Anil: A Son Beyond Tomorrow Chapter 3

The next day went as usual, with Anil teaching Surya the basics of CorelDRAW. No customers contacted them for work until the afternoon. Then, a stranger came and stood in front of their office.

The stranger entered the office, and Surya and Anil stopped their work. The stranger asked, “Is this SV Marketing Consultancy?” Anil replied, “Yes.” The stranger then said, “Hi, I am Vimal. I came here regarding advertisement work from VSS Technology Private Limited.” Anil said, “Yes, sir. Please come in. Surya, can you bring him some tea?”

Surya nodded and went to buy tea. Vimal took a seat, looked around the office, and said, “I saw your advertisement in a newspaper ad. We are a newly started company, and we need to advertise our business at a comparatively lower cost in various formats. Since you have also started a new company, you might understand the cost issue.”

Anil nodded and said, “Sure, sir. We charge only a 10% service fee for our work. However, we cannot compromise on other charges such as hoarding printing and newspaper advertisements, as these depend on the printer’s and the newspaper’s rates. As for other printing costs, we will try to minimize them as much as possible.”

Vimal said, “Okay, that’s understandable. Before we go ahead with the printing costs and everything else, could you show me some sample designs?”

The strong aroma of elaichi chai instantly filled the tiny room as Surya walked in. Anil stood up with a grin and gestured toward Surya, “Vimal sir, this is Surya, my manager and the backbone of SV Marketing.” Surya’s eyes widened for a second, but he quickly recovered, placed the teas on the small table, and gave a respectful nod.

Vimal smiled and shook Surya’s hand, “Good, good young blood with manners. I like that.” Anil pulled out a worn folder and opened it on the table. Inside were half a dozen sample hoardings and newspaper ads he had designed the previous night using old CorelDRAW templates. Bold reds and blues, clear company names, punchy taglines simple yet eye-catching. Vimal leaned forward, sipping his tea, and studied each one carefully.

After a minute, he tapped one design twice. “This one… this looks professional. Clean, not cluttered. Even my partner will approve. Show me two more variations like this.” Anil quickly turned to the PC, made a few adjustments on the spot, and printed fresh copies on the leased printer. Vimal’s face broke into a satisfied smile, “Perfect. These will do. I need one hoarding for my company and a newspaper advertisement.”

They moved on to the numbers. Anil called the local newspaper agent right in front of Vimal, no secrets. The quotes came quickly: hoarding charges at ₹18,000 total; three-day black-and-white newspaper ads at ₹12,000; color ads at ₹18,000; and their service charge at ₹5000.

Vimal scratched his chin, “Total almost fifty thousand… a bit heavy for a startup like ours.” Anil thought for a second, then suggested, “Sir, let’s drop the newspaper ads completely. Three days pass in a blink. Instead, we can print 5,000 pamphlets for newspaper distribution at ₹6,000 total. Same visibility, half the price. Also, our service rate will decrease to ₹2,400.”

Vimal’s eyes lit up, “Pamphlets in Mumbai? That actually reaches the people we want. Smart. Let’s do that.”

Vimal leaned back, folding his arms, “Fine, we’ll pay the full amount after everything is delivered and set up.” Surya, who had been quietly listening, suddenly tensed. He had heard too many stories of people disappearing after taking work in Dharavi. He nudged Anil under the table and whispered in Tamil, “Ask him for an advance.”

Anil kept his smile steady but spoke firmly, “Sir, I’m sorry, but we are just starting out. Printing flex and pamphlets requires cash upfront minimum 60% advance, with the balance after installation. That’s our policy.” Vimal tried to bargain, saying trust works both ways, but Anil politely held his ground.

Finally Vimal laughed, pulled out his wallet, and counted ₹14,000 in cash as advance right there, “You drive a hard bargain, but I like honest boys. Deal done.” He shook both their hands, finished his tea, and left with the sample designs tucked under his arm.

The moment the door closed, Surya locked it and turned to Anil with the biggest grin Dharavi had seen that week. Anil raised his hand and they did a loud high-five that echoed in the tiny room, “First client!” Surya shouted.

Anil laughed, eyes shining, “Not just a client, our first step in our business. Come; let’s start designing the final hoarding before the printer fellow closes!” Both of them rushed to the PC, buzzing with energy, the smell of fresh tea still lingering in their new empire.

Anil then started working on the designing part whereas Surya took care of printing. After 3 hours of designing pamphlets and hoarding, and continuous resending email to get approval. The designing part completed.

