Skip to main content

The 4th Mistake of his Life

if you are yet to say hi to Chetan Bhagat's '3 Mistakes of my Life' then fun is not guaranteed.

A conversation between Chethan Bhagat and Govind Patel....(my adaptation)



CB: Hello

GP: am I am speaking to Chethan Bhagat?

CB: How did you get this number in first place?

GP: A friend of mine works at the Rupa Publishers.

CB: Then whom do you think you are speaking to? Ajmal Kasab! No Sir.

GP:...
CB: Hello? Are you dead?

GP: Not yet Sir, but would be soon...coz I am popping a sleeping pill after each sentence I speak.

CB: Cool. What brand?

GP: Calmpose

CB: Okay. Now would you mind backing your insanity with a bit of logic?

GP: I committed 3 mistakes....and now I feel so terrible that I feel ought not to live..would you listen to my tale?

CB: I am all ears

GP: My name is Govind Patel, and I am a businessman from Ahmedabad.

CB: Okay

GP: Ish, Omi and I were friends right from childhood, Ish was a cricket frantic and Omi a priest's son.

CB: Tell me the 3 mistakes.

GP: The 3 of us wanted to open a sports shop at Ahmedabad...we had invested all our savings to buy a stall.

CB: Then?

GP: The whole complex went down in a fire...we lost all our money.

CB: Hardly a reason to die. Next?

GP: I used to take Math classes for Ish's sister Vidya. In due course we fell for each other and one fine evening I gave her life lessons....

CB: I didn't get the mistake part.

GP: Well I quite forgot the old saying 'Prevention is better than abortion'

CB: You shouldn't have...then what happened?

GP: By God's grace nothing awry occurred...but Ish found out and since then he has not spoken to me.

CB: Nothing happened! Man its pathetic! Seriously I don't think there's any reason why you should continue to live.

GP: Before I tell my third mistake I must tell about Ali. He is such an abundantly gifted kid with the bat. I still remember how he thrashed Ish all over the field!

CB: Ish kaun? Ishant Sharma??

GP: Ish...Vidya's bro...

CB: What does Ali have to do with your mistake?

GP: A few years ago communal riots were a commonplace here...bloods of innocent people were shed in the name of religion...we lost our Omi in the bloody fight...To retaliate, Bittu Mama and gang started finishing off Muslims, literally setting them on fire. We tried to rescue Ali for he was a budding talent, but I reacted a bit late considering my own safety and Ali got a cut on his wrist...I am such a self centered duffer!

CB: Is that all?

GP: Yeah...would you consider this for your next work?

CB: I would definitely look into it...

GP: Thank You Sir. Good bye.

CB: And Govind, RIH.

GP: Isn't it suppossed to be Rest In Peace?

CB: Not exactly. I meant it to be Rot In Hell.

GP: It seems calling you was the 4th mistake of my life.

CB: I knew it right from the beginning...

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

First Rejection

About four years ago, I self-published my first novel, I Want Your Life . Self-publishing was not my initial plan. Like most aspiring writers, I envisioned my book being published under the label of one of the prominent publishing houses in the country, such as Penguin or HarperCollins. However, my editor gave me a reality check and explained that large publishing houses receive several submissions daily, making it highly unlikely for a first-time writer to get noticed. More than the prestige of being published under an established banner, my excitement lay in seeing my story in the form of a book. So, I chose the self-publishing route. After months of back-and-forth with my publishing team - proofreading, editing, revisions, illustrations, book registration, and printing - my book was finally out. It was truly a dream come true. The upside of self-publishing is the sweet certainty of getting published. The downside, however, is that you are responsible for everything, including promot...

Rajasthan: Part 1 (Center-left)

Why do we travel? I can think of a few reasons: to catch a glimpse of life beyond the familiarity of our homes, to taste new flavors, to experience landscapes and weather patterns different from our own, to witness natural wonders and man-made marvels, to meet interesting people, and to hear new words. Khamma Ghani is the phrase we decided to hear this time around. The first step in making a travel plan is, of course, choosing the destination. Everything else - the timing, the things to pack, the number of leave days needed, and any legal processes - depends on where we intend to go. Thanks to the constant exposure to travel vloggers, we have a bucket list of destinations we hope to explore someday. The list gets updated every now and then, with current entries ranging from international destinations like Vietnam, Japan, and Italy to domestic ones like Meghalaya and Ladakh. Rajasthan was never at the top of our list. True, it is one of the most heavily promoted destinations on India...

an Exclusive Inclusivity

Inclusivity is a popular term in modern-day discourse. Quite literally, the term inclusive refers to the habit of including everything or all types of people—irrespective of their backgrounds, beliefs, or personal preferences—as long as one’s actions do not cause harm to anyone else. Inclusivity is relevant because it ensures equity, social cohesion, and diversity of thought, which is why most modern-day progressive societies aspire to be as inclusive as possible. So that everyone feels welcome. So that no one feels left out. If you have watched Modern Family, you might know what I am talking about. The show has taken the example of a family and has beautifully incorporated inclusivity into it. You see a divorcee, an interracial couple, a homosexual couple adopting an orphan child, a person who loves dogs living with a person who doesn’t, and your good old traditional family—all living in harmony. Sure, they have their differences. But nobody belittles anyone for their choice of life. ...