Girish, a Keralite, was an Airforce employee, attached to a huge aircraft that used to drop military personnel at various places. This 6 ft smart looking officer was attached to Agra base and was liked by everyone whether it be at workplace or at home.
Giri liked driving a lot. But, his father, Chandran, had advised him not to drive any vehicle. Some well known astrologer had advised Giri not to drive as it may result in some disaster, and he religiously followed those instructions.
Giri was ready for marriage and many proposals came his way. He somehow liked the tall and fair looking Suja and the marriage was finalized on 12th September 1993. The marriage went well as per expectations though none of the photographs taken were clear and satisfactory. The post marriage ceremonies were also completed with lot of enthusiasm and there was happiness all-around. Giri had taken 40 days leave for the marriage and it was time for him to go back. It was very difficult for Giri to leave Suja in Kerala and go back to Agra. However, he left for Agra somewhere around last week of October 93. At Agra, all his friends were very happy to receive him and he threw a huge party to celebrate his marriage and also return to camp. Regularly in the evening, he made it a point to go to the nearest PCO, call his wife and chat till the next guy at the booth starts shouting.
13th November’ 1993 was the birthday of Suja and how can Giri forget that? He started his planning well in advance. The instructions not to drive restricted his movements to a certain extent. But, his friends were always there to help him at any moment. He requested his close friend Ravi to take him to Agra town to purchase gifts for his wife. Giri took three full days to select the gift and this surprised Ravi and his friends. There was not a single corner in Agra where these two haven’t gone in search of the gift. In the end, he selected a card in which a cat was depicted to be in love, moves towards his lover, gets trapped under a bus, gets hurt and then again gets under some other vehicle, gets more hurt and somehow reaches the destination and with great pain he says ‘happy birthday.’ He also selected a full black pyjama kurta at a time when black colour was not a fashion and people hated it. His friends were shocked to see the birthday gift. The friends were under the impression that Giri would take leave and go to visit his wife or send the gift through courier. But, that wasn’t the case. Giri asked Ravi to keep the gift with him and when Ravi asked him “what am I going to do with this” he replied “someone will come at the right time and take it.”
13th November was fast approaching and Giri wanted to be the first person wishing her on that day. On 12th night around 11:45, he calls Ravi, who was fast asleep and told him “yar, let us go to the nearest PCO. I want to wish her exactly one minute past midnight.” Ravi couldn’t say anything… Both of them got ready and Ravi started his scooter. On the way to the PCO, there was a theatre and the last show had just finished. The fellow who was selling peanuts on his handcart was about to cross the road. The two friends on scooter were at full speed. It was dark all over and they didn’t see the handcart crossing. The scooter went and bashed into the handcart and the two friends were thrown up and fell yards away. Giri fell on his back hitting the back of his head on some hard substance and died on the spot. Ravi survived but broke almost all his bones…
The news of Giri’s death came as a big shock for the entire family. However, his dad was called by the Airforce officers at Agra to hand over the body. They also suggested that the body be cremated at Agra itself by Airforce with due honors to which his father agreed.
The friends, who were in tears, handed over the birthday gifts to Giri’s father, who had kept it with him for a long time. Giri’s premonitions were precise. But, is there anything more than premonitions is a mystery that needs to be answered.
Suja, later got married to one of Giri’s friends in the same establishment and are well settled in life.
Ravi was court-martialed for not taking permission to go out of the cantonment area and that too at midnight and was demoted to a lower rank…
