Redemption

Feeling a trifle outwitted, but nevertheless quite happy, we drove back home planning our next move. The Colonel had doubted if it was wise for me to travel without armed escort, and said, "But I have instructed our troops to keep a watch on the road just in case...." He thought it impolite to tell us what misfortunes could befall us if the troops were not keeping a watch, and hastened to add, "and our evening patrols must already be out. Best of luck."

Six cylinders of my Nissan Patrol took the rough and steep mountain road in their stride. My wife, who was then a great upholder of civilian virtues, had often told me that the olive green colour of the vehicle was not flattering to my image as a civil-administrator, and as she decided to upbraid me for this incongruity once again, a deer sprinted across the road.

Lalthanzama, my Mizo driver, who was in the back seat, said it was a good omen. I assured my wife that if the driver was indeed prophetic, a few cans of parrot green paint (which was her favourite colour before her involment with nirvana) and brushes would materialize by the first helicopter coming our way from civilization. She retorted that she had heard such resolutions before, and that civil servants were clumsy dunderheads and always deserved to be humbled by the army. I told her that she was in league with General Ayub Khan, who had usurped democracy the second time quite recently in Pakistan.

Changing the gear to third, then to second, I pressed hard on the accelerator to negotiate a very sharp bend on a very steep gradient, and wondered whether that part of the road was an engineering marvel or a folly when I saw, as did my wife and Lalthanzama, a rather peculiar sight. Two young men in soiled infantry outfit, which looked more like the discards of a foreign army, stood on two sides of the road, with their sten guns pointing directly at us. I applied the brakes and the car stopped just a few feet short of the two rambos. Shutting off the engine, I waited.

We had imbibed some gin and bitters at the party, and were too distracted at first to appreciate the gravity of the situation, and did not quite make out if what we saw was real or something the wily Colonel had staged for our benefit. In fact, my wife and I looked at each other and smiled.

Lalthanzama was quick at grasping the import of the spectacle, and bellowed some advice at the young fellows. The sing-song Dulien has unusual accents on vowels for highlighting a sentiment, and there were a number of powerful ones in my driver's speech. He first explained that he was one of them and his mother's brother, whom he named, was commanding one of their underground units. Then he told them who we were, and that it was unfortunate that we were driving an olive green car; that we were different from other vais; that we had been kind to their kinsfolk and trusted them totally and employed them in our household; that we were unarmed and unescorted; that army patrols were already out and they were presently in great danger; and, lastly, that they would do well to quickly disappear into the jungle.

The two men exchanged glances, shot some questions at Lalthanzama to verify his statement, advanced cautiously with their weapons still pointing at us, and halted on both sides of the car. They looked very young, perhaps in their teens, and were so close that I could see the inside of the barrel pointed at my right ear.

Surprises were yet to come. Lalthanzama now told them reprovingly that he had recognized one of them was son of his cousin so-and-so, and that it wasn't polite to point guns in that manner at a lady and a gentleman. When the barrels were lowered instantly, I knew that Lalthanzama had scored more than his share of victories for an evening, and that it was time for me to take over.

"Do you speak English?" I asked the man on my right.