von Ayan Bhattacharje (Copyright)

I do this thing sometimes. By this thing I mean getting down at an unknown station from an unfamiliar train. I have a shop that sells stainless steel utensils in central Calcutta. My shop has made me a man of reasonable means. I have not married yet. There is a manservant who looks after my house and does all the cooking. Whenever I feel like escaping from the city I ask the handyman to go on leave. Then, I am free to do as I please. It is winter now and the chill makes the weather pleasant. I sent my servant home yesterday and bought a ticket to Quota today morning. I have no idea where Quota is except that it is within India. I picked up the name after a random search of the railway time-table. My train leaves Calcutta at six pm.
The train took two and half days to reach Quota. It was six am. The station seemed to be very old, straight out of 1950s films. I took one look at the station and another at my train. I had only a single piece of luggage-a suitcase. Clutching the handle of my suitcase tightly I alighted from the train. And even as I looked the train started moving out of the station. Despite past experience I felt very unsure and vulnerable. I looked around and the first thing that I noticed was a tea stall. I scampered to the stall and asked for a glass of water. The person who was manning the stall smiled and said, “So Mr Rex, you want ordinary water or you want lemonade. Or shall I give some special tea.” I thought the man was mad. Nevertheless I told him that I wanted nothing but water. He was a little disappointed at my brusqueness. As I made my way towards the exit someone spoke to me from behind. “Mr Rex, you want shoeshine. I will shine your shoes like mirror.” I turned to find a boy of about fifteen with a shoeshine box in his hand. Now you don’t find people like him anymore. Most people shine their own shoes these days. So I was rather surprised. I said, “No!” rather firmly and prepared to leave the station. More surprises lay in wait outside. An elderly man was waiting near a huge car that we see in vintage rallies, on the other side of the road. As I began looking for a taxi he came running towards me. Well, almost. “Rex my boy,” he said, “am I pleased to see you. Your wife is nearly dead with worry. Now hop into the car and let’s go to the mansion.” I was really very confused now. First someone wants to give me lemonade. Then there is the shoeshine fellow. And now someone wants to take me home to a wife. And all of them call me Rex. My name is Jack and I neither have a mansion nor have I ever married. This is the first time I have come to Quota and they act like I have been here all my life. The gray-haired man who called himself the ADC repeatedly assured me that everyone would listen to me this time. He told me I could do what I wanted and no one would get angry. I tried to explain to him that I was not Rex. But the ADC was not prepared to listen. He only said that all would be tolerated this time. As we drove to the mansion I noticed that the surrounding countryside consisted of paddy fields. The locals appeared to be happy, prosperous people. The mansion itself was huge. It had five floors. The family that owned it had a lot of property, a lot of property. Mr Rex was the only son and he liked to do things that were not liked by the others. From his childhood he was known to start business ventures which were doomed from the beginning. He bred pigeons which he released when they were big enough to fly. He would drink a lot of alcohol but always the cheap, toddy-like variety. No one could understand him. Rex had lost his mother very early in life and had been brought up by his father’s sister. When I was being introduced to the new servants Rex’s aunt came rushing out to greet me. She cried all over my shirt and requested me not to go away ever again. It was this going away which troubled the mansion people. Rex had been married to Lene just six months before. Meeting her was the most difficult part really. She was young and exceedingly pretty. It was expected that I should sleep in the same room with her that night. I cited some silly reason to avoid being in the same room with the unsuspecting lady. I also sought permission to sleep on the floor which was granted.

The light in my room was switched on at the stroke of midnight. I was only half asleep. As I rubbed my eyes in walked a miracle. It was a man who looked exactly like me. Every inch of us was similar. I guessed that this man was Rex. We shook hands. Rex spoke, “Hello, Mr Jack. You now know that we have been born identical with each other. I want to work in a circus and I cannot do it as Rex. And I gather you would not mind being a rich man’s son. So, from now I am Jack and you, Rex. Agree?” I nodded and Rex left the room without uttering one more word. I went back to sleep.