inside my head whenever i tried to get some sleep. Now am 21, I will be 31 when i come out of the jail. The best 10 years of my life is going to be spent in jail. I imagined the situation at home, the faces of mom, dad, brothers and sister once they come to know everything. I would be dismissed from college, i am just one more semester away from completing the full course. I wondered whether I could resume the studies after 10 years or do I have to start from the beginning again?? Moreover what about the job i have got in campus recruitment?? They won’t take me without a complete degree certificate. What a prick I am!! Which company wants to hire a marijuana seller after all. Perhaps Davood Ibrahim may hire me. In the middle of these thoughts unknowingly I fall asleep.

******

Next day, I and Nikhil went to Ernakulam police station. As I expected there were no sign of College chairman Arun in the morning. He must be busy giving promises to other people. Instead of an ocean of students, who all backed me back at the hostel and vowed to stand by my side even if an earthquake come, there was Nikhil who can not be even counted as a drop from ocean. He carried a file along with him. His lawyer friend has told him to take along my original ID proof, college ID and some other important documents which shows my clean background. If Nikhil were not there for me, I would surely end up in big trouble. My heart overflowed with gratitude for him.

We reached the police station sharp at 11 o clock. Telling me to wait at the entrance door near the guard, Nikhil went inside to meet the SI before me. I thought that would be a good idea if someone talked to SI on my behalf before he meet me. Perhaps he will understand my situation. Still, I can’t console myself. My heart started beating so fast that i felt like i am going to fall down. I found a bench near to sit down. My hands and legs were trembling like a parkinson’s disease effected patient. The guard glared at me seeing my behaviour. I looked at him, I wanted to give him a smile. Battling with intense fear, finally I managed to give him a smile which was more like a smirk. He turned his face away and stood grim faced. If a guard has this much hatred towards people coming here then what would that be with an SI!! I thought.

I sighed and looked at the watch. It’s 11:03!!! Only three minutes had gone since I came here and it felt like 3 hours. I took my phone to call home, may be I won’t be able to talk freely to mom and dad again until my sentence period get over. But I was worried that I would break down while talking to them and they would know everything from my mouth. So I dropped that plan.

It is 11:05, I couldn’t sit there anymore. I felt so restless that I stood up and walked in the verandah, up and down. The guard gave me a serious look and continued standing still like a statue. I found it difficult to breath, so I took some deep breath and exhaled to relax myself. After some time a police jeep came to the compound. From the back seat of the jeep, a man wearing handcuff got down followed by two policemen. He wore only Lungi which is torn at the bottom. The man was very young. He might be of the same age of mine, i thought. His bare upper body was wounded at two or three regions and it was bleeding slighly. I looked at his face when he passed me. But he turned his face away and walked into the station.

It is 11:10 and there was no sign of Nikhil. Is everything ok? Has something happened to him? I thought. Are they interrogating him to collect evidences against me? Or is he also trapped? Will both of us get locked up? I froze at the thought of lock up in the police station. I should have come alone, i thought. I am so selfish to drag Nikhil to this. It is all my fault.

“Vivek?” I turned back to see Nikhil. He was staring at me blankly. There was compassion in his eyes. He hold my hand and tried to say something and stopped.

“What?” I asked swallowing the lump formed inside my throat. Nikhil had this same expression when I failed in one paper back in first year in college. He was the first to tell me that.

I looked at him, impatiently. But he seemed like taking some decisions in his mind. After a while he bent forward to say something.

“Run” Nikhil whispered in my ear and started walking out slowly.

“What? Are you mad?” I asked. But he didn’t seem to be hearing me. Gradually his walking turned to brisk steps and later he was running without turning back. I stood there bewildered looking at him for a second and in the next second I was running like someone who is being chased by a mad dog. I ran passing the gate of police station. I expected sounds of whistles and boots chasing me. At one point I even expected the sound of gun fire. I couldn’t see Nikhil anywhere in the road. But I didn’t stop, I ran and ran until my empty stomach ached and my lungs couldn’t take anymore air. I sat down at the road side gasping like a dog. The two days of stress has weaken me down like a pencil graphite stick. I could feel the pulse of blood rushing through vein on my head. I was about to collapse on the road when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“What is happening? Are we stuck? Is he going to lock me up?” I asked Nikhil who was gasping just like me. His face was red and grim. After gasping for a while, a small smile appeared on his face. Confused, I looked at him who was giggling by then. The giggle turned to laugh and he laughed loudly in the public.

“Why are you laughing?” I asked Nikhil who was still roaring with laughter. Seeing my anger he covered his face with the file and giggled. I grabbed the file from him and went through the papers. There were no ID proof of mine or no documents related to me in it. Instead there were his birth certificate, ration card, his house electricity bill and his mom’s and dad’s passport.

Seeing the passport reminded me of Nikhil once asking me about how to renew his expired passport. Doubtful, I looked at him.

“No..no..don’t be doubtful. What you are thinking is right. It was my passport verification process.” Nikhil said smirking at me.

Now it is my face which became red. I stood up, my fingers folded and tight. Blood rushed through my body when I confronted Nikhil. He stopped laughing suddenly, took back a few steps and swoosh. There he was, running again. But this time, it was for his life. I ran after him yelling out at every obscene words I knew.

Anyways I had made up my mind to spend rest of my life in jail. So now lets make that real….. But with a difference, by killing Nikhil!!!!!!

__END__