LUCK

“Please, close the door properly”, repeated the lift voice announcer.  Irked Yogesh hurled the lift’s door and the annoying sound echoed everywhere. He didn’t worry about that and pressed the “G” button. Now, the lift started downstairs from the fifth floor. Something was troubling Yogesh. He raced through the walkway towards his bike parked at the lot.

“Mr.Yogesh Parthasarathy, May I have your attention please?”, taunted the manager with a sarcastic gesture. Bewildered Yogesh shifted his gaze from the window towards the presentation screen but his mind was pondering over the things that happened in the morning at home. He was at a meeting where the top heads of the organisation were present and serious discussion on marketing strategy was going on. But, Yogesh was upset and he didn’t lend his ears to the discussion. Instead, his mind revolved around his apartment, his 8 year old kid Yogan and his wife Baghyashree.” I shouldn’t have done that. That’s my fault”, he reproached himself and he seemed disappointed over his behaviour. Yogesh grimaced and scolded himself. Meeting was over and he got up from his place. He wanted to see his little kid and his wife desperately. He ran towards the parking lot. He wore his helmet in a hurry and started the bike. He didn’t tie the strap as it suffocated him.  While doing so, he looked at his key chain where a small piece of wood was tied to its chain and the wood had the word “LUCK” engraved on it. He glimmered at it.

“Dad! Please just for a day!! I will give it back this evening once I come back home” pleaded the 8 year old Yogan to his dad.

“Yogan, I have told you many a times. Don’t touch my key chain and you knew that very well yet you are asking me”, firm voice of Yogesh struck back.

Yogesh cried, “dad, I won’t break it. I’ll give it to mom as soon as I come back home”.

Bhagyasri came in support of Yogan, “Yogesh! It’s just a key chain. Why are you being harsh on him?

Yogesh’s voice became harder this time,” Bhagya! How many times should I have to tell you? You knew it very well how much it means to me?”

Bhagya’s voice was stern this time,” It was a coincidence and you are superstitious on that”.

Argument became intense and Yogan  looked helpless. Both started to abuse each other and at one point of time, Yogesh slapped Bhagya. She looked stunned so as Yogan. Both of their eyes filled with tears. Yogesh grabbed the key chain from the little kid and left. While leaving, he slammed the door.

Yogesh was half way to his home. He was driving along the beach high way and he reproached the incidents happened in the morning. He called his wife while driving. That’s how traffic rules are broken in India. He had his head phone on his ears and called his wife. She didn’t pick up. He tried again but no response. Suddenly he heard a voice shouting “That’s my tennis ball! Give it to me!! Somebody please catch the dog!!” Yogesh was familiar with that voice and as he realized it, he turned his head slightly towards the direction of the voice. It’s a moment he would regret forever. It’s the moment of madness. Suddenly someone shouted “watch out!!”.

          Yogesh didn’t see the hasty dog running across the road. When he saw that, he lost his control over his vehicle as it rammed on to a speeding bus on the side. He was tossed away from his vehicle. The brutal force plucked the helmet out of his head. Yogesh plummeted down crushing the road. His jaws were broken. Blood oozed out of his head. At that moment, he heard a voice screaming,” Daddyyyyyy!!” Vision blurred and he lost his conscious.

         Doctor explained,” The accident severely damaged his skull. We call it as Intra cranial injury. It may lead to brain death or he may become normal but it would take some time. At present, he is serious and I can’t assure you on anything. I’m sorry”.

         Bhagyasri was unable to endure the doctor’s words. She was sobbing and her red eyes lost its life. Her life was on trial. Her legs trembled. She fainted and fell on the floor. Weeks passed. No sign of improvement in Yogesh’s health. Bhagyasri peeked through ICU door and tears filled her eyes.

She didn’t sleep for days. She was sitting on the chair outside the ICU. A nurse came out of the ICU and asked for Bhagyasri. She jumped up and replied with hope, “Yes.”

       Nurse asked her to come inside along with her kid. She was nervous and she walked in. As she stepped in, blood raced through her body. She felt that chill. Yes, she saw her superstitious husband half awake on the bed. She inched closer and touched him. It was happy tears and the little kid kissed his dad and he took the key chain out of his pocket which he had taken from the accident site. He showed it to him and thrust into his dad hand. But, Yogesh patted his little kid on the cheek and thrust it back to his kid’s palm. The little kid said,”Love you dad!”

     Yogesh’s weak throat replied, “Love you too!!” He regretted the moment that happened weeks back. He looked at his wife pleadingly and said, “I’m sorry bhagya!”