Surya started handling the printing of template as well as contacting the hoarding person to see through the printing of hoarding. At the end of the day they have been completed with their respective works.

As the sun dipped low over Dharavi's bustling lanes, Anil and Surya carefully loaded the stacks of freshly printed pamphlets into a borrowed handcart, the vibrant colors of VSS Technology's logo gleaming under the streetlights. They pushed it together toward the local newspaper distribution agency in Sion, dodging potholes and hawkers, the weight of 5,000 sheets making their arms ache but their spirits soar. Anil said, "Bro, today was epic."

Surya puffed, wiping sweat from his brow, "From that elaichi chai morning to locking in the designs, three hours straight on CorelDRAW, resending emails till Vimal sir approved every pixel. And you were handling the hoarding guy? Smooth as butter."

Anil grinned, adjusting the cart, "You weren't slacking either chasing printers, coordinating flex outputs. That nudges for the 60% advance? Genius saved us from heartbreak. ₹14,000 in hand already feels like a fortune. Tomorrow, hoardings up, balance paid, and we're officially in business!"

The next morning, under the relentless Mumbai sun, Anil and Surya stood outside VSS Technology's office, eyes fixed on the massive hoarding rising against the skyline. Bold reds declared VSS Technology's arrival, their design flawless in the daylight. Workers hammered the final flex into place as Vimal pulled up on his scooty, beaming.

Vimal said, “Boys, this is top-class! Clean, professional my partner already called it a winner.” He handed over the crisp ₹12,400 balance, clapping their shoulders, “We'll do big things together soon; word's spreading.” Anil and Surya exchanged triumphant glances as Vimal zoomed off, the cash warm in Anil's pocket.

“We cracked it, da,” Surya whispered, excitement buzzing in his voice. “First client nailed, hoardings screaming our name. Customers will flood in now. Watch! SV Marketing's about to blow up!” Anil nodded, heart racing, “No more waiting. This is just the start.”

But for the next three days, SV Marketing Consultancy had no clients. Anil’s mind was full of doubts. The first project had been a success, but where were the other clients? What should he do now? How could he grow the business? He had even put his time travel mission on hold, trying to make his dad rich in his earlier adulthood but that wasn’t working either. So, what next?

Without overthinking, he continued teaching Surya the design lessons. Surya, of course, could sense Anil’s worry about the lack of new business. After a while, he finally asked, “Anil, how many days are you going to just teach designing?” Anil glanced at him, surprised. “What?”

Surya spoke up, “We had our first client project. But after that, no work has come to us, and you’re just teaching me designing without thinking about what to do next.” Anil took a deep breath, “I don’t have any idea what to do now. I’m also thinking about how to get this business out to others.”

Surya smiled, “I have an idea.” Anil looked at him. “What?” Surya responded, “Why don’t we ask the printer we gave the hoarding flex to? He already has numerous clients he might be able to help.” Anil nodded in agreement.

Later, Surya and Anil entered SS Printing shop. The shop owner, Himanshu, welcomed them warmly, “Oh, you young lads! Nice to see you. Did you come here for another hoarding print?” Anil replied, “No, actually… we came here for some advice.” Himanshu raised an eyebrow. “What kind of advice?”

Anil explained about the advertisement he had done in the newspaper for their initial client project, how they got their first client, and how now there were no new projects coming in. Himanshu laughed heartily, “Are you fools? You got your first client project by sheer luck, even though you spent on advertisement. But it doesn’t work that way every time.

Anil asked, “Then tell me, what we should do?” Himanshu replied, “First, find a place to sit.” The three of them took a seat, and Himanshu began explaining, “See, the kind of marketing you did with company advertisements will come and go. But to sustain yourself in the market, you need many smaller clients, small businesses. For that, you have to go to Masjid Station, Crawford Market, and the shops around Dadar Station. Go shop by shop, show your printing samples, and ask if they need redesigning work. At first, they might not trust you, but show them your first client project. They’ll start to believe. Also, one of you should roam the market from 11 to 4, while the other stays at the shop.”

Himanshu paused and said, “I also get some handy banner design work, mostly from Tamil clients. I’ll hand those over to you, you handle the designing.” Anil asked, “Seriously? Why so generous?”

