You asked for it!

(A Short Story)

Gulping down his last drink, Vikram got up and pulled on his jacket. The party was in full swing but he had to rush. He excused himself from the mad inebriated crowd, dancing to the tunes of some random retro rock in the smoke filled hall.

As he stepped out of the cozy atmosphere of the pub, a gush of cold wind hit his body. He zipped his jacket up, and thanked himself for the warm whiskey he chose that night over his usual pitcher of beer. Looking at his watch, he accelerated his pace. The last train home was only 15 minutes away, missing that would mean a long ride home in an auto braving the chill of the night and a long bill too.

He kept walking ignoring the usual night crowd of drunkards, beggars, druggies and people finding customers for what they had to offer, and an occasional commuter rushing back home. Spotting an image from the side of his eye, he faltered for a moment, but again choosing to ignore he kept walking.

Walking some 20 meters, Vikram stopped, looked at his watch, he still had 12 minutes and the station was only 5 minutes away. He turned back, with a look of apprehension on his face, and started walking back to the middle aged man clumsily clad in an ill fitted tweed jacket, buttoned up to his neck. The man looked peculiar, not just because of his attire but there was something strange about his gait as well; he appeared as if playing the game Vikram used to play as a kid with his friends on the long corridors of the arcade- the game of stamp the black squares- the floor of the arcade is decorated with alternate tiles of black and white, the game involved not placing one's feet on the white tile, for a kid with small legs it meant jumping across the tiles.

As Vikram cautiously walked close to the man, he realized the man was blind. But what amazed Vikram was the ease with which the man was walking and how well he was negotiating the lowered roads in between the circular arcade. I am sorry I did not realize you are blind, said Vikram, his voice sounding a little different than the usual- maybe the whiskey shots bruised his throat. Oh you mean, I haven't yet fallen, said the man and laughed out heartily, wondering that the voice sounds familiar. Where have I heard this voice before, wondered the blind man. Not able to recall, he shrugs it off and says, "actually I treat walking as a memory game, remembering the number of steps for each of the corridors and number of steps of the staircases is all it takes for a blind man to hide his blindness".

Vikram was surprised how easy it was for the man to deal with his dark world. Although Vikram knew that the man was headed for the last train, he nevertheless confirmed this with the man. As they both walked towards the station, in an effort to match the blind man's pace, Vikram joined him in the game of stamp the black squares.

They were just in time for the last train. As they boarded the train, the blind man took a swift left and sat himself comfortably- with the ease of a man bearing eyes. Vikram just followed him and sat himself next to the blind man, still awed.

Vikram pulled the windows down to keep the night chill out. As the train started to pull out of the station, Vikram quickly scanned the compartment- only five men, no new faces. Being a regular commuter he knew that 4 stations hence and if no other passenger boards, the compartment will have only two occupants- him and the blind man. Still observing the surroundings he pulled a pill from his pocket and shoved it in his mouth.

At the next station, a couple of men got down and a new passenger boarded and occupied the seat opposite Vikram's. Vikram's eyes gleamed upon noticing him. Vikram had noticed the man on other occasions as well, he was a cigarette peddler in the nearby market. People on the train know him by the name of Tipsy, for he is always under the influence of alcohol. Tipsy, as soon as he sat down, pulled a bottle of some cheap rum from his sack and took one long slug. After gratifying himself, he extended his hand forward and asked if Vikram or the blind man would like a drink. Vikram, almost instantly responded for both himself and his blind co-passenger that they don't drink rum. The blind man was surprised when Vikram answered for him. Vikram understood the quizzed expressions on the blind man's face. While Tipsy continued with his half finished bottle of rum, Vikram started telling the blind man what happened to him five months ago.

Vikram began saying, his voice still hoarse- "It was about five months back, I was on the last train home when a well dressed man after be-friending me offered me a drink. Next thing I remember is waking up in a park near Dwarka, with my stomach stitched up. I looked at my watch and noticed I have been unconscious for two days. I rushed to my doctor only to discover that one of my kidney has been removed"

Listening to what Vikram just told him, the blind man said I must say you are lucky. He said, "I was not always blind, I wish he had taken out my kidney", and started crying. Vikram also started sobbing upon hearing this and to sooth himself pulled out a bottle of whiskey from his jacket and started drinking from it. The blind man smelled the whiskey in the air and extended his hand to ask for it. As Vikram handed him the bottle, he quickly sent a few messages from his mobile. The taste of whiskey brought with it the memories of the night the blind man lost his eyes, he turned pale with fear.

The train pulled over and the compartment was left with just two inhabitants. Vikram smiled at himself, the pill was a good antidote. Messages he had sent and received had confirmed him company at the next station.

A couple of days later, the blind man was found in a park with a note in his pocket saying, "You asked for your kidney to be removed".