Sunday, May 07, 2006

crash zoom!

"like the moment when the brakes lock
and you slide towards the big truck
you stretch the frozen moments with your fear..."

sang Pink Floyd in Final Cut and it was such a lucid album, i would visualise each song in my head early in my walkman days. didn't think one day, rather night, i'd be sliding sideways in an auto on the highway (mercifully not into a truck!)

so, we're in this auto back from hemu's place, hurtling unsteadyily down the western express highway. our auto guy had just missed slamming us into a tata sumo at the vakola junction and we had just finished screaming at him about his wavering ways. no, not that he was drunk, just a lil unsure n inexperienced it seemed.

at the santacruz airport signal, i see these guys on a m'bike turn into our path to go to parla stn. by now i know we're gonna crash into them. we must've been doing at least 50kmph. not a word emerges from our lips. my eyes locked in...watch us crash into the 2 of them on this blue 100cc bike and see the horizon turn and feel us veering onto my right. thump! my head hits the road n c! over me. we're sliding now on our side but that i do not see. black!

must've been a few seconds but it seemed like a long black leader... fade in, don't know if my eyes were opened but my sight came back. knew we were sideways on the road. get up, lift c! up, climb over n hop out. help c! climb up and out...my head's like a pile driver ramming it...i hobble to where the bikers are standing...motion a thumbs up, they reply with a thumbs up. c! meanwhile is giving the rick driver a piece of her mind...a lot of people have gathered by now...seeing we're, ok flag down another rick, i pull c! away, my head still pounding. and back on the road again...

bruised right knee with one surfacial cut and c! too bruised knee same place. rattled nerves calmed slowly by the breeze and a cautious driver. just thanked the gods above and whoeever else watching over us tonight. so what were your thoughts while we crashed?, asked c!...nada, i replied. blank - i was just looking...looked just like those road race games one played, save for that momentary fade to black!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

ggaaaa

Anonymous said...

Accidents and Incident
by

Dana Ruffin

In the incident of an accident
reasons are not spoken or dare to break
the reverent silence and questions only appear in time
smiles pass on trembling lips
hiding behind expressions that lie
happenings and chance are labelled as tragic
clinging to emotions as they fly behind a rush of traffic
hushed footsteps click on marble as feet drag and sweep
under whispering voices with the random phrase
"It's just one of those things ... how sad"
Who are they to say?
grief, emptiness, loneliness, madness and such
what teacher or passing spectator in our lives tells us that we must
be tough
there are speeches of doom
and accidents and tragedies on any given
afternoon looming through any given t.v screen
all accidents are fated incidents in the tapestry of destiny
each of us is nothing more than instruments
playing a part and standing a link in the ring of faith and fate
be it a mate or friend or the passing stranger within our world
be it man or woman, boy or girl
under all the frenzy of the world there lies a calm
found in the silent rhythm of our palms
found in the link that binds us all together
and the chain that goes out
into the eventide of forever

ajay noronha said...

..ummm fated huh??...but nice poem anon!

Parul Gahlot said...

hey!! I came to your blog by accident from Seedsofenlightenment!
Just thought I'd say hello!
Hello

Anonymous said...

z

Anonymous said...

I started writing, just casually writing, the ironies in my life - the strange accidents that turned the corner of where my life was going to.

- Gene Wilder

...hope ur fine :)) its such a pleasure just opening your page hoping, waiting for something new. To find lines that have gone thru your head but have never made it to that blank page. To have something to mull over, wishing each time to be able to do it without a crutch.

ajay noronha said...

hey parul!
hi, that was such a nice suprise. so how have you been? settled as yet?? will go thru your blog too now!! - Ajay

ajay noronha said...

priyaaaaaaa!
ya i've been well...and you? hows life been treating you? and when you of for your annual trek??