Bhatnagar Ji’s mind was spinning as he sat in the washroom. What was happening? He had a powerful dream last night, and in the dream, he saw all sorts of strange things!
In the dream, he took his wife to a mall, watched a movie, and had dinner. In the morning, he got ready and left for the office, only to feel like some ghost or spirit was troubling him. The ghost even threatened to go to his house to talk to his wife. Panicked, he left the office and ran back home, and on the way, strange things started happening. His car was taken away, along with his office bag and wallet.
But thank God, it was all just a dream. His car was safe, and so were his wallet and briefcase. Everything was in its place.
But…
The mystery wasn’t solved yet. How did his wife know about everything he saw, did, and went through in the dream? It had to be some kind of supernatural business. His dream wasn’t even hidden from his wife. She knew every single detail, even down to the last rupee. How? How did she know all of this? There had to be some supernatural force at work.
Bhatnagar Ji thought of a plan. On his way to the office, he would check if there really was a “Champa Rabri Shop.” Did he actually buy rabri from there yesterday?
He would find out the truth. Did his car really get stolen from there? If such a shop existed, perhaps he could find a clue there.
One thing was certain: if that shop really existed, he would surely recognize the boy working there and the shop owner. He had stood there watching them for quite some time. He might even recognize the rickshaw puller and the taxi driver if they crossed his path again.
But then, Bhatnagar Ji started trembling with fear again. He suddenly remembered the old beggar woman who had eaten his leftover rabri!
Who was she?
There had to be a mystery connected to her.
When he returned home, he found the house locked. His wife wasn’t home. This was another clue. The secret surely involved his wife and that old woman.
Gaining some courage back, Bhatnagar Ji finished his shave and scrubbed his body under the shower.
He was just getting dressed when the doorbell rang.
His wife, packing his lunch in the kitchen, thought that her husband was still in the washroom, so she rushed to open the door.
As soon as she opened it, her face lit up with joy. She called out excitedly, "Look who's here!"
Bhatnagar Ji came out of the bedroom and walked toward the door.
By then, their son had already touched his mother’s feet and was approaching to touch his father’s. His mother had taken the bag off his shoulder and placed it aside.
“Son, you? You didn’t even let us know. I would’ve come to pick you up at the station,” Bhatnagar Ji said, looking at his son who had come home from the hostel.
“Oh, Dad, you had an important meeting today, right? That’s why I didn’t call. I thought I’d just take a cab.”
“Oh, right… the meeting,” Bhatnagar Ji remembered, and he quickly sat down to eat the breakfast his wife had already set on the table.
( To be continued...)
