A.
Editor-in-Chief,
Can’t you afford me a moment’s respite to sip my coffee in peace?
I almost choked on the truffle cake, oh come on Gursheel gimme a break . . . I’ve taught you folks how to handle breaking stories . . . ah how my back ache is playing up again . . . tell Vidya to handle the call . . . what on earth could be so earth shattering that you guys can’t tackle . . . what does that Joseph chappie take me to be, his boss or butler . . . hey, hey come again you said a blast in a
My dear girl how stupid can you be . . . our reporter was on that very same train . . . that’s great . . . yes but off course transfer the line immediately . . . yes Joseph I’m all ears for you . . . oh gosh you said it ripped apart . . . no don’t panic, I’ll have the crew and OB van reach you in ten minutes precise and dare you move from that blasted site . . . meanwhile you pull yourself together boy . . . don’t panic I said, they’ll be right there . . . you know you’ve earned your place in broadcasting history through sheer accident . . . hey, hey Ghosh just run the news flash as I fix my tie . . . Joseph boy I said don’t panic maintain your cool . . . observe the details as I tie the knot . . . yes I’ll myself go right on air . . . wow we’re the first ones to make it . . . now hurry and look around . . . how many died do you presume . . . take a wild guess for I have to make a dramatic impact with the first breaking lines . . . oh come on Joseph it’s our duty now, no time for such sentimental crap . . . talk to Vidya while I rush into the studio . . . Gursheel get me Rajiv on the line . . . must brace myself for the next few hours . . . Ramu rush and get me my painkillers idiot . . . I’ll have to suffer the chair for god knows how long now . . . you fool unless it’s me how do we boost the TRPs . . . yes Rajiv I’ve got some rocking news . . . just shut your gob and listen to me . . . this is our day old boy . . . we’re the first to know and let the world know . . . yes while you dance your jig and inform shareholder’s and advertisers lemme puff my face and scamper to the anchor’s seat . . . what Gursheel . . . Rajiv I’ll talk to you later . . . what there was another blast . . . damnit transfer the line fast . . . Joseph I wish I could give you a hug . . . just stay put they’ll be there any minute . . . any head count yet . . . oh Vidya ask Gauri to jump off the chair, I’m almost ready . . . you stay on guard in my seat . . . oh by the way have the other’s yet got the whiff . . . Gursheel monitor all outgoing calls . . . make sure no one squeals to the Roy brigade . . . today at long last is My day . . . thank good lord for his divine ways . . . yes are you guys in the control panel ready to roll . . . make sure you scroll the exact figures on the teleprompter screen . . . and now we’re about to go on air . . . it’s show time folks as death stalks the air waves now . . . I thank you lord for making this come true for me . . . and now it’s time to dwell on national disaster that helps us hold our sway . . . tell all reporters in Bombay to rush to the other sites . . . I have a hunch there might me more . . . those darlings will not stop with just a singular blast . . . put all else on hold as I go on air . . . yes my time begins . . . shit were it not for my back ache . . . but that’s a blessing in disguise . . . the pain contorting my face will add to the gravity of the situation and yes now we go on air . . . good cheer to all as we ready ourselves for this battle now . . . it’s show time folks . . . this is Rajshekhar reporting live . . .
B.
Joseph, TV Reporter at Khar station
This is Joseph on the phone . . . we’ll soon bring updates and live images from the site as soon as the crew arrives . . . I was in the very same train . . . two compartments ahead was the first class bogey that blew up . . . I was returning home after my duty got over . . . I heard a thunderous sound and our train was coming to a grinding halt . . . people panicked and started scampering, some jumping out of the running train, others, trampling anyone who came their way . . . I barely managed to survive the stampede as the train ground to a halt and rushed out . . . there was pandemonium all around . . . billowing smoke from the compartment blown to shreds . . . people running helter-skelter . . . blood strewn bodies piled in heaps, blood stained passengers crying for help . . . no railway officers in sight as yet . . . though I too am hurt I have to stay put . . . it’s my duty . . . yes I’m the fortunate first to report this tragedy . . . no, not spoken to family yet but if they are watching this show they’ll know I’m safe for sure . . . unlike many others who are now left faceless . . . how will their family’s know . . . yes Rajshekhar I’ll remain on the show . . . to bring you updates by the passing hour . . . I’ve just heard Matunga too was not spared . . .
C.
Ganpat Rao, Tea-stall Owner at Matunga station
Ganpati Bappa saved me and my staff . . . one body flew right inside the stall making it all messy and bloody . . . such a tough time we had with no railway staff in sight . . . but my boys were brave . . . they packed the body in the gunny bag and dumped it at a corner . . . washed and cleaned . . . even rushed out with water to help the wounded . . .the jhopadpattiwallas rushed out with bedspreads made into makeshift stretchers to carry those half alive with severed limbs . . . some of them frisked the wounded and scooted with wallets and cell phones . . . but that is okay for they are the ones who rushed to hospitals . . .the place is now swarming with TV reporters . . . they even took my quote . . . what exactly I saw and heard . . . my family must be surely proud to see my mug on screen . . . I spoke well . . . hurled abuses at politicians and those rubbish, bribe seeking burping policemen who pay no attention . . . but my business is doing well as people are rushing in for food and tea . . . my cooks are working overtime, frying hot samosas, packing vada pau’s . . .
D.
