Boldness or Over-confidence?

It was 1994. I was posted as Chief Manager of Deoghar Branch (Bihar, now in Jharkhand). I was planning to own a car. In those days, our entitlement for car loan was very small. Incidentally, it was so low that you could not even think of purchasing a new car. So, I was in search of a second hand car. My wife had some liking for Fiat car and we found one. The condition of the car was very good and we decided to go for it. Somehow, with the Bank loan and some margin money provided by my brother, we purchased the car. We spent another two thousand rupees for repair of minor denting and painting. No wonder, it was looking like a new car.

Prior to the car, I had a motorcycle. Before purchasing the car, I procured learner’s licence for driving four-wheeler. The Branch had a jeep at the material time. So, whenever I used to go to any place beyond the crowded area of the town, I started holding the steering. It would be not more than twenty days albeit with gaps. Only for a day, I was in total control of the vehicle and the driver was sitting on the other end of the front seat guiding me off and on. The place was a wide field. So, despite the engine getting sped up or stopped, the threat of accident was not there. Again after the purchase of the car, my very good friend Shreeprakash gave one Sunday morning to make me understand the nitty gritty of driving. That was all about my learning how to drive a car. Within a month, I got my permanent driving licence. Shreeprakash and I went for a short drive on two / three consecutive Sundays.

Fiat had a typical problem relating to charging of battery. To keep the battery charged, I used to keep the engine on for at least fifteen minutes alternate days. It was more than a month, I didn’t have the opportunity of taking my family for a ride. But the opportunity came by way of an invitation from the organisers of a flower show at Bajla College. It was to be inaugurated on a Sunday by the Superintendent of Police who was always a great help to our Bank. So, I decided to take my family there by car.

On that day, we reached the venue on time and I had no problem in driving inside the town. I was feeling very confident and we went into the college premises. The flower show was inaugurated and we spent a quality time with variety of beautiful flowers. It was winter season and by the time we came out, it was little dark. My family members got into the car. I then tried to start it but in vain. I was very upset as I had to request some people to push it to bail me out. But as there was option, I put a request to the driver of a close by vehicle to help me. He responded immediately and went to call his other two friends from inside the college premises. It would be pertinent to mention that there are many ups and downs in the town. Incidentally, as a novice, the place where I parked the vehicle was a slope with front in the upward direction.

By the time the person whom I requested for help, another driver who probably observing my predicament, came to me and offered help by pushing the car backward to start the car and I instantly agreed. My wife and son got down but my daughter who was only three years old insisted and sat beside me. With a little push the car got started but I failed to lift my foot from the accelerator and with the high speed the car fell into the roadside drain (for clearance of rain water) and hit the boundary wall of the college with a bang. It was my mistake of accepting his suggestion when I was not at all comfortable in backward movement of the car. I switched off the car and took my daughter out. She was very scared but did not cry.

Meanwhile, the first person and his friends came there to help me. Seeing my car’s position, they felt bad and asked me why I didn’t wait for them to come back. I had no words but to feel bad. While one of them took charge of the steering, five persons pushed the car to bring it back on road by chanting, “Jai Bajrangbali”. The car was pushed out of the drain. I thanked them and came back to our residence. As one back-end of the car dashed against the wall, that portion along with the back light got damaged. But I was very much thankful to God as the damage was insignificant as compared to what could have been happened under that situation. The possibility of casualties also could not been ruled out. Even today, I wonder whether it was the outcome of my boldness or over-confidence?

Tailpiece: From that day onward, my daughter would invariably utter “Jai Bajrangbali” whenever we went anywhere by car till the time the car remained with us.

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