The Value of Life!

On my way back from my office... riding in full swing @ 90s I saw a man lying under a Bullet at the end of the road... The place is Mumbai Ahmedabad National Highway, once known to be notorious for laying traps for people and looting them.
The moment I saw the man and the bike, I slowed down and parked the bike on the end, knowing very well that I may be walking into a trap... but what the heck.... a busy, scary road like that... and thats the last thing you would want to see...

Luckily I see some people in a cycle running towards the man as well... The man struggling to keep the bullet of his body....

I didnt remove my gear or anything, cause I knew I would either need it or it would waste some precious time.

I ran to the man, shouted if he needs some help ( I know a crazy thing to do, but that was my way of re assuring that he was 'conscious')

He looked at me in a gaze and I knew he wouldnt say anything... he tried mumbling something... I knew what he meant.... I lifted the bullet up and he slowly struggled but got on his foot!

I asked him if he was hurt, it seems like my words were too complicated for him.... he simply couldnt gather what I said.... for a second I had my heart in my mouth as the guy had carefully tucked his helmet on the RVM and was lidless....I was hoping he didnt hurt his head... I have a close friend who met with an accident a few years ago... and he died because of bad blow to his head.... everything in my past seemed to appear in a short flashback mode in my head!

I came out of that trance and asked him again "Are you hurt?"

"No.." came the answer




Then I realised.... this guy was fully loaded.... (with booze) stinking like hell...

For the first five minutes, My head had kind of a lot of respect build for him... it took a few seconds for that to break...

Now, this guys could barely talk or stand straight but wanted to ride back to some place.... and here I was trying to stop a 6ft something and somewhere close to 100KGs of a DRUNK jacka$$. I realized if he was back on the bullet, he would not only die himself but probably get someone killed too....

Luckily, his phone rang... because he wasnt able to listen or say anything, he handed the phone to me... I was busy holding the bike so I asked the other guy to talk to the person calling.

He was prompt and informed about the location and the events that had happened.... We were told to wait there for 10 minutes and he would be there.... almost 10 minutes later nothing happened.... and the big fella wanted to get back on the bike...

He started to fire up the bike, and i switched it off.... he didnt realize that I had turned the keys to off position, and he kept trying to start the bike...

Usually on this route I see quite some amount of cops monitoring the road, but there wasnt any one today! I tried calling the 100 number but it freaking gives a BUSY response!!!

I said the other guys to hold on to the big fella and not let him ride and I will be back after getting some cops from the nearest chowki... but those guys were simply scared and said we waited here only because you are waiting...

So here I am stuck with this big jacka$$ praying for the cops to come....

Now the big fella started getting restless and giving me and other cold and dreadful looks... another call and he says he is on his way and nobody needs to come here and all! And he simply started the bike and started a wavy ride!

Now those of you who know how busy this highway gets with heavy vehicles, it was not funny. I mean I knew he is an idiot but I cant see him die man!

So I ride behind him, carefully ensuring that the other vehicles dont come too near him... a couple of scary turns and seemingly closed calls later, its the place where I need to take a turn for my home.

I had like 10 seconds to decide what to do?
Would be interesting to know what you would have done....

I turned to my route... my decision was simple, when that person himself doest value his life then why should i?
but still I ran like hell... went to the chowki and informed the cops there...

The cops were surprised to see a fully geared commuter parking the bike and running towards them!
The cops were pretty disgusted with what I had to say, but lone of them said that luckily the highway patrol has just gone on the route.... and said a couple of small but sorry lines... "there are very few people who stop and bother about others... luckily for that guy I was there, but who the hell cares.. look at that man himself he doesnt know what to do and what not to when he is riding (a bike like bullet)! "

Sad but true...
1) there are very few people who stop and bother about others
2) who the hell cares.. he doesnt know what to do and what not to when he is riding

I havent had so many emotions switching in my head for a long time now... fear, compassion, disgust, confusion et all!
Even while I type, I just pray that that guys must have reached safely home and he quit drinking, atleast when he rides!