two guys catching some Z's while biking..

I was so fagged out that without even considering that I was on the back seat of a bike which was moving at an average speed of nearly 70 kmph for the past one hour, was easily wooed by the bliss of sleep. Moments later, that Bajaj Pulsar became part of a feat which was never even listed in the Guinness book when Ami, the exhausted rider too fell prey for the enticement of slumber. On the way to the hospital, I found myself busy soaking a 'red' hanky with the blood streaming from the injury a bit above forehead.. Concurrently, anxiety about a possible head injury troubled my mind and even Ami's. Ami later told me that the blood from my head perturbed him so much that he couldn't get enough time to be woeful about the tierce of the fourth finger of his right hand which got abraded off by the intense scraping on the National Highway..

The day before, was the College day '04. By evening, we guys assembled in college hostel room 217, which was the one shared by me and Madhu(Ami also, if considered in order of presence). During these special occasions, its common that everyone'll be more thirstier..Rather than blunt water, we preferred club soda because it complemented our bubbling spirits. Since the club soda is annoying to drink as such, we used to make better concoctions by mixing it with well-refined coloured inebriants. The room was filled by nearly ten of us, being sincere devotees of Bacchus, imbibed it with the help of snacks while the music made the aura. As usual, the relentless chat began covering topics varying from music to Sunny Leone to politics..

That night was a long one..After getting high on spirits, we left to college which is very near to hostel. It was the last month for our seniors while we had one more year..As people becomes more sensitive after getting drunk, we were doleful talking about all this with our senior friends. When the orchestra started with the songs, we moved over there..After a while, when they increased the pace of the music, we started with the moves..Our visions were a bit blurred, the mass dancing…and so do we..a violent spree inventing newer moves..with an uncanny rhythm..

Near 1 am, we were sitting at the steps in the front of the college. We all were damn exhausted. We earlier had planned to go to Trichur, a near 2 hour ride from the hostel to watch the awesome fireworks there..It happens every year in the month of May as a part of Trichur pooram and 'll start at 4 am for a duration of 2 hours..Ami was from Trichur and he was very particular about being present for it. Last year,me and Ami went by CBZ at 2am, reached Trichur by 4am, saw the mighty fireworks and returned by 8. After 2 days, we were having university exams. That was the reason why only 2 of us were there for the venture. Ami is a good rider, who can talk about the top speed and the smoothness at 100+ kmph about all the good bikes at our reach. Huh, it makes me remind the races we sometimes had on the highway after returning from restaurants at late night..

Well, we left after 1.30 am, 4 bikes and a kinetic Honda ( Nijil and Sarath were the guys trying the feat on Kinetic).they tried as much to keep the pace, which made them skid by getting out of the road when trying to overtake through left. That resulted in an injury at feet for Sarath which pissed him off, since he were to hobble much after parking the bikes. Nijil, had some skin peeled off from his wrist. He went to the hospital once we reached Trichur, was charged 400 bucks for some filthy red coloured antiseptic cream applied..

Once we reached there, we parked our bikes in Ami's friend's home and walked to the arena. It was damn crowded and consequently people were exuding helluva sweat. The smell thus formed was the one I hated the most about the event. Nothing can be done other than providing all with free deo or letting the job of breathing to be left to your mouth. We floundered through the crowd to a place which offered a better view. People had fags and contributed their part of smoke to the atmosphere before it got f**ked by the fierce fireworks.

After the fireworks got started off, the myriad of heads were held high for the next couple of hours..Sometimes, the overwhelming vexatious blasts prompts the eardrum to run out of your damn ear to some safer havens..However, its thunderous, spectacular and a feast to sore eyes..

After it was over, we were returning..By that time we were really enslaved by hunger and drowsiness. Ami and me hadn't had enough food other than snacks the previous evening to energise our sporting. He fired all the cylinders of the bike thinking of the comfort of the hostel bed at those wee hours. We overtook all the fellow companions and a lot of trucks which are damn frequent at night in highways. Minutes passed, the fuel burned and the destination became nearer, I was slowly captivated by the somnific enervation..I didn't even had the energy to dream.

