1.30 am. I stepped out of office after my night duty.
A strong gust of cool wind blew. It meant just one thing: Rain. It was raining heavily somewhere. If my instincts are right, it would soon rain. I put on my raincoat, fastened the chin strap of the helmet and gunned my Honda Activa to life.
My colleague was riding pillion. ”Mark my words,” I told Parameshwaran as we hit the Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road. ”It will rain in five minutes..”
”How do you know that,” he asked. ”Instinct….,” I said.
A streak of lightning flashed. Followed by a thunderous boom. Seconds later, droplets fell.
From afar, I could hear the sound of the approaching rain. I looked for a place to park my vehicle and escape from the fury of the elements. The droplets had begun to gather strength. I turned left and entered Subhas Chandra Bose Road. POOF! Another flash of lightning and a thunderous crash…..the lights went out.
Drove right into the car park of a nearby building. And, rain fell. Torrential downpour. For nearly half an hour.
Parameshwaran and I stood there. Helpless. There was no way we could drive in that rain. Blinding rain. When it subsided, we moved out. Streetlights turned on. What we saw shocked us to the bone. Water. Ankle-deep water. Just 30 minutes of rain and ankle-deep water! Parts of the road were submerged.
The only saving grace was the water was flowing. Which meant the road would be free of water in maybe an hour or so. Where the road had a dip, people would have to wait until the sun was up and shining.
What if the rain never subsided? What if it rained incessantly for 4-5 days? What if the water had no place to flow to? What if the drains overflowed? What if the rivers were in spate and breached the banks?
What if the water rose up to your necks? What if you couldn’t move out of your houses? What if water filled your homes? What if there were no shops? What if there was no potable water? What if there is no electricity?
What if you saw your dear ones floating helplessly on the water? What if there is nothing to eat in the house? What if you can’t breathe? What if Kochi became Chennai?
All it takes is a second. There may not be a second chance. Nowhere to hide. Nowhere to run to.
Think, man, think. Sink your differences. Forget caste, creed or color. Unite as one. In the end, only one thing matters — Being human.
(Anoop Thomas is the Deputy News Editor of The New Indian Express, Kochi, Kerala. He loves travelling, meeting people, making friends. His passions include photography, music and hogging food. He lives in Tripunithura near Kochi. He is married to Elsy Paul.)