Partial Recall

I remember ... no, actually I don't. At least not all of it. It's strange how you recall the start of something agonizing and then, just the aftermath.

The two-wheeler machine, the Enfield Bullet, looked mean, and growled meaner. At seventeen, that sight, and sound, rattles every molecule in a young man's anatomy, except perhaps, the brain which, it completely mushes.

"Want a ride?" Ravi asked the small group of friends shooting the breeze at a local cafe.

"Sure!" I jumped up before anyone else could. After all, there was seat for one pillion only.

No sooner than I sat astride the bike than it shot forward like, well, a bullet. The law of inertia is a bitch. My torso snapped back and the head hit the tarmac hard. "Fade to Black" would've looked cool on a screenplay. For me, it was like losing my mind, literally.

For unknown hours, I was in a world of unknowns. I could not recognize any of my friends. I couldn't recognize the neighbourhood, the cafe. All unknown.

I woke up with the head being pounded by a hammer. My best friend, Sunny, looked worried. "Hey buddy, how are you feeling?"

"I... where am I?"

The frown on his face said "Fuck!"

"You are, right now, in my house." He said verbally, "That must've hurt!"

"Yes, but I don't recall anything, and frankly, I don't really recognize you!"

"My name is Sunny," He tried, "We were lazing at that cafe down the road, Uncle's Cafe, when Ravi offered you a ride on his new Bullet."

"Oh. Y'know? I don't think I can go home because I don't know the way anymore-"

"Don't worry about that," Sunny was reassuring, "I'll take you home."

"Thanks."

For the next hour or so, Sunny proceeded to bring me up-to-speed on everything from my home, family, and the last girl I had crush on.

With some effort, I walked to the window of his apartment, three or four floors high, and peered out. "What time is it? More important, what day is it?"

"It's the same day. Just that you were knocked out for several hours."

"No, no, I mean, what's the date today?" I insisted.

"It's the 12th of September... why?"

"Man," I lamented, "I have a Science test tomorrow and I'm sure I've forgotten everything I had crammed!"

Sunny cracked up with relief. "Bugger, at least you remember that!"