Himanshu laughed.,“There’s no generosity in business, first of all. I don’t even have a PC. I usually give these jobs to other designers, and they charge a lot. I only get 40% because they have huge clients. You guys gave me ₹16,000 that was a huge amount. So I trust you. We can do a 60-40 split, 40% for you, since you’re doing the designing. I’ve also given you plenty of advice. Now, it’s your call, what do you want to do?” Anil and Surya exchanged a glance, nodded, and thanked Himanshu.

Later at the SV Consultancy, Surya and Anil were engaged in a deep discussion. Surya said, “So you’re asking me to run the shop while you go out to get client projects?” Anil replied, “Of course.”

Surya looked puzzled, “Seriously? I only know basic design, and you, the one who knows it fully, will be going around Mumbai to get business. I don’t understand why you have so much faith in me.” Anil smiled, “Because I believe in you that much. I need someone who won’t cheat me, and you are that person. Also, you don’t know Hindi, so it’s best for you to run the shop. At least until the evening, try to manage it.”

Surya nodded. Anil said, “Great. I’ll head out as early as possible tomorrow. You just need to open the shop and take care of things.” Surya replied, “Okay, fine. I’ll handle it and do any simple designs that come up.”

The next day, Surya arrived at their office as usual. He took the key from the nearby shop and opened it. The first thing he did was clean the shop, then he placed a photo of God and performed a small pooja. After that, he received some banner design work from Himanshu and started working on it.

Meanwhile, Anil was roaming around Dadar Market, pitching their services to various shop owners and asking if any changes or design work were needed. Most declined, but a few showed interest. By the afternoon, he had received only three orders. He thought about giving up, but the memory of his father’s death came to mind, and he decided not to stop.

Around 5:30, Anil returned to the shop. He saw that it was clean and that the photo of God was beautifully adorned. He knew his father was a great devotee of God, while he himself was an atheist and did not believe in God. He sat beside Surya.

Surya said, “You’re back. Today we got around three hoardings from Himanshu. So far, we have made 1,200. I have written it down in the accounts book.” Anil nodded and said, “I managed to get only seven orders today.” Surya smiled. “That is great. For your first day, you got this much.”

Anil remained seated, silent. Surya, who was busy working, suddenly noticed his quietness. Without looking up from his work, he asked, “Why are you so silent? What’s wrong?”

Anil sighed, “Nothing… just a jumble of thoughts. I don’t know how I’m going to make this business successful. Another thing, this client. My aim was to bring in mid-size and big companies, but to sustain ourselves initially, we also need small side clients. And you… I thought I called you here just to assist me, but now I’ve made you do the design work. I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore.”

Surya stopped his work and turned to Anil. He began, “Why are you thinking such negative thoughts in the first place? You asked me to join your business venture as a manager, were ready to share profits with me, and accepted me even though I had no experience, no design knowledge, and didn’t know Hindi. You are doing everything to run this business and make it successful. So why should I just sit back and take a monthly salary? I will do everything learn designing, learn to speak Hindi, and make myself valuable here. People may say not to trust guys like you, but I feel that I know you.”

Anil smiled at Surya. It was the same enthusiasm he had seen in his father, even at the age of forty. Now, that same fatherly spirit seemed to give him a moral boost. Surya then asked, “But I don’t understand, why did you start this business? Why live here when you have relatives’ houses?”

Anil leaned back, letting his honest emotions mix with the memories of his past, “It’s because of my dad. He had real enthusiasm, just like you. But time and opportunity never came his way. He died, and my mother left… everything was lost because he didn’t get the so-called paper with Gandhi’s photo printed and the governor’s sign. I need to earn. I know a few people support me, but I want to stand on my own.”

Surya realized what Anil had gone through. He patted his shoulder and said, “Don’t worry. You put in the effort, and God will help. Now, let’s work.” Anil replied, “Yes, but honestly, I don’t believe in God. After my parents passed, why should I? I rely only on my own effort and self-confidence.”

Surya gave him a knowing look, understanding what he had been through. He simply said, “Okay, fine. You believe in yourself, I believe in God. Together, that will make our business succeed. Now get back to work.” Anil nodded.

The business then started to run smoothly, not very good, not very bad, and just average. On June 25th, 2005, Anil went out with the printing list. Himanshu looked tense. Anil asked, “What happened, brother? Why are you so tense?”

Himanshu said, “My house got damaged due to floods in Gujarat. My wife, children, and my parents are struggling in the rain, covering themselves with sheets.” Anil said, “Oh, that’s bad.”

