Carry On

“Hello, hello.”

“Hello.”

“I – can I talk to Prakash ji?”

“Speaking. May I know who’s calling?”

“I, sir – I am one of your readers. A fan. I love your science fiction stories.”

“Thank you! Can you tell me which ones you liked?”

“Yes, sure. I read your latest story just two days ago. That’s why I called you. Prakash ji, that story of yours – Carry On, I totally loved it!”

” Carry On? Thank you very much. May I know your name, please?”

“Sujay Mane. Prakash ji, I need some information from you.”

“About what?”

“Sir, regarding this story. I mean, I like the way you showed time travel in it, sir.”

“Thank you.”

“So, Prakash ji, you have shown a device in the story. Like a watch, the hero places it on the hand and sets the time. Then he goes to that time.”

“Yes.”

“So, sir, how to make this time travel device is not given in that story. Can you tell me that?”

“Look, Sujay, it’s a story. Fiction. Everything is imaginary in it.”

“That’s right, sir. But you came up with the idea, so you must know the technique behind it. My question is, how can such a watch-like time travel device be made, as shown in the story of Carry On?

“Sujay, it’s a story. And time travel is not actually possible.”

“Why, sir? Many science fiction stories show time travel. It must be because it can be done.”

“Hey! Hold on. Have you ever seen anyone actually travel to the past or the future?”

“No, sir. But some people must have done it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Prakash ji, you don’t see many things. But they keep happening, don’t they?”

“Like?”

“See, sir. The other day, my neighbour Bhavnani sold his old car and bought a new one. I have not seen any of these transactions myself. But they did happen. Didn’t they? Like that, time travel must also be happening. Just not in front of my eyes!”

“This logic cannot be applied here, Sujay. Because anyone can buy or sell a car. Many have done it. So even if we don’t see it personally, we can believe it. Moreover, these things are consistent with the scientific principles of our universe. But time travel is not like that. Many scientists are of the opinion that we cannot go back and forth in the time dimension, like other dimensions.”

“But then in the story—”

“That’s a story, Sujay. Time travel is a very attractive idea for us science fiction writers. But when we write fiction, we take some liberty, add a bit of imagination, and that’s it. You know, according to many scientific theories, time travel is not possible in our universe.”

“How is so, sir? We read what you write, isn’t it because we believe in you? I firmly believe that time travel is possible. There are devices for that; we just have to get hold of them.”

“What can I say? If you read some scientific information about time travel, you will understand what I am talking about. Can you do that? Can you google time travel? Study it a bit? Then you will agree to what I am saying.”

“I see, sir. Yes. I can do that. And I’ll call you half an hour later.”

“Half an hour? Will you be able to read about time travel in just half an hour?”

“Why not? I have a fast net connection. I have a good mobile. I will call you, sir.”

“Well, then. Talk to you later.”

“Yes, sir. And thank you, Prakash ji. You gave me a good idea. I’ll call after studying. So that you don’t have to waste your time explaining the basics, and you can directly tell me about the device!”

“Hey, Sujay! Hello, hello, hey, that’s not what I meant, hey – hey, Uff!”

I let out a sigh as I put my mobile down. Maybe I shouldn’t have answered that call. Now Sujay Mane will keep on pestering me by calling again and again.

I looked at my mobile. It was ten minutes past one. So, this fan was talking for ten minutes. What a waste of time!

I opened the side drawer. I took out a watch-like device and strapped it to my wrist. And then I set the time on it. Ten minutes back – one o’clock.

Tags: English Section, Meghashri Dalvi, Short Story, অষ্টম বর্ষ প্রথম সংখ্যা