The Mystery Of The Vanishing Driver

The day had kindled with the sumptuous and lucrative Sun’s rays, amalgamating with the eluding dark sky. This Sunday was not a mere Sunday rather a Sunday after a lingered lockdown. Our whole college life was zapped due to the infamous COVID-19. It surged in the year 2020 and had lasted till January of this year, 2024. We were not able to even take a stroll over the college’s soil!

Nevertheless, since it was a new
beginning, I and my other 2 comrades, namely Taash and Titu, conformed to go on a picnic. The picnic spot chosen was located in Kolkata and we were in
Bokaro. None of us was permitted to
venture such an odyssey. So, our parents hired a driver named Kaetu. He was a kooky guy with a revamped body. I thought that he was sort of an introvert as he didn’t talk much.

Now, the venture was about to start and then Titu asked a riddle, “A woman was born on 16 December, 1616 and died on the same date, same year. Also, at the time of her death, she was of (70+16+16-28) years. How is this possible?” At first, I just wanted to gag his mouth and terribly yell at him. He at times used to hurl us with varieties of riddles which stranded us and most of the times, they were illogical. Taash, as always, was just busy devouring the Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta. He was a spiritual man and we used to call him “Baba Ranchordaas”. He just used to reply with a grin and again got immersed in the text. They both were engaged in some way or the other. Now what about me? I was avid to strike a conversation but both were busy in their own worlds
and even if I would have said something, it would be equivalent to talking to deaf ears.

Whole one hour passed and the least relished was me only, though the idea was mine. Now, we decided to take a
respite. This respite only was the crux for my internal bedlam. As the food was ordered, all of us went to wash our hands. There, in the mirror, Kaetu’s reflection was not coming. I ignored that by assuming it as an illusion created due to boredom and hunger.

Now, when we had gobbled up the ordered food, we headed straight for the destination. Three hours passed by as if they were three millennia. However, when only one hour was left to reach the spot, Kaetu suddenly vanished from the car without anyone’s notice. But still, the steering wheel was moving in such a way that it was under someone’s control. I beckoned Titu to behold this. He was a bona fide scaredy cat. He started shouting with fear. Our dear and
contemptible friend Taash, still in such a situation, was apprising us to be quiet.

Now, we were like, “O God, now
everything is in your hand.” I and Titu were praying to the Almighty but that prayer was more of a kind of begging.

Although, Taash remained serene.
Suddenly, he started mumbling some shlokas. These shlokas were beneficial or ominous, I was not certain at first guess. But after a while, it must had been a blessing as the car had stopped in a dense jungle. A monkey showed up and scolded me by saying, “I don’t think sleeping in a running class is an endowment, Mr. Rachit.” The monkey’s visage and even his full body transformed into that of my Polity professor and the jungle into my classroom. The class was filled with good laughs of my classmates.

Somehow, I discovered that in my
pocket, 2 chewing gums were left. Well, the trove was of 5 out of which 3 were consumed by me during the odyssey. Wait, was that a real jeopardy or just a reverie?