Run for your money!

He was running hard. He was pushing himself as hard as his physical makeup allowed him to. A quick glance at his watch disturbed him. He had five minutes to save his life and that’s all he had. Thoughts started surrounding him. If only…If only I hadn’t met him in the first place? If only I hadn’t believed what he said? If only I had listened to my parents? If only I had more time now? If only… He was getting desperate. Time was running away. He had to catch up with it somehow. He was running… He was thinking…

He was a normal working professional who had aspirations and who enjoyed life by the minute. It was all normal until he met one of his distant cousins on that fated occasion. Luck never favored me! I should have known when it all started on Friday the 13th! He was offered a partner role in a new establishment and he had to pool in a lot of money for it. His excitement had no parallels at the beginning. I was dumb!! He considered the possibility of owning a company and he was thrilled at the development. Yes he had to invest huge amounts of money, something that would take him five years in his current job to cumulate. Now I have only five minutes! But his partner assured him that profits will be triple the pooled in money. He knew he was always a born leader. Born loser! He was destined to succeed…

The company seemed to do well at the start. But, being heavily dependent on foreign exchange, it had succumbed to the global recession. Things started going awry and he had to face the investors who demanded their money back. Money was in circulation and noone was willing to return a single paise. The troubles started there. His partner had not invested any capital but he had leased out one of his properties for the company office. I was a fool to accept that! So his partner was insulated from the losses of the company though morally he owed 50% of the losses. That bastard has got no morals! Things were looking dangerous and his partner kept on promising him that all will be alright. The bubble burst the previous day when the investors stromed into the company demanding money and asking him to face legal action if he failed to do so. They can’t do this to me! I did nothing wrong! He and his partner couldn’t think of anything. They remained silent. Today…

He got the shock of his lifetime. His partner didn’t turn up to the office. He started suspecting some foul play since his partner had switched off this mobile too. It was afternoon already. Never have they both been late to office without informing the other. He was getting apprehensive. He always admired the cunning nature of his partner. His partner was smart and daring; that had helped in the business. He was too smart for me! But he knew his partner can’t escape since the office was standing in his partner’s apartment now. So somewhere he was assured that nothing would go wrong. Suddenly, two men came into the office and started looking around. On enquiry, they told him that they had bought the apartment an hour ago from his partner. His world sank. His partner had cheated him. His partner had sold his apartment and ran away. Forever…

He was running… He had to catch his partner. He learnt that his partner boarded a taxi to the railway station after getting the money. That sonofa bitch would be killed today! He had no money with him to catch an autorickshaw also. He ran to the station with all his might. Two minutes to the departure of the only train that hour. He was pushing himself. His face had suddenly got the look of a fierce murderer. The train had started by the time he reached the station. He ran hard towards it but was stopped by the railway manager asking him to show his pass or to get a ticket. By the time he got the ticket from the counter, the train had left…

He started crying. He had lost all this money. He had noone to support him now. He was better dead. He started contemplating about suicide when suddenly a hand tapped his shoulder. “Hi buddy! Why you looking worried and lifeless? We are safe now. I sold my apartment and gave that money to the investors who just left by train. I have rented the same apartment from them and we’ll continue our business with the rest of the money I have. And I have also insured the company this time so we needn’t worry about big losses again! All is for good. We are gonna rock again! Let’s celebrate the new beginning tonight with booze what say?” He was short of words when he heard his partner speak. With tears falling and with all the energy he could possibly amass, he hugged him. I was dumb indeed!!!