A Journal of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya

There was a mouth organ in Raka Masih’s
hand. But he was not playing it. He was
lost in thought. It was then that two drivers,
a fireman and the shed in-charge, came
there and sat down. All of them were
Raka Masih’s old friends. Raka Masih said
in a soft voice, ‘Right time, brothers!’ Then
without asking, he prepared tea for them
and offering them the cups said, ‘Time
rushes forward, but sometimes my mind
begins to run backwards.’
‘Are you reminded of some old story,
Raka?’ David, an old driver and also Raka’s
old friend asked.
‘Yes, David, I am reminded of that
incident in Quetta. Whenever I think of
Kanmitrajai station located somewhere at
the far end of Quetta, I really feel disturbed.’
‘You have mentioned Quetta a number
of times. But you have never told us about
it Raka.’
‘I’ll tell you now,’ said Raka lighting
a Lamp’s cigarette. He sucked deep at
it. The smoke began to rise, and with
it rose the thoughts of Raka Masih…
‘It happened a long time ago. It seems
as if ages have gone by. But even today,
I remember it clearly, as if it had happened
only yesterday.’
Raka Masih picked up the cups lying
on the bench and put them aside. He
removed the water kettle from the brick
oven so that its warmth could reach
everyone. Raka Masih finished his cigarette.
Then he began to narrate that incident
about Quetta.
‘Then I was a fireman. I was able to
drive the engine. I had also taken the
driver’s test twice and had cleared it
too…Then there was an advertisement of
vacancy for drivers. But all the jobs were
for the remote areas. But what did I care?
I was without a family. I accepted all
the terms…There were ten vacancies and
three people had applied. All the three
were selected as drivers. There was a threemonth
training period. Then I was to report
at Quetta.’
For a moment Raka Masih was silent.
His voice and the night’s silence. When
he fell silent, the night would deepen still
more. And it also became more sorrowful!
‘Everyone tried to scare me. They scared
me a great deal saying that I was not
going to work there but to die. I didn’t
care. I ignored all those warnings and
went to Quetta to join duty.’
‘But when I reached Quetta I realized
the situation I was in. It was a Pathan
country. They were ever ready to quarrel.
They would kill a person even for a petty
reason …At that moment, friends, I also
felt that I have come to invite my death.’
“Raka, you are a brave man, and still
you got scared?’ Raka’s driver friend asked.
‘Yes, I was really scared. The stories
January-March 2012 :: 85