It Happened One Night...............

Five minutes more of sleep did not mean that, the world would come to an end.
Opening my eyes in the morning meant another boring day in the office, where I worked as an errand boy in a corporate office. The pay was good, but the work was mundane. It meant serving coffee, running to banks delivering letters to office and other odd jobs.
I had been an exceptionally rewarding student in my school but could not proceed more than standard IX due to acute financial problem. This job was my only way to survive. This was not the kind of work I always wanted…I had always aspired to do something big…something which would go down to history…
The landlady of my apartment was very punctual; she wanted her tenants to move out of their rooms by six, for her daily cleaning.
And as sure as night followed day, the old lady started prowling my corridor:
“Come on, Paul. Its ten minutes to six.”
No laziness was allowed in her apartment. I had to get up and dress. Didn’t I hate that old dragon?
* * * * *
The day was unusually bad. First, I got my salary cut for arriving late. That was not enough, the cashier complained against me to the manager, that I had probably stolen a thousand rupees from the cash box. I kept on insisting that I had never touched the box. The man held a firm ground and I was fired . I had always been an honest fellow and had never cheated a person in my life
It was a shock, as I had no family and no close friends. My wages served for my house rent, food and clothing.. The loss of my job came as a big blow to my ordinary regular life. Getting another job would be very difficult, as I did not have any formal education. It seemed to me that suicide was the only way out.
* * * * *
That night, I walked down a lonely street, not knowing what lay waiting in my future. When suddenly a large hand muffed me, I struggled but in vain, the man was too strong for me. Suddenly a blow struck my head and I fell unconscious.
* * * * *
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a dinghy and cramped room, with no ray of light. My wrists and ankles burned with pain and my stomach gnawed with hunger.
Suddenly, I heard the lock turn open. Startled I tried to sit up.The room was dark so, I could not see the visitor. Hands seized me and forced me to sit up against the wall.
A mocking voice coated with sugar said:
“What a sudden meeting this is, isn’t it?”
“Who are you”, I shouted. Patience is not one of my virtues.
“Easy, easy now”, my captor replied, “We have all the time in the world!”
“I don’t!” I replied scathingly.
“Keep shut!” said he. His voice changed to a rough and hoarse one.
“If I choose, I can finish you this very minute, but I have taken pity on you.
I have a proposal. If you agree, then all will be well, if you don’t GOD HELP YOU!”
I did not say a word, as I was too scared.
“Good!” he continued, “You see my gang has run short of members, as most of them have been arrested. My offer is that either you join our team or……..”
I have earlier mentioned that, I am a very conscious-driven person; this offer was unimaginable.
“Do choose wisely”, saying this, the venomous man left.
I pondered on this thought for a long time…was this a choice?
It was like choosing between the demon and the deep blue sea. If I agreed to join then I would become a criminal, if I did not then I would be tortured to death. It was certainly a very hard choice to make…………………
Today I am known as the “DON”, a master criminal and the most dreaded person in the society. Yes, you are correct; I did give in to their offer. I climbed the ladder, gradually by killing, extortion and smuggling of illegal goods. Now, I have the world beneath my feet. I have power and money; nothing is in lacking. I did do something big, something that would go down in the history……………….