Envelope...

Rishi began to dial number slowly, as he had done almost every evening at 6 since the day his father has passed away. For the next 15 mins he settled back to listen to what his mother had been up to that day.

She led such a sober life, that she rarely had anything of interest too tell him, least of all on Saturday. She had coffee every morning with her oldest friend, Mili and on Wednesdays and Fridays she plays cards with society friends. On Tuesdays and Thursdays she visited her sister, which at least gave her some grumble when he rang on those evenings.

Her only different activity being to purchase the bulky Sunday Times after lunch a strange tradition which atleast gave her chance to inform her son which stories to check on the following day.

For rishi every morning the conversation would consist of few appropriate questions depending on the day….

Rishi dialed the last digit number and waited for her to pick up the phone. He had already prepared himself to be told what he should look out for in tomorrow’s Sunday times. It usually took two or three rings before she answered the phone, the amount of time required for her to walk from chair by the window to the phone on the other side of the room. When the phone rang four, five, six, seven, rishi began to wonder if she might be out, but that wasn’t possible, she was never out after 6 she always kept her schedule.

Finally, he heard a click. He was about to say, ‘hi mom, its rishi’ when he heard a voice which was certainly not his mother’s and it was already in mid conversation. Thinking he has crossed-lined, he was about to put down, when some voice said ‘there’ll be 7crores in it for you. All you have to do is to turn up and collect it. It’s in an envelope for you at SB.


So where is SB? Asked a new voice.

‘It’s on the corner of the causeway. They will be expecting you at 7.

Rishi tried not to breathe in and out as he wrote address on the pad by the phone.

‘How will they know the envelope is for me’? Asked second voice.

‘You just ask for the copy of Times of India and hand over 100rs. He’ll give you change along with envelope. Don’t open the envelope until your are in a safe place- there are lots of people in Mumbai who wants to get their hands on this money. And what ever happens you don’t ever contact me again.

The line went dead.

Rishi hung up, having completely forgotten that he was meant to be ringing his mom.
He relaxed for some time and considered what he has to next- if anything. His wife has gone to pick up the kids as she does on every Saturday. They weren’t expected to return until 10.

Rishi then checked the directory looking for SB. He quickly found out it and started calculating the time of traveling. It would take him half and hour to get over to Westside. It was 6.14. What was he thinking of? He had no intention of going anywhere. To start with he didn’t have 100rs note.

Rishi took his wallet from the inside pocket of his jacket and counted: Rs37

He walked to kitchen to check Ria’s cash box. It was locked and he couldn’t remember where she had kept keys.

He took a screw-driver from the drawer beside the stove and forced the box to open: another 22rs. He rushed to another room and checked his jacket another 10rs and 75 paisa
He then rush to his daughters room broke her piggy bank: another 6rs and 75paisa.

He sat on the end of the bed, desperately trying to concentrate, then recalled that a 50Rs note he always kept folded in the driving license for emergencies. He added up all his gatherings they came up to 117.50Rs.

Rishi checked his watch, it was 6.23 he would just go and take a look.

He took his old coat, went out of his apartment, checking as he left that all three locks on. He pressed the elevator button, but there was no sound. Out of order again. So he jogged down the stairs.

The barman smiled at him, as he walked in. rishi enquired whether he had a 100rs note, and took one from him.

He walked slowly for the two blocks until he came to a bus stop. He thought he would be too late but… the bus came, he climbed, paid his fare and planned to do once he reached Westside.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he missed his stop and walk back.

As he got nearer to causeway, he found his pace slowing with every step, but there it was just a billboard with white on blue ‘causeway’ he checked his watch again it was 6.49.

He stared across, opposite side; there came people in and out of SB.

He paused at the door of SB behind the counter was a man stacking some newspaper. He wore a black t-shirt and jeans. Must be 40 and six foot tall and a well built body.

A customer behind rishi brushed him and asked for the packet of cigarettes. As the customer went rishi slipped his hand in his pocket took out 100rs from his wallet.