Wat the f**k??? I was babbling as the consciousness came back when I found myself thrown away and hitting the hard road. A second..it made me realise that I was on the middle of the adjacent track of highway..two-three seconds later, I realised that there is no vehicle in my close proximity on that lane, which was a rare sight as it was a busy national highway. When I looked to the lane on which we were going, I found the bike stuck on the divider which was a foot high and some 3 feet wide..Ami getting up from somewhere, his hands bleeding and in a perplexed facial expression..Just then, one bike from our group came..By that time we both stood up, Junaid came and took as to the side of the road..I felt some blood on my face and found the source a bit above forehead. I had a look at the bike and it was in a damn bad position. It costed 9 grands to make it back to normal..

An auto just came to the scene, we both went by that to the nearby hospital. The other bike followed. Ami was not sure how many seconds he went out of consciousness..Well, the bike got hit on the divider may be at a lower speed than the usual 70's and 80's. We figured out the happenings and injuries, in the vehicle on the way to hospital. Ami had a part of his finger scraped off, some wounds on leg and hand..I found a wound at my head. We both feared a chance for head injury because my head had a hit on the hard road and blood was flowing unrelentingly. I pressed Ami's hanky on to the wound to reduce the flow. I also had a wound on the lower jaw and a couple of them on hand and leg.

Ami hadn't had any injury on head because the hit on the divider was only strong enough to break his helmet..No one can believe the head inside survived the hit if given a look at the helmet. I never used helmet and Ami used it once in a bluemoon. That was a situation which can make anyone believe even more in the Almighty. And it worked with Ami too..Well,during the days followed, I was thinking about the meaninglessness of worldly things and the difference a micro-second can make about your priorities and attitudes. It was the best way one can survive with minimal injuries an accident which had way higher potentials..thanks to Almighty..

At the hospital, we found the seraphic and complaisant presence of the doctors and the nurses soothing us and stitching the wounds at my head and jaw. They confirmed that there is nothing to worry..Our friends began to come..Madhu,the roommate came travelling some fourty kms. We were damn relaxed seeing them..The care shown by them althrough the week followed, made me and Ami quite satisfied about our group of friends..

That d-day, i just happened to talk to my friend J, who was a 2nd year medico studying in manipal. One of my friend's friend was her roommate. He used to message his friend through my mob to J's mob. Well, after somedays when they were not messaging, we started messaging..After the accident, calls became more frequent. I loved the care provided. She smothered me by her soothing voice.we scratched recharge coupons one after another. Empathy converted to a helluva time spent over the mob and it slowly resulted in a feeling which came as an sms one fine afternoon.."R v jus frnds??"

After three days, we had to inform Ami's cousin because he had a chest pain. He told Ami's mother that an accident happened when he went to drop me at the Railway station. His mother and cousin came down to Cochin on the fourth day and we were taken for a thorough checkup. Ami left to Trichur the same day. But, I was still enjoying the fruit juices and special care provided by my sidekicks. I told only my brother and cousin about the accident.My cousin just told my mother that there 'll be a surprise that week when I reach home.After a week,when I went back, my mother opened the door. When she saw me, I was damn sure she was not surprised. Because surprise is not a feeling which can fill the eyes with tears ..

EPILOGUE:
The college refers to Model Engineering College, Cochin.
Ami refers to Ameen Abdul Majeed.( he'll be always grateful to the mighty helmet which got smashed and broken, to protect his head)
The d-day was may 1, 2004.
J is busy with her current serious relation.
The bike is owned by Rohit Sathyanathan, and thanks to him.He maintained his composure even after seeing the bike in such a smashed positon.
The concoctions;well, they led to lotsa happenings..