Wild Night - 2

12:55 a.m. Stop 5: Stuck in a traffic jam at some fucked up place on the highway.

The jeep was just 20 meters away now. “God, help us!!” cried Crazy Guy -1. Just as everything seemed lost, a truck to their left advanced a bit. Just a bit! That was all Crazy Guy -2 needed. He squeezed the car through that slight opening created by God. The santro barely managed to make it to the left side of the road sandwiched between the trucks. They were off the gravel into the dirt. Crazy Guy-2 pushed the accelerator and off they were again bouncing and skidding on dirt whizzing past the line of trucks to their right.
Though they didn’t realize it, they were screaming at the top of their voices.


1:30 a.m. Stop 6: Petrol pump

They had covered a good 20 miles and stopped only when they were sure that no police vehicle was following them.
“That was close!!” grinned Crazy Guy-2.
The santro was being refueled. “What an adventure! Imagine how the cops would have felt. So near yet so far!!” exclaimed Crazy Guy-1.
It was colder here! They got into the car and switched on the heater.
“Thank you God!!” exclaimed Crazy Guy -1.


3:00 a.m.

They were doing a good 120kmph since the last thirty minutes.
“How much more time?” asked Crazy Guy-1
“Thirty minutes... max” answered Crazy Guy-2.


3:40 a.m.

“Here I am…rock you like a hurricane!!” screamed the cd player.
The signboard on the road said “Welcome to Nasik.”
“Lets find a good place to spend the night in. you check out the left, I ll search the right” said Crazy Guy-2.
“Cool” said Crazy Guy-1. He was already scanning to the left for a hotel.


3:45 a.m. Stop 7: Forced stop at a Police check naka.

“License” growled the police officer. He was drunk and stinking of alcohol and they were scared.
Crazy Guy-2 produced his driving license.
“PUC aani gaadi che paper” he growled again.
“They are in the car” said Crazy Guy-2 and headed towards the car.
2 minutes passed by.
3 minutes passed by..
4 minutes passed by..
“There is some problem” thought Crazy Guy-1. He headed towards the car.
“Damn! I can’t find the PUC papers” said Crazy Guy-2.
“Fuck dude! We are fucked” groaned Crazy Guy-1.
“I have an old PUC. But it’s expired. Cant find the new one!”
“Let’s take our chances. Let’s show him the expired PUC”
They almost pissed in their pants while the officer was examining the papers.
“Jauu dyaa (Get going..)” the police officer said dismissively after he was through checking the car papers and PUC.
They wiped the sweats of their foreheads once they were in the car.
“Its freezing and we are sweating!” exclaimed Crazy Guy -1.
“Close call number 2. Boy, aren’t we riding on our luck tonight!” said Crazy Guy -2.
“Thank you God! That makes it twice in one night!!” said Crazy Guy -1.
They lit cigarettes to celebrate.


4:00 a.m. Stop 8: Some fucking hotel.

They had decided not to push their luck too far and check into the first hotel that came in sight.
“There’s one. Stop here. I ll check out if they have vacant rooms.” shouted Crazy Guy -1. It was small structure to the left of the road.
Two minutes later he flashed thumbs up to Crazy Guy -2, who then parked the car.
A few minutes later they were in bed. Fast asleep.


10:00 a.m. Same fucking hotel.

“Uth be! Get up you lazy fuck!” said Crazy Guy -2 as he kicked the sleeping Crazy Guy -1.
As usual, Crazy Guy -1 got up with difficulty and rubbed his sleepy eyes. Finally it was time to call her.
“Hullo”
“Hi. It’s me”
“How come you are calling up at this hour?”
“I am here in Nasik”
“What?????????? Are you serious?” (This was the expression that made the whole trip worth it.)
“Yes”
“I know you are lying.”
“No. I am not.”
“You should have told me that you are coming.”
“I wanted to surprise you”
“It will be difficult to leave from home.”
“That’s your job. Make up some excuse and come”
“I will try my best”
“Try!!!! You have to come”
“But where?”
“Its your city. You tell me”
“College Road. Shilpa Garden Restaurant”
“Ok. Done. We ll find it and get to it.”
“We? Who is with you?”
“Crazy Guy -2”
“I ll have to get Meeta then.”
“Nahiiiiiiiiiiii. Anyone but her!”
“There is no one else”
“In that case we can’t do anything about it then”
“Let’s plan for lunch at 1”
“Ok”


11:00 a.m. Same fucking hotel.

Crazy Guy -1 and Crazy Guy -2 weren’t looking so crazy after all. One was dressed in a metallica t-shirt and jeans and had his long hair tied back in a neat ponytail. The other was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and had a cap on. Good smart guys!! They had already had breakfast at the hotel.
“Let’s go to the restaurant!” said Crazy Guy -1.
“Don’t you want to give her a gift?” asked Crazy Guy -2
“Hmm… why can’t I think of all this man?”
“Because you are crazy”
“He he he… Ok let’s give her a gift.”


12:00 p.m. College Road

They had a box in the back seat of the car. It was nicely gift-wrapped and carried a warm message.
“Bhaisaab, do you know where Shilpa Garden Restaurant is?” asked Crazy Guy -1 to a passing stranger.
“Never heard of it” he said without a miss in his stride.
“Your turn” said Crazy Guy -1.
“Hello Boss. Shilpa Restaurant kidhar hai” asked Crazy Guy -2 to another stranger.
“Aage right, phir signal se left, phir aage se third right.” The stranger replied.
“Kitna door hai (how far is it)?” asked Crazy Guy -2.
“paanch minute (five minutes)” he said.
“Thank you” said Crazy Guy -2 and was already accelerating.


12:55 p.m. Lost on College Road

“Paanch minute! Son of a gun!!” cursed Crazy Guy -2. They had been searching for the restaurant for almost an hour now.
“Sir, where is Shilpa Restaurant?” asked Crazy Guy -1 to the umpteenth stranger.
No one seemed to have a clue where this restaurant was!
“Whats that?” asked Crazy Guy -2 suddenly, pointing to a board to the left side of the road.
The Godsent board was partly hidden by some trees which made it difficult to be spotted.
“Its Shilpa fucking garden fucking restaurant man!!” exclaimed Crazy Guy -1 and jumped in joy.
“Lets rock n roll then!!” said Crazy Guy -2 as he parked the car.


1:00 p.m. Shilpa Garden Restaurant.

There she was, at a corner table, waiting anxiously for him.
She smiled and waved out as she saw him. He smiled back and waved.
He then smiled and looked at Crazy Guy -2 who smiled back.


Finally they were there!!
What a journey it had been!!

Those were the days!! Fucking crazy days!!