The man behind counter waited impassively as rishi slowly slipped his wallet back in his pocket.

‘The Times of India’, rishi heard himself saying, as he placed 100rs on the counter.

The guy at the counter glanced at his watch and then to the note. He seemed to hesitate for the moment, until he reached under the counter. The man emerged with a thick, long, white envelope and passed it along with the news paper, his face totally impassive and then gave him change of 100rs.

Rishi went out in a hurry and ran, frequently glancing over his shoulder to see if anyone was following him.

Rishi then took a cab.

As the cab eased in the traffic, rishi took the envelope. He could hear his heart bumping. For the next 15mins he spent most of his time looking sat the side window.

When he spotted ‘Ravissant’. He came out of the cab handling over a 15rs note and went towards a subway. He crossed the road went in the opposite direction and took another cab. He congratulated himself for this bluffing which he took from some silly movie.

Once he came near to his locality he left cab and started to walk back to home. He reached his society, pressed elevator button- still not working he jogged again 7 floors up.
He simply ran inside his home and slammed the door. He then rested against the wall.

He was pulling the envelope out of his inside jacket the phone rang. His first thoughts were some how he got traced and that guys need their money back. He stared at the phone for a moment and then nervously picked up the receiver.

‘hello rishi is that you’

Then he remembered ‘yes mom’

‘You didn’t cal at six’ she said.

‘I m sorry mom I did but…’ he tried to avoid telling her mom.

‘I have been calling you past half and hour, have you been out’?

‘only to the bar across the lane, I go there for a drink when ria and kids are out’.

He placed the envelope next to him, waiting some miracle happens but aware that he would have to stay to go through the usual routine.

‘Anything interesting in the paper mom’?

‘Not much’, she replied.

Now a day’s papers are full of politics, p3 and cricket.

‘Mom I can hear Ria’s step and kids giggling so bye and looking forward to have lunch with you.

‘But I haven’t told you about the fascinating stuff in the paper.

‘I am still listening’, said Rishi.

‘It’s a story about the scam recently grabbing in the city’.

Rishi began to open the envelope slowly

‘It seems that the gang has found a way of tapping into your phone while you’re dialing number…’

Another inch and the envelope is open in front of him.

‘So dial and you think you think you have got a crossed line’.

Rishi took his finger out of the envelope and began to listen carefully.

‘Then they set you as if you are hearing a real conversation’.

Sweat began to appear on his face.

‘They make you to come to some part of the city hand 100rs and you’ll get 7crores in exchange’.

‘Rishi thought that how easily he had fallen into their trap’.

‘They are using tobacconists and newspaper agents in the scam’.

‘So what’s in the envelope?’

‘Now that’s where they are already clever’, said his mom.

‘They have put in small booklet that gives advice how you can earn 7crores and its illegal and even it’s of 100rs a cover.
I already have, mom, Rishi wanted to say, but he just slammed the phone down and stared at the envelope.

The front door bell rang. Ria and kids must be back and she did probably forgotten her keys again.

The bell rang the second time.

‘Ok I m coming’, he shouted. He threw the envelope away.

Rishi pulled the door and found 3 massive men standing in the hall way. The man with black t-shirt leapt in and put a knife to rishi’s throat, while the other two grabbed him by arm. The door slammed shut behind him.

‘Where is it’? a guy shouted holding the knife.

‘What the hell are you talking about?’ shouted Rishi.

‘Don’t play games with us. We need our 7crores back’.

‘But their was no money inside, just a book and that too I threw’.

The man in black t-shirt cocked his head, while the other two fell silent. They ran towards kitchen.

‘Ok, then we’ll have to do the same thing with you’. The two men picked up Rishi like a sack of potatoes and carried him to the kitchen.

Just as Rishi’s head was about to disappear down the kitchen, he broke from his incineration and the phone and the front door bell began ringing at the same time……….