Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The body in the well

I was a pretty curious kid, wondering just about everything. There were not many mechanical or electronic goods in the house which had not bore the brunt of my curiosity, a beautiful alarm clock which my mother has still kept and scolds me even now for ruining it. Once the TV went broke and the way my dad looked at me, I thought I was gonna get it that day. Another obsession with me was peeping into wells, I don't know why, but I always thought all the wells had tortoise in them.

There was a place called Mayuri estate a near my house which had a huge brackish water well in the it. It was gated to prevent access to it.And always wanted to have a look. Finally a friend of mine had a house warming ceremony in Mayuri estate and me and my chums went there for the food. The area then was not yet developed and we went exploring and soon we came across the well and to my delight the well was not gated, happily it went in and peeped in, instantly I regretted it there was a body floating in it!!I just saw his bloated hand I distinctly remember he was wearing a white shirt and the something was wrong with his head.I ran scared and told my friends who did not believe nor had the guts to look themselves, another of my crazy friend Prasad agreed to look in and went ahead but he could not see it. He came back saying I was lying. Gathering up all my courage I again went in just to show from the other side of the well with Prasad following me. I saw it again and pointed out to him and I turn back and I see on one and see Prasad running like hell. He ran straight home. I was scared now thinking the police would arrest me and take me to the station. I too ran home, didn't tell my parents knowing that me going near a well would land me in trouble. An uncle had come home and he was going to a near by town and asked me to accompany him I only too happy to escape went with him.
After a good night of sleep I woke up. I was standing near the gate of my house and I saw two police constable standing near a shop, my hear started to beat rapidly I was convinced by now that they were looking for me and I was done for. I had told my sister about the body and I told her about the police. She being the elder and much much smarter then me reminded me that today was a festival and the police were just doing their rounds. I was very happy I was not caught.



A few days later I enquired with my friend whose house warming we had been to about the body. He told that some drunk guy had fallen in and had drowned. I was so relived. This incident took care of my curiosity about wells for quite a few years, needless to say I still love peeping into wells.