The Dark Knights

It was a  normal days end. I was about to finish my dinner while watching Julun Yetil Reshamgatti. It was around 845pm when Vinay called up. We had a normal talk in the morning, so I assumed it might be for some usual buddy chats. I disconnected the call and was messaging him will call later. But before I could complete my message, he called on my brothers phone and asked him to transfer as it was urgent. I immediately took the call and the first voice was shocking. Vinay was sounding broken like he may have cried sometime ago. In that panic striken voice he was saying, "Yaar siddhesh sagla sampla, majha purse marli koni tari. Me palm beach la fasloy. Tyat sagla debit credit cards, IDs, official docs, cash hota. Motha problem jhala aahey."

I never saw him like that as my image of vinay was always strong tuff guy. Hearing him so vulnerable made me speechless.  I summed up courage and told him, "Radu nakos, me yetoy tikdey."

Dressed up in casuals I left immediately. As I reached in the building compound, I again called him and told to stay calm and first block all your cards. I knew alone for me it will be difficult in the darkness, so the first name popped in my head was Rohan. His work location is in vashi and he might have reached home by 8 for the day. So I decided to ask him to join me. Our 1st call could not be completed coz of 7 days Gauri Ganpati visarjan, there was lot of noise in his locality. I sent him an sms that call back its emergency. He came in a silent zone and called me. I told him the situation and I said I need your help. He responded immediately. 

I went towards bhandup station and took a ticket for Vashi via Thane, return. In the train, I messaged baba everything and told not to worry and dont keep calling as my battery is low. I got down at Mulund and thought to meet Rohan there itself so that I can explain him in detail and we can start figuring out some ways to reach there. I was searching for a PCO outside Mulund station near the exit towards MCC as I was at the risk of losing my battery power, and damn I couldn't locate one. So finally I called Rohan through my phone to ask his location.

Now the adventure begins. Rohan assumed it was Palm Beach Road in Mumbai and so he took a bus towards Bhandup. I was wondering now what to do. I told him I am at Mulund waiting for you. So he disconnected the call. In some time he messaged there are no autos as roads are blocked coz of visarjan. So in the mean time a thought struck my head, why not try calling Pravin, just incase. I know his office hours begin at 7pm and phone is not allowed. Still with a fools hope I tried calling. Well, as expected, he didn't picked up. So I dropped a message that we gotta petty situation will you be able to help us in that.

By that time, Rohan messaged that he boarded an auto and is coming to Mulund station. That was a huge relief. So I called vinay again to ask his position. He was still there, I told him I am coming with Rohan but it will take sometime. He asked me to tell Rohan to get a torch. I said he has already left his place. He said fine and disconnected the call. Again Rohan called and said board the Titwala train which has just arrived, we'll meet in Thane.

When we reached Thane, he messaged walk towards Platform No 10 as we both were poles apart. Finally we met at Thane-Vashi platform. Our badluck was that the 934 local just left few minutes ago and next train was 30minutes later. We told vinay our situation. Also there was no response from Pravin yet, so we assumed he wont be able to join.

The fun part in this was Rohan was getting calls from his home regularly as they thought he is going for some party. Once he got so irritated that he gave his phone to me and said you only tell where we are going. I was like, 'Me kay bolnaar'. Then as the train reached midway I told rohan to sent the same sms which I had sent to my home telling them about the situation. And I told him to send it through my phone, so they'll have my contact incase your phone is off.

Well, that did work and after that, only once Rohan got a call from his house. The main intention of calling Rohan was that my phones battery was in its final stage. But when he came, even his phone was beeping constantly,  connect your charger. We were up for on helluva night ahead.

When Rohans message was sent Pravin called up. I explained him the situation in detail. He said, I'll see what I can do and hung up. Just to relax our mind we were having normal talk for sometime. By the time we reached vashi vinay called up. But to our surprise it was Pravin.  He asked for a break in his office, took his friends bike and reached at the spot. Now that was a relief as some one was their with vinay.

I asked pravin to fetch him to vashi station as his office was also at the same location. First he didn't say anything but in sometime he called again, that vinay is having another friend with him. And he cant come triple seat as there is bandobast and also that bike is not of his ownership.

He had valid point. So we had no option. They messaged their location as Palm Beach Road, Sector 14. We took an auto from vashi station and told the automan the same. First time i saw an auto in Navi Mumbai ferrying on meter. We came a bit far and I was getting a bit sceptical as he was heading towards Khairne. I again called them and asked their location, they replied on the highway sector 14. When we reached sector 14, I called pravin saying I have reached, now where are you. He said we are on the highway. So we came back on highway but I couldnt locate them. So i called him again and he asked me what is their on your right side. I said settlements. Residential building. And behind me a huge mall. He gave an opposite answer. On his right side was no mans land and behind him was only one Emerald building. We tried asking our automan but even he was clueless.

One thing I must admit that our automan was very cooperative. Never said a word in all the confusion. Also he took money as per meter, nothing extra as it is normal in vadhi side. Such breed of automan are very rare.

Then pravin was telling me to send a picture of my surrounding. I was like you wont be able to guess anything. So on the highway we stopped near the mall. There were lot of people around. I asked the guys outside is their any such building around, even they were unaware of the same. Then one of them asked me to confirm which sector 14, vashi or nerul. I called pravin again and asked him. There he said come towards Panvel. I told the automan now, Chalo Pavel ki aur.

As we entered Nerul area, I finally saw that Emerald building. Called Pravin again so he asked is therebanything on your right side? I said no, complete darkness. So he told you are on the right way, come ahead you'll see 3 of us roaming on the road. I told my automan to keep left and not to leave the highway.

Going ahead I finally found these 3 guys roaming around and waved to them. It was 11 now and last train in Thane-Vashi route is at 1110. Vinay was suggesting for an FIR. We said its no use at this juncture.  We might face problem to find a mode of transport to go home. And since we dont know anyone here, the police won't cooperate much.

Finally after long discussion we decided to leave for home. But the clock had passed 1110 and now we had to go via kurla. Pravin dropped the other guy some blocks ahead and he went towards his office. We turned our auto towards vashi. As soon as we reached station vinay was saying lets go without ticket as no one will be their now. But I insisted, so that there is no new situation.

Rohan took 3 tickets each to Ghatkopar, Bhandup and Thane. We went in the underground and climbed on Platform number 3. Suddenly my eyes went on the indicator. It was a Panvel train and for CST train will arrive at 4. Had I not seen that we would have surely headed for panvel.

After some 20minutes wait the train arrived and we all left for our home. The end was also good, as before we reached kurla vinays other friend called claiming he found the purse. It had everything except cash. Though circumstances are debatable that how he alone suddenly found it, but we were tired for the day. Important docs, IDs,  cards were secured was a relief.

The true heroes for the night were pravin and rohan who dropped in immediately without knowing full situation. One was at his workplace while other had just arrived home from a tiring day of work. Still without sparing a thought they came for their friends rescue. They are, for me, in this situation 'The Dark Knights.

-SR.