Life Upside Down

“For what is real can’t be seen and which is seen is not always real.”Reality is the ultimate truth a principle which can’t be ignored, but a sad fact is we prohibit truth meanly in our life. This was the case with Rohit, a sophisticated and charming young boy in his late twenties. He was living an accomplished life or one should say an enticing life. Everything he dreamed of was on his side. He was born to a wealthy family in India, in a city called Pune. He was handling his father restaurant, a 30 year old business which he was proud of running and be a part of it successful accomplishments over the years.

Rohit was married and had a beautiful and adorable wife whose name was Shalini.

He had a blissful married life, but prior to his marriage with Shalini he was in a relationship with a girl Tina, his girlfriend for almost 10 years. Those memories of spending time with Tina often captivated his mind but he shrugged those thoughts, as he was now a happily married man and was in no mood to disrupt his partnership with his wife, by embracing his past memories.

It was a usual busy day for Rohit on his business front. He was preparing to go back to home from his restaurant. He drove his car outside the street and headed towards his home. As he was driving his way home, suddenly from nowhere a big truck came on his way and rammed Rohit’s car from the side. His car got a nasty hit and rolled two, three times before coming to a halt. Many people came to Rohit’s rescue and an ambulance was called, he was knocked unconscious by the blow. Doctors in the nearby hospital started treating him, when he came back to his senses, he saw Tina in front of him holding a bouquet of flowers. Rohit was astonished to see Tina in front of his eyes, Tina ran to Rohit and hugged him and said “you finally came back” with tears in her eyes.

Nothing was becoming clear, his mind was puzzled with the situation, he asked Tina about his family, wife. Tina also seems to be confused, whatever Rohit was talking about, was not making sense to Tina. She told him that why he is asking about his family as he has no one apart from her. Rohit was angry and told her to stop playing games with her, as they have broken up and she is trying to mend their relationship. Tina asked Rohit to calm down and relax. Tina went outside the hospital room and asked the doctor about Rohit’s condition, why he was behaving so weird. She told doctor about their conversation, doctor replied that due to that sudden trauma which Rohit has received from his injury it has caused him neurological breakdown and inducing him to disorientation. 

Tina was a little worried by hearing the statement of the doctor, but the doctor consoled her that there is nothing to fear and that Rohit will regain his mental state by proper medication and care. Doctor advised Tina that he has prescribed Rohit some medication and within two days Rohit will be discharged from the hospital after completing routine check-ups. Doctor visited Rohit’s room and asked him how he was feeling now, Rohit speaking with a confused look “I am upset about the whole situation, that my girlfriend which I had broken up with, is coming to visit me and telling me that I have no family except her”. The doctor replied “you are in a state of delirium and need to relax, your cognitive abilities are not functioning to their adequate level and it will take time for your condition to improve”.

Rohit got a set back after hearing doctor words about his condition, and thought about seriousness of his condition. Two days passed by and he was discharged from the hospital. Tina came to take Rohit back to his place. Rohit sat down in her car and asked Tina “where are we going” she replied “We are going to our house”. As they were passing by the roads, everything was feeling new to Rohit the place, environment. Rohit asked again, “I am not familiar with this place are they in Pune or in other city”. She replied “We are in pune”, after few minutes they came to a place and Tina stopped her car in front of a house. She said, “I am sure you must have forgotten this place” Yes he said I am having difficulty in remembering what I am going through”. She told him that this is the place where they both were living.

Rohit mockingly laughed and said that is he in some sort of dream or is it really happening, suddenly his reality has changed. Tina told him that she loves him and everything which is going on with him will end soon and he will begin to realize his existence. Rohit make up his mind to get accustomed with the situation which he was facing now, as it will help him to save himself from getting insane. As they went inside the house, Rohit asked her about what he does for his livelihood, as he has forgotten his past. Tina told him that his parents died long time ago and he was a musician by profession and this is the place where he has created some soulful melodies. Rohit was now mesmerized by the reality which he was hearing, as he can now see a piano in front of him. He went near the piano and started pressing piano keys, for his surprise he was unknowingly able to create a wonderful piece of music, he was surprised to see that how he was able to play piano very well, as he had not played piano in his life as far according to the reality he knows.

