bepin chaudhury

“You’re sure that I did go to Ranchi?” Chuni’s look of amazement was not unmixed with worry. “D’you mean you have doubts about having gone at all?” “Did I go? Do you remember clearly?”

At seven thirty, Bepin Babu’s servant came and announced, “Chuni Babu, sir. Says it’s very important.” Bepin Babu knew what Chuni had come for. Chunilal had been at school with him. He’d been having a rough time lately and had been coming to see him about a job. Bepin Babu knew it was not possible to do anything for him and, in fact, told him so. But Chuni kept turning up like a bad penny.

Chuni sat down on the sofa, fixed Bepin Babu with a long, hard stare and said, “Bepin, have you taken to drugs or something? As far as I know, you had a clean record where such things were concerned. I know that old friendships don’t mean much to you, but at least you had a good memory. You can’t really mean that you’ve forgotten about the Ranchi trip?”

Bepin Babu sent word that not only was it not possible for him to see Chuni now, but not in several weeks. But as soon as the servant stepped out of the room, it struck Bepin Babu that Chuni might remember something about the ’58 trip. There was no harm in asking him. Bepin Babu hurried down the stairs and into the living room. Chuni was about to leave, but seeing Bepin Babu appear, he turned round hopefully.

Bepin Babu had to turn away from Chuni’s incredulous stare. “Do you remember what my last job was?” asked Chunilal. “Of course. You worked in a travel agency.” “You remember that and you don’t remember that it was I who fixed up your railway booking for Ranchi? I went to the station to see you off; one of the fans in your compartment was not working — I got an electrician to fix it. Have you forgotten everything? Whatever is the matter with you? You don’t look too well, you know.” Bepin Babu sighed and shook his head. “I’ve been working too hard,” he said at last. “That must be the reason. Must see about consulting a specialist.” Doubtless it was Bepin’s condition which made Chunilal leave without mentioning anything about a job.

Bepin Babu didn’t beat about the bush. “Listen, Chuni - I want to ask you something. You have a good memory, and you've been seeing me off and on for a long time. Just throw your mind back and tell me - did I go to Ranchi in ’58?” Chuni said, “’58? It must have been ’58. Or was it ’59?”

Paresh Chanda was a young physician with a pair of bright eyes and a sharp nose. He became thoughtful when he heard about Bepin Babu’s symptoms. “Look, Dr Chanda,” said Bepin Babu desperately, “You must cure me of this horrible illness. I can’t tell you how it's affecting my work.” Dr Chanda shook his head. “You know what, Mr Choudhury,” he said. “I’ve never had to deal with a case such as yours. Frankly, this is quite outside my field of experience. But I have one suggestion. I don’t know if it’ll work, but it’s worth a try. It can do no harm.”

Bepin Babu leaned forward anxiously. “As far as I can make out,” said Dr Chanda, “And I think you’re of the same opinion — you must have been to Ranchi, but due to some unknown reason, the entire episode has slipped out of your mind. What I suggest is that you go to Ranchi once again. The sight of the place may remind you of your trip. This is not impossible. More than that I cannot do at the moment. I’m prescribing a nerve tonic and a tranquilliser. Sleep is essential, or the symptoms will get more pronounced.”

Bepin Babu felt somewhat better the next morning. After breakfast, he rang up his office, gave some instructions and then procured a first class ticket for Ranchi for the same evening.

When Dr Chanda came, Bepin Babu said, “I’m fine. It all came back as soon as I got off the train at Ranchi.” “A unique case,” said Dr Chanda. “I shall certainly write about it in a medical journal.” “The reason why I sent for you,” said Bepin Babu, “is that I have a pain in the hip from a fall I had in Ranchi. If you could prescribe a pain killer…”

Back home, he rang up Dr Chanda and asked him to come over. Then, after a shower, he got into bed with an ice bag clamped on his head. Just then the servant brought him a letter which someone had left in the letter box. A greenish envelope with his name in red ink on it. Above the name it said ‘Urgent and Confidential’. In spite of his condition, Bepin Babu had a feeling that he ought to go through the letter. He tore open the envelope and took out the letter. This is what he read —

Getting off the train at Ranchi next morning, he realised at once that he had never been there before. He came out of the station, took a taxi and drove around the town for a while. He realised that the streets, the buildings, the hotels, the bazaars, the Morabadi Hill — with none of these had he the slightest acquaintance. Would a trip to the Hudroo Falls help? He didn't believe so, but, at the same time, he didn't wish to leave with the feeling that he hadn’t tried enough. So he arranged for a car and left for Hudroo in the afternoon.

At five o’clock the same afternoon in Hudroo, two Gujarati gentlemen from a group of picnickers discovered Bepin Babu lying unconscious beside a boulder. When he came round, the first thing Bepin Babu said was, “I’m finished. There’s no hope left.” Next morning, Bepin Babu was back in Calcutta. He realised that there was truly no hope for him. Soon he would lose everything: his will to work, his confidence, his ability, his balance of mind. Was he going to end up in the asylum at...? Bepin Babu couldn’t think any more.

Dear Bepin, I had no idea that affluence would bring about the kind of change in you that it has done. Was it so difficult for you to help out an old friend down on his luck? I have no money, so my resources are limited. What I have is imagination, a part of which I used in retribution of your unfeeling behaviour. Well, you’ll be all right again now. A novel I’ve written is being considered by a publisher. If he likes it enough, it'll see me through the next few months.

Yours, Chunilal

About the Story

1.

This story revolves around a man named Bepin Choudhury who doesn't remember his trip to Ranchi while everyone else does.

2.

The story keeps the reader hooked as we try to figure out the cause of Bepin Choudhury's mysterious forgetfulness.

3.

All his friends seem to remember things that he has no idea about.

4.

Has Bepin Choudhury really lost his memory? Let's find out.