A JOURNEY THAT CHANGED DESTINY - II (CLIMAX)

Those who have not read the previous post, kindly read it first. 

After the incident I was scared but tried to put a brave face. Having true friends always helps. Gauging the situation and reading my mind they advised me to go back to Gafoorkka. Most of them in that coupe were tired and asleep. The man at the window seat was still sitting with same emotion. Which is absolute emotionless. Slowly I asked him few general queries. He answered with same lifeless face. When he told he is returning from Saudi, I asked him 'How many days leave you have?'. He dint reply, instead he broke down in tears. I din't know what to tell. So I just kept quite. (Which I should have done at S-8 and also now with this person)

It was difficult to get him speak. He looked extremely weak. He might be returning with some major illness but I just asked if he is returning for some emergency? He just shook his head to indicate a 'No'. There was that killing silence again for a long time. I too was slowly falling asleep.
'Arinjitu ningalku prethyekich karyam onnum undaavilla, pakshe aarodelum ellam onnu paranjaal enik ee veerpumuttu lesam kurayum'
(It's of no use to you, but it may help lighten my suffocation if I share it with someone)
That brought me out of sleep. But I din't even shake my head in agreement. But he had already started the narration. Looking out of the window he told me everything that happened. Not even once through the entire narration did he look at me. But I listened to each and every word that came out of him with attention.

He was in Saudi for last 7-8 years, working as a driver of some construction company. He was from a lower midle class family. First time when he returned he got married. Then he was back in Saudi for 3 years at a stretch. Working very hard and doing overtime also so that he earns some extra money. Which he send home regularly for the construction of a new house which is dream that drive an average Malayali. He was ready to take on all the suffering for his small family, now with a new member in.He had his house warming during that vacation.

On the last day of vacation his wife asked him a very valid question. Which any wife could have asked her husband staying away from home for the better part of their life.
'Why don't you look for some job here? We will be much happier together. I don't want to live rich, I want to live happy. I am ready to make any sacrifice for that'
These words made him determined to work harder for 2-3 more years more to make a decent saving to buy a vehicle and return to home land.

For the past several years one main extra source of his income was by human trafficking across the Saudi border. All the facilitation was done by some agents. His duty was just driving them across. But he was the one who took the most risk, hence equally well paid. He did this as a part time job. They had customized vehicles for this human trafficking, which had seats modified to accommodate a person inside the cushion. These cushion carved out to seat a person inside and then re stitched. Normal passengers were seated over that. Imagine how badly those people wanted to flee away to another country? How bad their life could have been? Hence he never thought he is doing something wrong. He always believed God would be happy about him, helping others escape their sufferings. Many a times on reaching the destination he had experienced them hugging him like they were hugging god who saved their life. He even had a feeling that all fortunes that happened to him like the arrival of two children, new house, a loving wife are all due to their blessings too.

That journey could have been something like this

He knew exactly which route to take, what time to reach each check posts how to move and at what speed etc. He normally did this in night. This time he had two passengers to be transported. He was very tired and don’t want to take up this trip. Agents tried some other drivers too,But couldn’t get one and offered him almost double the money for this particular trip. Thinking of his goal to buy taxi (Innova) and meeting his second kid for the first time, he accepted. Luck doesn’t favor him this time. Tiredness was taking its toll on him and he slept off for a moment. He realized only once his vehicle hit the check post bar and stopped. It was the last check post he had to cross. Police came rushing. Nobody was injured nor did the vehicle have any major damage. Thanks to the lower speed in which it hit.

Imagine the pain they take

Police checked for the documents. All were ok. He was allowed to resume the journey. Suddenly the police noticed a passenger slightly bleeding. Police asked him to take the first Aid kit. He don’t know the real location, hence police peeped his head in through the window. He saw fresh blood near the driver’s seat. That was it!!! They noticed the blood oozing out from the cushion and then….

He was sentenced to 6 months of rigorous imprisonment for trying to help two criminals escape the country, who were on police look out list. Those six months were the worst in his life. They had to work entire day with limited food. At night they were put in cells where four adult could manage to stay. They had forty of them filled in it. They had to pass the night standing and breathing at the other man's nose. After the term he was deported. He never saw the outside world again and didn’t have a chance to take home whatever saving he had accumulated. Wages for serving the term was just sufficient for the flight to Mumbai.

I could not utter a word. He kept on cursing his luck. 'God might not liked those criminals escaping, but why me? I never knew who they were! How could he turn duff to my prayers? Forget me.. My wife's prayers. What more sufferings has he left for me in this life? What next???

His sound almost faded away when he get to last part of his sentence. There are times when you feel utterly useless as a human being unable to even console a fellow being, I wanted to give him courage to face the world out there, wanted him to motivate him to think positive and all. But looking at his eyes unable to utter another word I sat there frozen in time along with him.

I always am a believer of following the heart when confused. But this particular experience made me realize that in the modern day, rules of each nation is of prime importance. Yes! Follow your heart always but have your brain too involved in decision making.