Himanshu replied, “Yes, and I am not there. I am hoping everything goes well and the rain stops.” Anil said, “Don’t worry, everything will be fine. Maybe the house will need some repairs, but nothing will happen to your family.” Himanshu nodded.

That night, inside the closed business office, Anil took out his phone, which he had kept hidden. He opened his personal Artificial Intelligence application. An hologram of AI Karen appeared. Karen greeted him, “Hello Anil, what can I do for you?”

Anil asked, “Karen, can you list all the natural disasters that occurred in Mumbai from 2003 to 2012? Floods, earthquakes, anything significant?” Karen processed the request and replied, “Well, from 2003 to 2012, there were no earthquakes, but Mumbai has been under constant threat from floods due to heavy rainfall. Significant years include 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, and so on. The most severe was in 2005.”

Anil got closer and asked, “How severe was the 2005 flood? When did it start?” Karen processed the question and said, “On 26 July 2005, Mumbai received 944 mm of rain in a single day. By evening, the city was paralysed trains stopped, roads vanished under water, and hundreds drowned in their cars, homes, or on the streets. The nightmare lasted through the night and into 27 July, with entire neighbourhoods submerged up to first-floor level. The death toll crossed a thousand as disease followed. To this day, Mumbaikars count it as the worst disaster.” Anil realized he needed to prepare for it.

On the evening of 25 July 2005, the rain began. Surya finished his office work and said, “Okay, Anil, I’m going home. Bye.” Anil responded, “Bye.” Surya left, holding an umbrella. As soon as Surya left, Anil quickly collected the printed materials he had asked Himanshu to print. He closed the office doors and began packing his PC, printer, and modem in plastic. He then moved all of them to the upper storage space of the office. By around 11 p.m., he had finished shifting everything. He placed bricks at the entrance to stop water from entering. He was now fully prepared for the heavy flooding expected the next day.

The next morning, the rain intensified. Mumbai was completely flooded. People’s homes were inundated, and roads and railway lines were submerged. It was one of the most devastating disasters Mumbai had ever faced.

Surya, who was staying with his brothers in Dharavi, was fortunately safe. They lived on an upper level, so the floodwater did not reach their home. However, they had guests staying on the ground floor whose belongings were submerged. Water also began leaking from the ceiling into Surya’s residence. To manage this, they placed pots and containers around the house to collect the dripping water and prevent it from spreading across the floor.

Surya wondered about the condition of the office and how Anil was dealing with the situation. He quickly picked up his umbrella and tried to leave for the office. Selvan stopped him and asked, “Where are you going?” Surya replied, “To the office, to check the condition.”

One of his brothers said, “You are a worker there, not the owner.” Surya replied firmly, “I am a partner in VS Consultancy.” Selvan, who knew about Anil, said, “Surya, you can go, but return as soon as possible and be cautious of potholes.” Surya nodded and left the house with his umbrella.

Surya navigated through the flood, avoiding potholes and using his umbrella as a shield against the heavy rain. Within five minutes, he reached the office. Water had flooded the entrance but had not yet reached the shutters.

Surya knocked on the shutters and shouted, “Anil, Anil, are you there?” Anil’s voice came from inside, “Hey Surya, what are you doing out in this heavy rain?” Surya replied, “I came to check on you. Can you open the shutters?” Anil said, “Sure,” and opened the shutters from inside.

Surya felt relieved knowing that Anil was safe and stepped into the office. At the entrance, there was a pile of stones arranged like a low wall, reaching up to Surya’s knees. He crossed it and entered the office. Inside, there was no light due to a power cut.

There was no PC or printer in sight, and candles were placed in the corners of the room. Surya asked, “Where are the PC and the printer, and why are you sitting here in the dark?” Anil replied, “The PC and printer are packed and kept on the first floor. In case water comes inside, we need to save them. There’s no electricity, so it’s dark here.”

Surya and Anil sat down on the floor. Surya said, “Nobody expected such heavy rainfall in Mumbai.” Anil replied, “Nature is unpredictable.” Surya said, “But you outsmarted nature here by taking precautions.” Anil simply smiled and said, “It’s my responsibility. Whatever we need to plan can be done after the flood goes away…”

Surya interrupted him and said, “The whole city is flooded, and you’re talking about business development? Seriously, for one day let’s talk about something else.” Anil nodded in agreement.

Surya asked, “Do you have any love stories?” Anil replied, “Nah.” Surya asked, “Seriously? Why?” Anil said, “I never received any proposals, and I never really thought about it.” Surya responded, “For now, it’s okay. But seriously, you need to find someone to share your life with, man.”