Tina was excited to hear that music from the piano and excitedly tells him that it is the music which he has created. She was happy that after all this happened he still knows how to play the piano. Rohit was still wondering what else he will get to know about himself because everything was new for him. Tina told him not to worry about finances, as she has all covered and he can focus on his music whenever he is comfortable. Few moments later she brought the photograph of Rohit and herself, and told him that this is the photograph of their marriage. Rohit also saw that in the whole room there were photographs of himself and Tina, no one else. He asked about his identity cards, Tina handed them to him, to his amazement they also bear the same address on which he is staying. Rohit started thinking that either someone has removed his identity or he is hallucinating. Whatever it was, everything was new to him. Rohit decided to cope up with the situation and told himself that he has to accept the fact which he is now facing, as the doctor had also told him about his mental condition. Months passed, Rohit adapted himself with his ongoing reality. Soon time passed, he was blessed with a baby boy, and his life was again filled with joy. He began to grow old with his child, and now his boy was of school going age.

It was a usual activity for Rohit to drop his son to his school, but on one day as he had come to drop his son to school, he saw Shalini his wife with whom he was married before, in front of his eyes. He was filled with mixed emotions of shock and amazement.

At first he thought he might be dreaming, but as long as he fixed his eyes onto her, he realized it was a reality. He thought of chasing her, and eagerly awaited for Shalini to leave, after sometime he saw Shalini leaving from school in her car. Then he chased her but in no time he found himself lost in the streets as streets have changed their way. He tried this another day too, but this time also he ran out of luck. After failing to chase down he decided to meet her in school where his son was studying, but was not able to find her there. He tried finding her whereabouts with the school authorities but there also he faced disappointment.

After all this investigations he was exhausted, and realized that in running around finding information about Shalini he forgot to ask Tina, as she knew Shalini before. At the same time he also felt enraged that his wife was telling all lies, making up stories that he was married to her and didn’t had a family before. Rohit was going through the phase of anguish, hateful for his wife that how she had concoct all the stories up till here, but before drawing any conclusion he wants to make his wife confront why she had done all this. He straight went to his house and confronted Tina “Why you were telling lies about my past” Tina was dumbfounded and replied “ What happened to you, what I have done wrong.” Rohit, “I saw Shalini outside in the streets, she is real not my imagination, what had you done to Shalini, what have you gained from this”. Tina replied “your mental condition is deteriorating, you are seeing things which are not there.” 

Hearing all these talks Rohit got angry and went ahead to police station and filed a report in the police station narrating all his condition which he had gone through, giving them every detail of his own reality which he knows, also describing the car details which his previous wife Shalini was driving, as he remembered the license number. Rohit asked police advice asking how he should handle the situation, they gave him assurance that they will investigate this matter with his wife, and will check back the car details which he had provided. That night Rohit spend his night in a nearby hotel as he was not feeling comfortable in his own house. He decided to spend further days in that hotel, now he knew that he was living a life in a web of lies. 

Few days later police called Rohit, he went their excitedly hoping that something helpful had been done. He asked police officials about the proceedings, the cop to his surprised asked him, is he alright why he had filed a fraud complaint as the information given by him turned to be false? The car license number which he supposedly thinks of his previous wife Shalini, is his car number registered under his name. He has given forged document to the transport authorities of his own place of residence. Police officials said he has to pay fine and will go to jail for his deceitful conduct. Rohit was shattered by hearing all this, his world was upside down as it was already. He decided to call his present wife Tina. After few moments she arrived, and straightaway had a conversation with the officials there, describing Rohit’s medical condition that he had suffered from coma from an accident and had a neurological breakdown. She asked for forgiveness by supporting her statements with necessary Rohit’s medical papers. They both were left with paying necessary fine.

Rohit was deeply embarrassed, due to the situation he was facing. He asked forgiveness from his wife and went away from the sight of his wife. As he was walking alone in the streets, he saw Shalini passing by in a car, staring at him with a smile. Inside of his mind he was facing delusion, he was going insane, he mumbled “the world is throwing me upside down”. He decided to end his life and went towards a nearby hill and there he jumped. In the next moment he was able to find himself ones again in front of doctor and nurses assisting him, he was perplexed to see he was still alive, doctor congratulated him for his recovery and told him about his condition that he came back from coma after 6 months and it’s only possible because of his well-wishers, his family who were always there for him day and night. After a while doctor called his family inside, Rohit was puzzled, is his mind was playing a trick again, is he is really living. Many questions were still unanswered, in front he can see his wife Shalini, his parents hugging him with eyes full of tears of happiness, and he didn’t want to ruin their happiness, by detailing them by his ongoing mental trauma and continued the way his life was going ahead.