It was nearly midnight when the truck driver rubbed his eyes in disbelief and gaped at the figure which seemed like a woman, who stood in the middle of the highway, frantically waving with both her hands held up. The driver and his companion exchanged glances to confirm what they saw was real and not just their imagination running wild. A myriad of thoughts flowed within a few seconds, their anxiety surging. The dangerous dacoits and looting of travellers were not unheard of in this stretch of the Assam-Dooars highway. As the truck came to a screeching halt few more figures emerged from the shadows, joining that of the woman who stood beyond the beam of their headlights. They felt the adrenaline through their bodies respond to the unforeseen situation, as the silhouettes approached their window.
Earlier that day- in the blinding light of the month of August 1982, a young couple had travelled through the same highway passing through Barobisa, the first town of West Bengal upon entering from Assam highway. The road had been smouldering, causing a disorienting haze. Even the birds were silent and the grass stood still. It was a hot and humid day. They had an appointment with their Gynecologist at Cooch Behar, fixed by Dr Nath, the garden doctor who had accompanied them.
Their Gynecologist assured them that all was well and their wait would end around January next year. He even urged the father-to-be, to bow to all the whims and fancies of his wife. So this young couple sat in the movie theatre that evening, the husband somewhat restless, kept looking at his watch, while his wife was delightfully engrossed in the movie munching onto her popcorn. If only his wife could see the perfected mask of pretence crumbling on her husband’s face as they were getting late. After all the drive back to Sankos Tea Estate was about 75 kilometres away.
After the movie, Chumki asked her husband whether they could buy Hilsa fish that she longingly craved for. She was her adult self as well as her childish self simultaneously. He relented to his wife’s command. The mere mention of Bhappa Ilish prepared by his wife would always make his mouth water and today was no different. He was happy and anxious at the same time.
With the groceries secured in the carton and Hilsa safely packed in the icebox, they began their return journey on the same highway but now it was dark and daunting as Protik- their driver for the day drove on. It was another regular drive for him until a car behind them flicked the headlights on and off to catch his attention. They realised that there was something amiss with the jeep so the driver steered left and to their dismay discovered that the tyre on the left was flat. It was a small hurdle for the experienced driver. However, even after fixing the tyre, the jeep would not budge. Each of them tried to coax the jeep in their own way but in vain.
While Chumki restlessly waited in the vehicle, Ashim and the Doctor tried to hail some help but it was a relatively deserted highway and the late hours were not in their favour. Flustered, they sat in the jeep, trying to contemplate their next move but they were getting impatient and the feeling of helplessness was gradually seeping in. They tried to be rational, as much as their state would permit and debated ideas. Finally, they decided on one.
Chumki gathered her might and with a determined mind and a stoic demeanour stood in front of the approaching headlights. The Jonga came to a screeching halt and at that moment, they felt their despair giving way to hope. After explaining their predicament and some convincing, the army buddies agreed to drop them a little short of Kumargram duars-small hamlet basti, even though they were travelling in the opposite direction.
Thanking their kind saviours for having gone out of their way to help them, the accidental hitchhikers disembarked at the agreed location. Home, however, was still 10 kms away. They walked on with prayers on their lips; the slightest sounds and movements were magnified by the silence of the night. A troubled gasp escaped the Doctor’s mouth and their eyes flickered to the dark shadows ahead. "Are the Elephants out?" he mumbled.
Their bodies tingled from head to toe with nervous anticipation. They consoled themselves that it was perhaps just the rustling of branches and the howl of winds. The huge Jackfruit trees which had looked magnificent in the sunshine this noon, now towered over them. It was so dark that they could barely see. The moon too was not visible tonight. They would pause, close their eyes, breathe in the deep night air and continue in the hope of getting some help. Though the physical distance from this point to their bungalow was reducing, their emotional chasm was getting wider but determination drove them on, to keep up their march.
They had lost the sense of time but realized that it was past two a.m. when they entered the bungalow compound. A few teardrops appeared in the corner of Chumki's eyes. She climbed up the stairs of bungalow number 9. She was shaking with exhaustion, the eerie darkness of the night replayed in her memory. She consoled herself that she was now in the safety of her bed. Her stomach shifted uneasily as she clasped Ashim’s palms and gradually dozed off.
In the wee hours of the morning, the manager and his wife, who had been kind enough to make arrangements to get back the driver and the Willy's Jeep they had so thoughtfully lent, were beside her, lauding her bravery. They went on to add that they had heard everything from Ashim about how she had taken command of her body, mind and her baby. Chumki smiled and replied, “I did not walk alone but with the angels shielding us".
A beautiful baby boy was born to them on December 27 1982, whom they named Ankur.