Like every Monday, after work Bepin Choudhury directly headed to Kalicharan’s book shop to buy books. While he was looking at the books, he had a feeling that someone was perhaps closely observing him.
The man claimed that he knew Bepin and in fact, Bepin Babu knew him too. He informed Bepin Babu, much to his surprise, that both of them were good acquaintances. The stranger told him that they met daily for a week when Bepin Choudhury had come to Ranchi. His name was Parimal Ghose.
When Parimal tries to remind Bepin about his visit to Ranchi in the year 1958, Bepin thinks that the stranger is confusing him with someone else. Bepin did not remember having gone to Ranchi, though he had greatly wished to. To prove his point, Parimal supplies a number of intimate details, which put Bepin Choudhury in a fix. The death of Bepin’s wife, brother, his being childless and his dislike for hotel food were all known to Parimal.
The Cut in the Right Knee
On realising the presence of the mark of a cut on the right knee, another detail supplied by the stranger, Bepin begins to investigate the case. He remembered that he spent the puja of October 1958, with a friend, Haridas Bagachi. But, in order to relieve himself of the doubts that had emerged, he thinks of calling up Haridas Bagachi and later Dinesh Mukherji. The stranger had mentioned that Dinesh Mukherji had accompanied him during this visit. Dinesh Mukherji, further confirms this piece of fact.
Bepin Choudhury Meets Chunilal Amidst all the Mental Problems
Bepin Choudhury in utter disbelief begins to evaluate his life. He thinks that excessive work and labour that he had put into his job for all these years was responsible for his current state. He begins to think of himself as mentally unwell, at having forgotten an entire incident of his life that had occurred just a couple of years ago.
Bepin Choudhury reconfirms the details of his Ranchi visit from an old school friend, Chunilal, who had come to meet him in order to seek Bepin’s help at finding a new job. Chuni dosen’t just confirm the visit, but also informs Bepin that he was the one who got Bepin Babu’s train bookings done, as he was then a travel agent.
Bepin Choudhury Sees the Doctor and his Leaving for Hudroo Falls
By now Bepin Choudhury was convinced that something was wrong with him. He, therefore, decides to meet Dr Paresh Chanda a young Physician. “ You must cure me of this horrible illness. I can’t tell you how it’s affecting my work. “ Dr. Chanda was only too surprised to know the symptoms. He recommends. Bepin Babu to go to Ranchi once again in order to recollect the forgotten parts of his memory. Bepin Choudhury does exactly what the doctor had suggested and the very next evening he starts for Ranchi.
As was expected, he remembers nothing on revisiting Ranchi. Unable to bear the burden of this illness and having lost this lost hope, he collapses at Hudroo Falls, where two Gujarati gentlemen find him lying unconscious.
Bepin Choudhury Receives a Letter and Talks to Dr Chanda
After his return from Ranchi, he was lying in a depressed state when he receives a letter from Chunilal. Chunilal reveals the secret and tells Bepin Babu that he had fooled him by playing a trick. This trick was Chunilal’s revenge on Bepin Babu at having forgotten their old friendship and not helping a friend in need.
Bepin Choudhury is only too embarrassed. He informs Dr Chanda that he had recollected everything after the second Ranchi trip and that the doctor may come to treat his injured hip.