Sometimes self-inflicted injury is not worth it

By Sandeep Datta

Falling in love despite knowing its consequence is perhaps equally stupid than falling off one's motorbike due to a silly personal decision. 

I felt it Thursday (May 9, 2013)  while going to meet someone in a hurry despite drowsiness of the previous night shift. 

I was heading to Nirman Bhavan, near India Gate, to collect a copy of our property documents from an agent whom I had met a few minutes ago while returning from Green Park office. 

I had just reached home but he called me back. I rushed on the same route in the sweltering heat having taken a glass of water at home. I was sleepy and exhausted already, but had little choice except to go.

It is about 12 km from my Malka Ganj located house to Nirman Bhavan. I was too desperate to get the document so could not delay collecting it on the next day.

Just as I reached the road, which leads to Gole Market area, near Connaught Palace, on the route to Nirman Bhavan, I fell off the motorbike while taking a steep turn at the Mandir Marg traffic signal, near Birla Mandir.

The bike skidded on an oil puddle. The oil had  perhaps dropped out of some passing vehicle just a while ago. The moment my flat hind tyre, already declared risky by mechanics for being old and too much used, touched the puddle in speed, it lost its grip of the road. And, me and the bike went out of control.

It felt as if suddenly someone had taken off the back tyre. The motorbike skidded a bit, making me lose entire balance and falling off on my back with my head banging on the road. 

Thankfully I was wearing a helmet which saved me head injuries as my head hit the road.

A youngster, driving a motorbike just ahead of me, probably with his girl friend, stopped just as I fell. He  helped me park my bike on the roadside and checked my left knee which had made it difficult for me to to walk without difficulty.

He told me about the oil on road and said: "Aapka pichla tyre bhi pura ganja ho chuka hai" (your hind tyre has also turned flat). I realised what led to my fall. 

I was limping and feeling the knee had been badly hurt. Though there was a little bruise, it was paining and had started swelling. I thanked the couple and others and told them to carry on as I could take care of me. 

Since the incident occurred on a traffic signal, all eyes were on me with discomfort. Just as it turned green, all disappeared to my big relief. I checked my belongings. I found the stitching had come off a bit too much from the middle of my new pant. 

It felt embarrassing to feel the underwear being visible. But I decided to carry on, by covering my back with my hanging office bag, despite limping and torn apart pant.

I restarted my motorbike in God's name and went on to meet the guy I was supposed to collect the property documents from. 

But on my way, I realised there was perhaps no other reason for my fall except me. First, I was in a hurry and had turned completely oblivious to my barely alert mind, having being awake for whole night. .

It had turned very important to collect the conveyance deed since I had been seeking it for the transfer of property in mother's name for last few weeks. 

But I did not have the right papers to verify if my brother had already transferred the property in his name or not. 

So, I had made an arrangement with a staff in the land and building department of Nirman Bhavan, the central government office which maintains records of property ownership related documents. 

Sumit, the concerned person working in the information facility centre, was to handover a copy of our documents on the same day in lieu of Rs.3,000 as bribe. Otherwise, I was told it is a weeks-long procedure. 

Having already waited for about three weeks for the same documents from a local court near our house, it had turned frustratingly urgent to get them by hook or crook. 

Finally, I reached his office within next 15 minutes, only to get an incomplete set of documents. But I had no choice to miss it and stupidly took it. 

I reached home and again rushed to meet our advocate in Kashmiri Gate only to find that the document was not worth it.

In the evening, I visited our family physician, who advised me against going to the office at least for that night. I agreed but expressed by compulsion. But my boss, Dr. Rahul Dass, was kind enough. 

He talked to the executive managing director and the editor-in-chief and requested for leave on my behalf. They agreed. Interestingly, I had requested for one night. He issued a public message in the company about me being off for next three days.

After everything, I recalled how I had been forewarned by mechanics to get both the tyres replaced nth time. I took it very casually. Perhaps, a slip on the road was due to take place for a long time. It was just a matter of time. 

But, it all happened because I tried to save money for the time being. I chose to spend money on only replacing the first tyre. It was perhaps not a wise decision.

But not replacing both tyres, except the most urgent one -- the front tyre a month ago, was purely a financial compulsion which I could not explain to wife or anyone but only my mother understood it immediately.  

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