Near Death Experiences

The siren went on. I started thinking as to what it was about. Starting to wrap up the thoughts in my mind to really think what was going on and it took me nearly 5 seconds to really understand it correctly. It was the siren of close of the factory shift and then it stuck me suddenly that it was 15 minutes past 11 in the night. Friday, the 13^th of February 2009, I was in the office working on a new project of analysing the client’s requirements in South East Asian countries for enhancing business there, for an electrical product called as switchboard used in distribution substations. I wanted to stay for a bit longer but then a thought crossed my mind that if I didn’t leave at that very moment then perhaps I will not be able to reach in time to have my dinner in the restaurant where I used to go daily. I hate missing dinners but I hate breaking in my work but something was going to happen as I didn’t have a choice.

I was 25 years old and living alone in Mumbai and working in power sector of a multi-national company Siemens. I closed down my laptop, took out the keys of the motorbike and ready to resume work from home after dinner. Yeah, as it was holiday the next day, and I was so hooked up on this project that I somehow wanted to come to such an analysis that it was 5 days straight that I was working late at office and continued working at home too. It was chilly outside when the motorbike denied starting at first kick which was pretty usual. It was my roommate’s bike and he was out of country on a project and was not going to return for more than a month. I was just trying to keep his bike in running condition by using it everyday to office. What a lame excuse!

The road back home was pretty straight and along the railway tracks and it takes about 15 minutes to reach home. I saw the dark and twinkling night as I put on the helmet after successfully starting the motorbike and rode off. At the company gate the security gate-keeper got up, opened the gate and saluted me as I passed by. He must have been surprised to see me for 5 days straight coming to office at sharp 8 and leaving minutes passed 11. At that time I too realised that I was stretching too much and need to take care that I don’t deteriorate my health due to this. Just I was thinking this when suddenly I missed the bump on the road and I thought to me that I need to be careful as just today in the office one of our colleagues told me and another colleague of mine to drive safely on motorbike as there were two accidents on the same road that he had witnessed. I hardly gave a damn to it.

I was approaching home as I moved along the railway tracks. I was required to move on the other side of the tracks for which there was a road going beneath the railway tracks. It was dark and the road was wet. I never understood as to why that portion of the road is always dark and wet round the year. Just took a turn and was on that road when in the rear view mirror I saw sudden flash of light approaching me at very high speed. That was a car rushing towards me and I was not sure if the driver inside had even noticed me riding the bike. Just when it was close enough for me to understand it will hit me from behind, I accelerated in the wet road just to recall that the rear wheel brakes do not work. The car suddenly realised my existence on that dark wet road and went pass me from my side. There was another car on the same road in the opposite direction heading towards this crazy car while made the driver move away from the centre of the road to the side but this time not noticing that I was on the side. I applied the brakes the front wheel just when the car touched it and made me lose my balance. I was about to dash between the car and wall on the left when I could make out from the viewing window of the helmet that I was about to fall. Very close to the wall, my head banged the wall and then it threw me off it on the road sliding for about 3 meters or so. I could suddenly realize something hurting me on my arm and knees. I didn’t know how to stop that terrifying scene when suddenly my head dashed on the road. Suddenly I heard a horn from behind and then I went into a deep thought. Everything around me grew darker and suddenly I not worrying about the approaching vehicle. Suddenly it appeared like a flash of the light in front of my eyes for a moment and it went away. What was that? I asked myself in terror thinking another oncoming vehicle on the dark road but when I tried to have a convincing look there was nothing of that sort. But something I saw from the viewing window of the helmet, a person next to me, asking me how I was and trying to help me get up. I got up just to know that I had bruises all over my left side. Suddenly I wanted to come out of that helmet and notice the bike. Nothing major happened to the bike but there was a big scar on the helmet. No injuries on my head and I could realise the pain in the knees. I stood there for a minute and I really could not understand what that person was saying. The person informed me to clean up the injury immediately by visiting the doctor.

To my luck I could find a doctor who was just closing his dispensary and I asked him for the dressing of the injured knee. An hour wasted when I returned home with my knee and hand in bandage as the restaurant was also closed. Tried eating stuff which I could find at home but then laying on my bed to sleep I was angry because I hate missing dinners but I hate breaking in my work too.