The Ghost Story:
“Have you ever seen a ghost, Ashwin?” Ramakrishnan (RK) asked me that question a few months back. For a moment I just stared at him. “Don’t worry, I am not a ghost” said RK. But seeing that I was not fully convinced after the question, he told me that he had met a ghost yesterday and wanted to narrate that incident to me, if I accompanied him for a cup of tea. On the way we met Lloyd who too wanted to hear the ghost story from RK.
After the late night calls in the office, RK started smoking his 23rd cigarette for that day. He got into the car and was about to drive when suddenly someone came and asked him whether he has an extra cigarette. RK knew that he had just 2 more left and if he gives that he will not be able to complete his daily quota of 25. Unwillingly he gave the person one. The person asked for the lighter also. RK gave it and advised him to keep a stock of all these in future. RK started off and but immediately realized that the other person has not given back the lighter. RK rushed back to the spot and tried to find him. He couldn’t find anyone there. Suddenly someone caught him from behind. It was a security guard.
“What are you doing here?”
“I am searching for a person who took my lighter”
“There is no one here. The last person who stepped out of this place is you”
RK explained the whole situation to him.
“Sir I was watching you coming here, lighting the cigarette and going in the car. No one was there with you!!”
RK was completely taken aback. He got into the car and started driving slowly.
As soon as RK was out of the main gate, he saw someone by the roadside, waving hands at him. RK stopped the car and found that it was the same person to whom he had earlier given the lighter. He gave the lighter to RK and thanked him for all the help.
“Oh my god, I thought I was imagining a lot of things these days. Small incidents like these make me feel that I am still a normal person” RK told himself with a smile.
That night at around 2 O’ clock RK heard a knock in the window. He was not scared as he did not realize what was happening. As he opened the window he saw the same person outside. Before RK could say anything, the person asked for a cigarette.
“How did you find my house?”
“I knew that you had one more cigarette with you” – the man said
“So…”
“Please give it to me”
“No. I need it for later”
“Ok. Then can I come and sleep inside your house as it is very cold outside?”
RK ran and took the last cigarette and gave it to the person as he did not want more trouble. He saw the person going to the gate and then vanished somewhere.
Lloyd started laughing as the story ended. “I think you had a nightmare yesterday, RK”
RK was quite serious - “Don’t laugh at me like this. Once something like this happens to you, then you will start believing me”
But that did not stop the smile on Lloyds face. Soon Lloyd went to the tea shop and brought tea for all of us. But then RK was not to be seen. Lloyd went out and came back running to me.
“Hey Ashwin, I think there is some problem with RK. I think he is speaking to himself or else he is speaking to the ghost. Come out and see for yourself”
I went out with Lloyd and found RK speaking to himself
Seeing us staring at him RK came to us and said “Guys I am on a call and speaking on my new Bluetooth headset!!!”
“Have you ever seen a ghost, Ashwin?” Ramakrishnan (RK) asked me that question a few months back. For a moment I just stared at him. “Don’t worry, I am not a ghost” said RK. But seeing that I was not fully convinced after the question, he told me that he had met a ghost yesterday and wanted to narrate that incident to me, if I accompanied him for a cup of tea. On the way we met Lloyd who too wanted to hear the ghost story from RK.
After the late night calls in the office, RK started smoking his 23rd cigarette for that day. He got into the car and was about to drive when suddenly someone came and asked him whether he has an extra cigarette. RK knew that he had just 2 more left and if he gives that he will not be able to complete his daily quota of 25. Unwillingly he gave the person one. The person asked for the lighter also. RK gave it and advised him to keep a stock of all these in future. RK started off and but immediately realized that the other person has not given back the lighter. RK rushed back to the spot and tried to find him. He couldn’t find anyone there. Suddenly someone caught him from behind. It was a security guard.
“What are you doing here?”
“I am searching for a person who took my lighter”
“There is no one here. The last person who stepped out of this place is you”
RK explained the whole situation to him.
“Sir I was watching you coming here, lighting the cigarette and going in the car. No one was there with you!!”
RK was completely taken aback. He got into the car and started driving slowly.
As soon as RK was out of the main gate, he saw someone by the roadside, waving hands at him. RK stopped the car and found that it was the same person to whom he had earlier given the lighter. He gave the lighter to RK and thanked him for all the help.
“Oh my god, I thought I was imagining a lot of things these days. Small incidents like these make me feel that I am still a normal person” RK told himself with a smile.
That night at around 2 O’ clock RK heard a knock in the window. He was not scared as he did not realize what was happening. As he opened the window he saw the same person outside. Before RK could say anything, the person asked for a cigarette.
“How did you find my house?”
“I knew that you had one more cigarette with you” – the man said
“So…”
“Please give it to me”
“No. I need it for later”
“Ok. Then can I come and sleep inside your house as it is very cold outside?”
RK ran and took the last cigarette and gave it to the person as he did not want more trouble. He saw the person going to the gate and then vanished somewhere.
Lloyd started laughing as the story ended. “I think you had a nightmare yesterday, RK”
RK was quite serious - “Don’t laugh at me like this. Once something like this happens to you, then you will start believing me”
But that did not stop the smile on Lloyds face. Soon Lloyd went to the tea shop and brought tea for all of us. But then RK was not to be seen. Lloyd went out and came back running to me.
“Hey Ashwin, I think there is some problem with RK. I think he is speaking to himself or else he is speaking to the ghost. Come out and see for yourself”
I went out with Lloyd and found RK speaking to himself
Seeing us staring at him RK came to us and said “Guys I am on a call and speaking on my new Bluetooth headset!!!”
