It was a mid summer day in Hyderabad. I took off from the office for the day having headache and slight fever.
I was in semi conscious state when somebody had opened the door. There was a girl of upper teenage at the door, with a laptop bag in her shoulders as if she was coming from college. Little perplexed, she asked whether it was Soumya's room. Yes my room mate name was Soumya.
She started telling something in Telugu. 'Telugu raathu' - I used the most important words which should be learned first when we are in different place. Then she talked in a conglomeration of Telugu and English. She is from some local college, I judged in mind. I was noticing her tartar-ed uneven dentition.
She told that Soumya is her brother's friend, they are planning to go for a movie that day, and has asked her to come to the hostel. Being new to the room I was unaware of the whereabouts of my room mates. But I wondered how my civilized roommate got such a friend. Why should I bother about these things? Anyway I asked her to wait and was slipping to deep sleep.
But she kept me awake by her talking. Seemingly impatient she asked whether I have Soumya's mobile number. I don't have.
She was talking so much bla -bla. Her brother and Soumya are close friends, emphasizing the word close .I told my room mate is married. She was taken in surprise and stopped her bla-bla.
She tried to make a call from her mobile, then asked for my mobile telling that she wanted to make a call to her brother and her mobile balance is over. I dialed the number she told, but was not reachable.
"By the way today is my birthday", saying this she checked her bag for chocolate."Sorry it is over"."Its okay no problem", I told . She was fed up of waiting and told she is leaving and will meet her later.
My conscious mind got an alarm as soon as she left. Who is she? Why she came to the room?
I got up from the bed and went to the veranda. I threw my eyes downstairs and on the road. There was nobody. I went and slept again.
Evening I was woken up by some noises outside. Laptop and some jewelry is missing from the next door. Yes, she was a thief. The girls who got robbed of their belongings were shouting upon the Hostel owner.
Shall I tell them that I have seen the thief or shall I be silent?. Will involving in the matter drag me to more troubles? Gathering courage I went down and explained my encounter with the thief. Hostel owner was relieved from dilemma. Complaint was logged in the police station.My room mates thanked me for guarding their belongings in the room. Soumya was wondering how she got her name.
I was surprised my the promptness of the police action. They called me and the victim to go along with the police in disguise to a near by restaurant where they were planning to trap the thief. Police showed me some photos. I identified her. She was a recent jail broke out ,the police said . We waited their for some time. Always thieves will be cleverer than the police. She didn't turn up. I gave the number she dialed from my mobile to them.
Later police trapped her and my hostel mates got their belongings back.
#Danger 1 : I shouldn't have entertained her in the room, for she could have harmed me.
#Danger 2: She could have fed me the poisonous chocolate.
#Danger 3: There is possibility of she being part of a dangerous gang.
#Danger 4: They could have got my mobile number, had that phone was reachable.
#Lesson : Get acquainted with your roommates without delay.
