Episode 2: A great escape

Emaan was in a jovial mood since this morning and his experience with the pretty but timid girl further adds to his high spirit. The whole world seems to be happier place to him than before. He merrily gets engrossed in enjoying the bike ride (which he had not done for quite some time)

On his way towards college (15 minutes ride from his home), he crosses a lively roadside vegetable market. From there, he takes a left turn to a road with slow moving traffic and waits for a minute on the signal at the junction. On seeing the much awaited green light, he turns right from the signal to take a small flyover.

“Stop, stop!”, a tactically hiding traffic police officer calls, waving his hand (as a gesture) to make Emaan slow down and consequently stop.

Startled by this, the young Emaan’s expression changes all of a sudden. The traffic police ask him to park the vehicle aside.

“Show me your license”, commands the traffic police gesturing his hand forward (expecting Emaan to give his license)

Baffled by the situation, Emaan hesitantly removes his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. Out of nervousness, Emaan struggles to find the driving license which was just in front of his eyes. Finally, he sees the driving license, takes it out and hands it over to the traffic police.

“You are driving without a helmet”, the police fix his gaze on Emaan.

 “Sir, I am carrying the helmet. See, it’s there”, Emaan hesitantly points his finger to his helmet on the fuel tank of his bike.

“Helmet is for your safety, which you are supposed to wear. It’s not to be kept for display on the bike”, the police scolds Emaan.

“Sir, I have some bruise on my head. So, my doctor said not to wear helmet for few days while riding,” Emaan tried to make an excuse but the police did not budge.

“The fine is Rs. 300 for riding without helmet. Tell me your name “, the police pretended to be filling the challan on his hand.

Emaan tried all his convincing skills but in vain. The police leave Emaan unattended and wave his hand to other bike rider without helmet and gets busy with him.

Realising that he cannot leave the sight without taking the driving license back, Emaan finally removes his wallet and checks for the available money. All he could find is Rs. 200(one Rs.100 note and two Rs.50 notes).

Emaan starts calculating in his mind, “I would be meeting my friends after long time and we may at least go for lunch together in the cafeteria. So, minimum Rs. 100 is what I would definitely need in college.”

Emaan contemplates, “Let me call my dad and request him to come and sort this out by paying the fine.”

But the truth strikes Emaan like lightening and he realises that he would be scolded more by his dad for not wearing the helmet in the first place.

In the meanwhile, Emaan’s attention goes to the newly caught rider and he notices him talking to the traffic police.

That’s when a notorious idea come to Emaan’s mind. He takes out the PAN card (identity proof) and a Rs. 50 note from his wallet.

He folds the note, hides it under the PAN card and tries to secretly hand it over to the police, “Sir, you were asking for my name. Here it is, in the PAN card”.

The police notice the hidden note and understands that Emaan is offering him a bribe. He withdraws his hand and looking away from Emaan, says firmly, “You have to pay Rs. 300 as fine”.

Emaan murmurs and pleads, “I am just a college student and was going to college now. Sir, please!”

Discerning the police to be still unaffected, he takes his Rs. 50 back and replaces it with Rs. 100. He walks to the police who again gets himself occupied with other riders and requests him to come aside for private conversation.

“Sir please, here is the PAN card”, Emaan hands it over to the police with a lot of hope in his eyes.

The police peered at Emaan with cunningness and after analysing what he was being offered, he decides, “Take the driving license and the PAN card”.

The police, however, quickly keep the Rs. 100 note in his pocket and instructs, “Ensure you wear the helmet while riding the bike”.

Emaan feels like a deer who has just been able to save itself from getting killed by the lion. He takes a sigh of relief, wears the helmet (as instructed), starts his bike and quickly leaves the sight to rush to his college.