Anil nodded and asked, “Hmm… what about you?” Surya blushed and said, “There is someone.” Anil eagerly asked, “Who is it?” Surya took a deep breath and said, “Vani, my cousin. She loves me, but I kept my distance because I didn’t know what the future would be. But now I can see it clearly. I will become successful and wealthy. One day, I will ask her. And it’s all because of you, man.”

Anil simply smiled, because he knew the truth. Vani, who was actually Anil’s mother, would become his mother, and Surya would become his father in the future, making his father’s life better and more fulfilled. The mission of making his father wealthy was slowly becoming a reality.

As they were talking, Selvan arrived at the office. Selvan said, “So both of you are here?” Surya replied, “Brother, why did you come here? I would have gone home.” Selvan said, “No need for that.”

He looked around the office and asked, “Where is the computer and everything?” Anil replied, “It is packed and placed on the top floor.” Selvan said, “Okay, Surya, you just stay here. Our house is full of guests from the ground floor. I will bring food for both of you.” Anil and Surya nodded.

That night, Anil and Surya stayed in the office, using it as their accommodation until the Mumbai flood subsided. The flood was remembered as the greatest disaster in Mumbai’s history. Around 1,000 people lost their lives, creating an economic crisis for the state of Maharashtra. Every printing business suffered losses due to the destruction caused by the flood. But VS Consultancy stood strong. Thanks to Anil’s futuristic gadgets and alert mind, he succeeded in keeping the business moving forward.

Within months, VS Consultancy grew like a tree. They had contacts ranging from multinational companies to small businesses. Surya learned Hindi and mastered the ins and outs of the business. VS Consultancy began making a minimum profit of 25 thousand per month. According to their agreement, Surya and Anil received their respective shares. They even hired an employee to help manage clients, and many clients preferred Surya’s designs. Everything was on track, and Anil’s plan was working. The business was sailing smoothly like a boat on calm water, but the time would soon come for the captain to make a change.

On the night of April 11, 2006, Surya finished his designs and sent them. Anil was still working on printing pamphlets. Surya got up and approached Anil, “Anil, the design has been sent to Himanshu. The sample is done. Also, today’s amount has been added to the account book.”

Surya said. Anil replied, “Okay.” He stopped his printing work and looked at Anil one last time. Anil said, “Okay, Surya. Goodbye.” Surya also said, “Bye,” and left the shop, unaware that this would be Anil’s last day in Mumbai, and even more importantly, that he was about to return to his own timeline.

The next day, as usual, Surya arrived at the office, but the door was locked. A nearby shopkeeper said, “Surya, Anil asked me to give you this key.” Surya took the keys and entered the office. There, he saw a letter. He picked it up and realized it was written by Anil. Surya began to read the letter.

The letter read:

“Hi Surya, It’s been a wonderful year working with you. As a friend and colleague, you have been excellent, and a man full of enthusiasm. I am leaving now, Surya. Don’t ask me where I am going or why. I have to go. There is no proper ownership for VS Consultancy anymore. It is yours now. In the future, many challenges will come, there may be drought periods, years when the business slows down due to political or environmental reasons, or even disruptions caused by new technologies like artificial intelligence, though it might go by a different name then. When such times come, don’t panic. Wait for a year, understand the situation, and implement changes carefully in the business. Grow this business and become wealthier. Also, be prepared to pay off some authorities or politicians if necessary to sustain operations.

So, goodbye.
From, Anil”

Tears welled up in Surya’s eyes. He could hardly believe it. His legs wobbled as he stumbled. Surya tried to run, hoping to find Anil, but it was no use. Anil had already left Mumbai. He had gone so far away that, no matter how hard Surya tried, he could not bring him back. Anil had to complete his time travel mission.

Two days later, 13 April 2005, we see Anil on the outskirts of Tirunelveli. He wore the time travel watch and checked his pockets. He had a 2005 currency note, a Camp Cola bottle, and on his phone, two snapshots of Tirunelveli and one video. The four objectives of his time travel were completed.

He checked his watch, which was beeping, indicating that he could return to 2038. He took a deep breath; not knowing what changes awaited him in the future. Would it be terrible, shocking, or happy?

He pressed the blue button to suit and then red button on the watch. The time travel suit enveloped him, and he pressed the second button. A bright light filled the surroundings, and he vanished from that place.