DD Late Lateef edition

Act 1:

Dream: man is running fast as a train approaches him from behind honking at full volume as he tries to run faster and faster.

Man wakes up in his apartment alone to the increasing sound of a train honking while passing by. Sweating. It's 5:30. He switches off his 6 am alarm.

Pops a pill out of a strip of 20. It's the 2nd last. 

Goes about his whole day - office, assignments, meetings, lunch, tea, etc. Does everything before time and is praised for it.

Submits assignments before deadline, finishes lunch and resumes work before cutoff hour, comes back early from designated tea break.

Everyone's happy with him. But he looks glum.

Back home, he showers, changes into pyjamas, eats a dabba meal, and tucks into bed half an hour before his designated bedtime of 9 pm.

Act 2:

Dream: kid is running fast as a train approaches him from behind honking at full volume as he tries to run faster and faster.

Kid wakes up in his apartment to the increasing sound of a train honking while passing by. Sweating.

It's 5:30. He disables his 6 am alarm.

Mom praising him as he gets ready for school. Goes about his whole day at school - arriving early, early homework submission, back to class early during lunch break. Does everything before deadline and is praised for it.

Everyone's happy with him but he looks glum.

Back home, he changes into home clothes and goes to tuition. Reaches early. Submits tuition homework earlier than expected. Gets patted on the back.

Still gloomy. Lost in own thoughts.

Back home mom says be back by 8. He comes back by 7:30. Mom heard saying, "Sab bachchon se kitna acha hai yeh. Ekdum change ho gaya hai. Ab saari baatein sunta hai."

Designated bedtime 9 pm. He's in bed by 8:30 pm. Mom comes to his room, smiles and switches off his light.

Act 3:

Kid wakes up to loud sound of the train honking. This is the same kid, but not as we've known him. Disheveled hair, takes a long time to get out of his stupor.

Mom and dad are clearly very annoyed with him. At breakfast mom is heard saying, "Aaj bhi late. Final exam ke din. Koi seriousness hi nahi hai. Jaldi khaake nikal!"

No effect. Kid eats slowly, picks up bag slowly, and is walking out of the house.

Mom: "Voh Anoop ko hi dekho. Padhaai mein first, aur running mein bhi isko peeche chhod diya. Sports day pe first aaya voh."

Kid pauses for a moment. Angry and sad expression on his face. Walks on slowly.

On his way to school, he reaches a railway crossing. Checks time, 7:25. 5 minutes to exam. Starts running towards the perimeter wall of the crossing. Hears someone come running from behind. It's Anoop.

Kid: "Oye."

Anoop: "Chal jaldi."

Kid: "Tu late?"

Anoop: "Mummy ka alarm hi nahi Baja yaar."

Kid: "Toh chal, cross karte hain. Vahan se time lagega."

Anoop: "Pagal hai kya?"

Kid: "Bhaag lenge. Chal jaldi..."

Anoop reluctantly agrees. They line up at the tracks. Kid says, on your marks, get set, go. And he bolts across toward the other side. Hyper focused on getting to the other end, on beating Anoop, he does not notice him.

Anoop runs well, keeping up with kid until the end. Almost. Just 20m before he's able to cross over, he trips on a rail and falls down hard.

Kid doesn't see this. Or maybe sees it but it doesn't register. He wants to win this. He needs to. Izzat ka sawal hai. He keeps running. Reaches the other side. Happy with his victory. It's 7:27. School is right on the other side. He's looking at it. Smiles.

The same sound he's come to dread. The rising honk of the train. It's rising, rising. He looks to his left, no one. To his right, no one. He looks back, and there's Anoop. Regaining his composure. Limping, and just about to launch into a sprint to the finish.

Before kid is able to move his hand to signal no, Anoop has bolted towards him and taken a big leap across the final set of tracks. Either he misjudged the time it would take him to get across or just plain didn't see, but the 7:30 am Rajdhani hits him at full speed, hurtling him far across the distance at a speed so fast the kid's eyes don't even register.

Shock. Disbelief. 

Kid's in the exam hall, furtively writing his paper all sweaty. The examiner calls out, "15 minutes left." Kid slams the paper shut, caps his pen, and hands the paper over to the examiner and leaves in a hurry. Examiner looks at his wristwatch, impressed at the kid's speed. 

Act 4:

Man wakes up in his apartment. Faint sound of train passing in the distance. Pops out last pill out of the 20. Throws the empty strip in the bin.

Opens drawer. The entire chest is full of strips of that pill. He picks out a fresh one, keeps it on his counter. Takes out his phone, it's 5:30 am. He switches off the 6 am alarm and goes about his daily routine.