Yahwant Tawde, Politico at Bhayender
Jai Maharashtra . . . those infidels have done it again . . . had it been Bala Saab’s reign none of this would have happened . . . this government is full of eunuchs with secular intent . . . given our ways we would have beaten the shit of out of them and driven these terrorists from the city long back . . . yet aamchi Mumbai will fight back . . . we’ll make sure these buggers will pay . . . Bhau is expected here shortly, he will raise a hue and cry and make sure the chief minister goes . . . be rest assured we Sainiks are here with you night and day . . . look at those jokers TV reporters running with their mikes . . . they make things worse showing our city in such poor light before the world . . . hey you there do you think I’m joking or what that you grin . . . are you one of them . . . brothers slap him on his face . . . don’t worry we are there . . . there’s nothing to fear . . . Bhau is on his way . . . called me on my mobile just now . . . Jai Maharashtra . . .
E.
Sheikh Jamal, Imam at Jogeswari
Point a finger at us is all they can do when their system fails . . . haven’t our brothers been blown up too . . . they just need an excuse to run us down . . . for all you know they might have done it themselves . . . weren’t they the ones who went on a rioting spell just a few days back when they themselves defaced a statue of their leader’s wife to create a communal strife . . . don’t you remember what they did to us in ’93 . . . our trouble is that we have remained silent too long . . . our leaders have failed to stand up for us . . . all this mess could be averted if they chose to stick to our laws . . . an eye for an eye is what those bastards deserve . . . tomorrow even the newspapers will point fingers at us . . . the TV reporters are already talking about Islamic hands . . .in our own country we are pariah dogs . . . these brigands make our lives hell . . . but brothers the time has come to retaliate . . . don’t take it lying down anymore . . . Inshallah . . .
F.
Amit Basu, Citizen at Lokhandwala
We sip chai and munch samosas as we see gory images of blasts that have occurred all around our city . . . the nearest one just about two kilometres away . . . we tut and hiss in effete anger . . . switch channels to see who provides better coverage . . . call friends who might have been on trains . . . safe in knowledge that all our known one’s have reached home or will shortly . . . we remain glued to TV . . . that is how immune we have become to terror . . . that is exactly how we have become immune to tragedy unless it strikes us down . . . that is how we have ceased to be concerned about anything anymore . . . do we deserve to be called human being when we watch with the same glee of a Roman mob at the gladiators battling out for their lives . . . we have truly donned the garb of barbaric citizens without any shame left in our hearts . . . the milk of human kindness has dried up absolute . . . even tear drops have simply evaporated . . . my twelve year old son is busy playing video games on my laptop . . .
G.
Maureen, Socialite at Colaba
I’m so sorry darling had to call it off at the last moment . . . these damn blasts I tell you will be the life of me . . . everything was arranged, even the orchids were in place . . . I’d planned this monsoon soiree in such detail . . . there was a surprise rain dance that I’d arranged on the terrace by the poolside . . . the champagne was being chilled . . . about that not to sweat, we’ll save it for the next week . . . it’s the caviar that that I worry about . . . had ordered generous portions . . . after all it was Percy’s big day . . . now he’s sulking in front of the TV screen nursing a brandy poor fella . . . all our friends are this side you know but then . . . such burbie monstrosity has left all of us in a tizzy . . . the Commissioner was supposed to attend along with Percy’s I.A. S friends . . . now surely they can’t for it will seem so politically incorrect . . . especially those prying TV journos forever snooping . . . it’s a crime to be well off in this blasted city . . . don’t fret Mona I have a swell idea . . . how about a kitty tomorrow . . . the lunch will be grand as it is ready. . . we’ll have a women’s ball . . . drink ourselves silly . . . I only hope the derby doesn’t get cancelled or such a waste . . . bought myself a swell chignon and glowing pearls to match . . . these TV news reporters tend to exaggerate . . . it’s soap opera for them you see . . . they never miss such a chance . . . but off course we’ll do the regular charity thingy . . . Mrs. Poonawalla just called to say that Sunday might be a good day . . . the Jogeswari slums and the K.E.M hospital. . . I’ve thought of getting the kids to organize a blood donation camp . . . that way they’ll eventually do something useful for society and we’ll get coverage . . . after all the mess my son did banging his car in a drunken stupour . . . thankfully for the blasts all such gossip will bite the dust . . . that’s the blessing . . .
H.
Sarita, Desperate Housewife from Borivali
He usually takes the Borivali fast from Churchgate at 6.10 sharp . . . I heard it first at 8 when a neighbour rushed to in to inform that she had seen the news of the blast on TV . . . I called him on his mobile instantly and my heart sank when it didn’t respond . . . I forced my brother in law to rush with me . . . we went to the station where there was a melee . . . I couldn’t enter the platform as it was cordoned off . . . the volunteers asked us to check the nearest hospital . . . we couldn’t find him there . . . oh dear God I only hope he’s still around . . . we’ve been running from one hospital to another throughout the night . . . yet no trace . . . what do I tell his father confined to bed . . . his mother I called home to find had fainted and my children one four one two have been wailing incessantly . . . God help me . . . I stand outside the morgue where they’ve left to rot several hands, limbs, heads blown to bits and mangled . . . how will I even recognise him . . . curse on me what am I saying . . . he must be somewhere around . . .maybe his boss held him back . . . but no one’s picking up the phone at office . . . what will I do . . . who’ll pay the EMI for the new flat . . . what wicked thoughts cross my mind . . . where do I go to find him now . . . my brother in law has been scampering even on railway tracks . . . where to now . . . it’s one at night . . . I shiver in the sweltering heat . . . the TV reporter now approaches . . .
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