SEPTEMBER THE ELEVENTH

                                                                                                             -Sasidhar

It was five minutes past seven o’ clock in the evening of September 11th of last year. The weather was slightly chill as against normal Delhi’s weather during this month. It was not difficult to reach the Safdarjung enclave area from my residence at Vikas puri. The traffic was though heavy at this peak office hours except at one or two junctions and near the Daula kuan roundtana, I was able to drive my car smoothly and particularly the complete stretch of Cantonment area was covered by me much faster than I expected. On reaching the signal before the Safdarjung Hospital, I had to take the right turn to reach the area. The funny thing is that I had to spend more time searching for the flat I was looking for in the Safdarjung Enclave area than to reach it. The address was that of one of my colleague’s cousin who has recently returned from the United States and has purchased a new flat in this posh area, and I was recklessly moving here and there enquiring about the address as almost there was no orderliness in the streets and the house numbers.

A roadside pawnwala finally helped me to find the correct direction, and as I reached the destination I was astonished at the posh structure of the building where the flat of Mr.Sharma, situated. The grill gate was huge and it was already half open and the watchman at the doorstep opened it fully on seeing my car and I felt embarrassed parking my tiny car in between two huge flashing imported cars parked in the parking area.

My colleague has already informed me that Mr.Sharma is an enterprising businessman in United States and is having his own office floor in one of the busiest streets in New York and my very idea of having come to this dinner hosted by Mr.Sharma is to get introduced to him which may help in getting some business connection for my upcoming project. Ms.Nirupama, my colleague, has assured me her help in this assignment of winning the confidence of Mr.Sharma.

As I came out of my car with the crutches and put them under my arms, within no time I found the watchman coming running to help me come out of the car and walk towards the lift. I was overwhelmed by the kindness, rather sympathy shown to me wherever I go, which I could not find when I was in the States. Of course, people in States are helpful, but very rarely they volunteer to help somebody in distress.

On reaching the lift, people who are standing near the lift to get in, politely gave me my share of preference to enter, and the liftboy pressed the eighth floor button for me. I could not hear a slightest sound on nearing the door of the flat until it was opened on my slightest knock. I was surprised to see the wide hall fully decorated and people moving all over with dish plates and drinking glass filled by the uniformed servants now and then. My eyes were looking for Ms.Nirupama, the only known soul in this part of the world, and my heart was beating fast crying for her appearance. Luckily without much time lapsing, I could hear the voice of Ms.Nirupama welcoming me. “Hi! Jagjit, come on, I will introduce you to my friends and Mr.Sharma”. I followed her to the corner of the hall slowly moving with my crutches, and she offered me a plateful of snacks and a glass of soft drink.

Meanwhile Nirupama brought along with her a bunch of people all of whom were dressed in coats and ties and the man in the center wearing a navy blue coat with a pink tie and a flashy gold bracelet, I guessed, must be Mr. Sharma. My guess was correct and Nirupama took me to him and politely introduced me. “Sharma! This is Jagjit, My colleague, Hope you remember him, I already told you about him. He is giant of a software consultant and engineer. He has returned from States last year and started his own projects besides working in our concern as a regular consultant. “
Mr. Sharma offered his hand and I extended mine and as we shook firmly, I felt a little confidence run over my body and thought that I am going to convince him about my project. “I am glad to hear that you were in States, and I don’t know how you returned from there and settled down here. I could not do that,
these stinking places, I could never settle down here permanently, I can only stay here temporarily, that is why I bought this flat, for use whenever I visit here for some business purpose” Sharma told these lines as if he was expecting some objection from any one of the people listening to him, looking at everyone, one by one. No one wanted to enter into an argument with the host, I guessed, simply because I hoped that everyone around was somehow or other dependent on him. I did not rather reply to his comments, as I was also one who is looking for a favour from him if possible.

Nirupama tried to ease out the tension by offering me a drink to which I politely refused. “No, thanks, Nirup, I find it difficult to drive after taking some pegs.”

A servant brought a plateful of cashews at the flick of fingers by the host who offered a handful of them to me, which I had accepted. Taking a glass full of some hard drink, Mr. Sharma ushered all of us to a velvet-cushioned sofa kept in the corner and made us sit there and he took to the center of the sofa set. I could notice Nirupa slightly worried about her cousin who seem to have consumed more drinks than he ought to have.

Now Sharma started talking “You people you know, where I am staying and where my office at New York located? You will not believe, it was just half a mile opposite the twin towers, you see when I open the glass windows of my office flat I could see the twin towers; it was almost like a show piece hanging on my wall. Now I lost that scenario, it was a great decoration to my office.”

He was looking with pride at everyone around him and I could sense great admiration flowing from the guests who were seated around him and listening.

“Now, listen boys, you know why I have chosen today for giving a party for purchasing this new flat? Any guess?” He looked at each one of us and without waiting for an answer he replied, “Today is 11th of September, exactly the same day of the destruction of twin towers.” I was shocked to hear this because I myself did not think of it and I thought it could have been a sheer coincidence that today is the anniversary of twin tower’s death. But I was still wondering what could be the reason for Sharma’s hosting a party would do with it.

“You know guys; I was watching the twin tower collapsing like a pack of cards from my office through the glass windows. Oh boy! What a sight! I could not forget it.” I could see that he was actually enjoying recalling the memories as he continued. “You must all now agree that I was so fortunate to watch this through my own eyes!” People seated around him half drunk found it interesting and gathered much interest and started asking queries with amusement.

“Really, Sharma, You saw all these things through your own eyes, we could only watch this on TV in bits of clippings, now and then”

“Did you take any photograph or video?”

Sharma cut short. “No. No! Who had any time to look for a camera at that time, I was of course tense, because we do not know what happened, but now I feel that I have witnessed a great incident of this century and great thing is that the sight of twin tower going like a pack of cards amidst clouds of dust…vow. What a sight!”

I could not control my anger at his sadistic and crude pleasure but sensing the atmosphere with people around him drunken and listening to whatever he bluffs with admiration, I kept quiet and waited for a chance to slip out of the scene.

Suddenly Sharma turned to me “Hey, Mr... Jag. Jagjit, you were in United States at that time, aren’t you? Did you see the twin towers collapse?”

“No,” I replied.

“Where were you at that time?” He questioned me mockingly.

“I was in New York”

“My God, you were in New York, still you could not witness the sight, what a pity! Very unfortunate! , but tell me exactly where you were located at that time.”

“‘I was of course not fortunate enough to watch the fantastic sight of the twin towers collapsing, but I was unfortunate enough to be in the fourth floor of the second tower at the time of destructions. That is why I could not see them coming down. But I lost my right leg while jumping from the fourth floor to save my life” I said this to Sharma and all the people sitting around him and took my crutches and walked slowly out towards the door.

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