Often in life a single night or even a moment can change everything. I too had one such moment on 22nd December 2018. I am Rupu, an Indian housewife and at that time 24 years. I was married about 15 months back. Since last two days I was alone at home as my husband was on an official tour. He was supposed to return back on 24th and we had planned to visit my paternal home on his return.
Our neighbour, an aged couple, who lived in the adjacent flat, were at their daughter's place. Their loyal domestic hand, Joy, a boy of about 20, was looking after their house. Since they were aged couples, Joy used to do not only their household jobs but even the external works like paying their bills, daily marketing etc. The couple trusted him and most of the time of year, their residential flat was under the care of Joy.
The December night was very chill and intermittent rains throughout the week added to it further. At around nine on that day I had completed my dinner and I was watching a TV serial when heavy winds with thunder began to blow. I locked the windows and ventilators. The squally blasts and ripping sounds of thunder continued unabated. After about half an hour there was a severe thundering making the utensils send shivering echoes. It seemed as if the lightening thunder fell on our roof. Electricity of both the flats went off and there was a burning odour that peeped in the room despite tightly closed doors and windows.
I lighted a candle and could see through the window that nearby flats had their lights. Opening our door a little I called Joy and said to him, "Joy, can you please check what had happened to the lights of these two flats?"
Joy replied in our vernacular tongue, "Baudi (mode of addressing an elder brother's wife), this has to be checked at the pole on the roof. It is dark, you will have to hold the torch and throw light."
We took an umbrella and a torch and went to the roof. It was still raining heavily but the deafening thunders had declined except for lightening.
Joy went near the electrical pole, checked it throwing focus there and then said, "Baudi, I don't find anything damaged here, it seems something went wrong inside, may be in the distribution box."
Suddenly, there was another roaring thunder that made me tremble. In the meantime, we were both drenched by rain so I said, "Joy we are both wet and it is thundering again, it is not safe to be on the roof. Let us get inside."
Both of us came down and entered in our flat. Joy took a cane stool and stood on it to get the distribution fuse. He opened the distribution box and gave a mild push to the fuse and our flat was flooded with light. The sudden light after darkness almost dazzled my eyes but I then noticed what I had not taken notice of so far - I got totally drenched and my silky nightie was clearly revealing the outlines of my undergarments. I pulled a towel and wrapped it around the upper part of my body.
Joy did not seem to notice at all and while shutting the distribution box said to me, "Baudi, will you please show the light in our flat so that I can fix it?"
So we went out of our flat, locked the door and entered in their flat. Their main switch and distribution box were in their bed room. Joy climbed on a table, opened the distribution box and as he did in our flat, he pressed the fuse and got a mild electric shock so that he hurriedly jumped from the table.
Even though I was standing on the floor holding the torch light, I could feel Joy startled even from a distance and realized something went wrong.
I wanted to know anxiously, "What happened?"
Smilingly Joy replied, "Most probably my hand was wet that's why I got the shock.
Please give me your hawai slipper, it's made of rubber and safe."
Joy then told me to locate a dry cloth in the room so that he can rub and dry his hands before touching the fuse again. I gave him my pair of slippers and the towel wrapped around me to dry his hands. Very consciously, I threw the focus of the torch at a distance so that I remain in the dark area of the room.
As I threw the focus at a distance I saw the floor of the room all wet from the water dripping from our cloths. Particularly Joy was wet like a befeathered crow, his barmuda pant and shirt still dripping water.
I told him, "Before working on electricity again change your dress, dry up your hands otherwise you will be in risk of being shocked again."
"You are right", said Joy. "Ok, please wait I am changing in a minute."
Joy went to another room and from there again said, "Baudi, please keep the torch off for now so that we have the light while working on the fuse."
I put off the torch and waited for about two minutes and then heard the mild sounds of footsteps.
-"Hi Joy are you back?" I asked.
There was no reply but I felt as if the bed room door was being shut. I was slightly frightened.
-"Joy, where are you?" I asked again.
-"I am here", Joy replied. "Baudi, don't put the torchlight on, the entire house got electrified. Please avoid standing on the floor, sit on the bed near you with legs lifted on the wooden bed. It is the safest."