5 Minutes!

A short story

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Time 8:30 AM. At the last bus stop or the first stop on Bus route 245, depending on the destination.

19 Year old Suresh, Science Student: When is this bus going to come? I should have got up early today. I knew the lectures would be early and that damn alarm just didn’t work. I should get new batteries for it today. This bus is always late when I need it the most. I am going to fail. That’s for sure! I hope I meet Sapna today. Where is the damn bus? I think that Reshma is also in science.

19 Years old Reshma, Science student: I hope the Biology paper is as easy as it was last time. I need to pass biology. I hate biology. I don’t know why the hell did I take science. I will take admission in computers after exams. That’s a growing field. I hope mummy appreciates the result of my second semester. She always like what Bhaiya (brother) does. He passed and she gave him a treat. Is that boy looking at me? When is this bus coming? I don’t want to be late. Why is that girl wearing so many bangles? Is she going to college or a wedding?

20 years old Anamika, College student: I am going to give that Geeta ki Bachi a piece of her mind. No need to show off. Sanjay knew me before he knew her. I should get that new dress from the mall. I hope Mom gives me some more pocket money. I hope Sanjay likes my new bangles, pretty colorful. I think I should warn Sanjay about Geeta. She may spoil his life. What kind of Saree, is Sarita Aunty wearing? She does not have any dress sense.

35 Year old Sarita, Housewife: Got to get that new saree Seema brought. I have to talk to him about getting that saree. He never brings anything for me. He has bought so many things for her sister. What is wife to him? Everything is his family. The children need a new bag this year, but No! The sister gets a new gift. Where is the bus? I need to pay this electricity bill. The late I get, the bigger the line. Where is the bus? There is that Shantaram. He beats his wife. Atleast my husband is a loving husband.

38 Years old Shantaram, a peon in an office: I think I will be again late today. They are defiantly going to cut my salary today. When is the bus going to come? I should have been a peon in the government office. Atleast I would have got some extra income. This Sarita Madam looks good in the saree. And look at my wife. No dressing sense at all. Where is the bus now? Oh shit! there’s Deviprasad! I heard he does nothing in office. Maybe I should talk to him about getting a job in the government office.

42 years old Deviprasad, supervisor in an government office: God! I am bored. When is this bus going to come? I think I will take a leave tomorrow. I haven’t taken a leave in last 2 weeks. I don’t know when they are going to promote me to Class 1 officer. Where is the bus? I should talk to the commissioner about this bus problem here. Hasmukh Bhai! I should invest my black money is shares sometime.

49 Years old Hasmukh Bhai, Small business man: Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! When will I understand? Never to invest the whole earning in a single company and that too the share bazaar. What was I thinking? Now if Rachana knows about it, she is going to kill me. That money was for Geeta marriage. Maybe I should ask Dilip Bhai for a loan. Yes I should do that. I will go and call him the first thing. Boy! How do I get myself in all this mess everytime? I should call Dilip bhai. Now where is this bus? Kamala Aunty there. I hope she does not talk to me now. She talks so much about her daughter-in-laws.

57 Years old Kamala: House wife: Those daughter-in-laws of mine are of no use. What if they are working? Both have turned up to be the same. I don’t know what sins I have done to deserve these two bahus (daughter-in-law) like them. I can understand Seeta, she came from love marriage. I never approved of her, but Ragini, she was my choice. How could I go wrong? I was so obedient when I was the daughter-in-law. Now I have to go to the temple alone. My bahus are so useless. Where is the bus? Ummm! Nilkant Bhaisaheb has so easy life. He does not have any daughter-in-laws.

65 Years old Nilkant Banerjee, retired school teacher: Where is the bus? I hope they pass my pension application today. If I didn’t have to visit the government office, I would have atleast saved money equal to my pension. It’s true! Nobody asks after you retire. Retired life is worse than dog’s life. What is this girl wearing? These college going girl have no sense of our culture. This country is going to the dogs. There is no respect for tradition here. Where is this bus? Look at that Suresh. These youngsters have such an easy life nowadays.

8:35 AM - The bus arrives at the bus stop. One by one, everybody gets into the bus cursing the driver for coming late. As the bus sped toward the station, the occupants are lost in their own thoughts again.

The grass is always greener on the other side!

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Note: The story was written a year back. The idea was to link complete strangers by a single event. I could not publish it because I could not think of an ending. An alternate ending was the bus meets with an accident and everything ends but it would have been dramatic. The idea came from watching people early morning while going to office and trying to think what they were thinking.