The 3 Mistakes of My Life — Recap | Prologue

Hello, gentle readers! Now and then, a story decides it does not want to begin politely. No warm introductions. No easing into things. No “once upon a time.” Instead, it barges into the room carrying what appears to be a suicide note and gives you chills from the front of your screen. And honestly? That is exactly what happened here. Our plot opens with Chetan Bhagat receiving an email from a young businessman in Ahmedabad. At first glance, it seems strange. By the second paragraph, it feels alarming. By the end, it reads like the sort of message that would leave anyone staring at their screen for several minutes, wondering what on a random morning they just read. The sender didn’t properly introduce himself. He signed off simply as “Businessman.” Which, I have to say, is not exactly helpful when one is potentially trying to understand your cute mail. The email itself is unsettling. The young man talks about how he has harmed the lives of people around him. He mentions that Ish’s silent face has haunted him for three years. He regrets not being able to talk to Vidya. Most chillingly, he says he will take a sleeping pill every time a sentence ends. The message practically waves red flags from beginning to end. Needless to say, Chetan is disturbed.

Now, poor Chetan had much less dramatic plans for the day. He was supposed to go furniture shopping. In fact, he had promised his wife Anusha that he would finally purchase some furniture approximately ten weekends ago. As someone who has made random promises and then conveniently forgotten them, I felt this. Furniture shopping, however, takes a back seat when a possible suicide email lands in your inbox. Anusha reads the message and is equally troubled. Together, they decide they need help. Enter Professor Basant, a faculty member from IIM Ahmedabad and someone both of them know from their college days. There is only one tiny problem. They’re in Singapore. He is in India. And it is ridiculously early. Calling people at odd hours is one of life’s greatest social anxieties. Is someone dying? Is the house on fire? Have aliens landed? If the answer is no, perhaps wait. Unfortunately, this situation feels serious enough to ignore normal phone etiquette.

Chetan calls. Thankfully, after some conversation, the professor remembered him. He forwards the email, shares the concern, and suddenly a rescue mission begins. One of my favorite things about this section is how wonderfully dated it feels. Professor Basant suggests that if the sender has Gmail, he probably has an Orkut account. Orkut! Children, gather around. There was once a social networking site before Instagram, before X, before half the apps currently eating our attention spans. And apparently, it becomes the key to finding a potentially suicidal stranger. The professor tracks down a profile. Name: G. Patel. Interests: Cricket, business, mathematics, and friends. Not exactly enough information to find someone in a city of millions, but it is better than nothing. The professor promises to inform some of his students in Ahmedabad to complete the search. Meanwhile, Chetan is left waiting. And waiting. And worrying. You know that horrible feeling when there is absolutely nothing you can do except hope for a phone call? The chapter captures that anxiety well.

Finally, at 1:33 p.m., the call comes. They found him. His name is Govind Patel. He is twenty-five years old. And most importantly, he is alive. I cannot overstate the relief in that moment. Professor Basant wisely advises Chetan not to get too involved. The police may ask questions. Complications may arise. The matter is technically over. Except it isn’t. Because curiosity is a stubborn thing. Even after confirming Govind’s condition, Chetan cannot stop thinking about him. Who is this young man? What happened? Why did he send that email? What could have driven him to such a desperate act? Meanwhile, Anusha remains the voice of reason. Perhaps it was heartbreak. Perhaps poor academic performance. Perhaps drugs. Perhaps something else entirely. Whatever the reason, she points out that strangers do strange things. The young man simply found an email address printed on the back of a book and wrote to it. Case closed. Move on. Buy furniture. Live your life. But stories do not work that way. And neither do writers.

Soon enough, Chetan decides he wants answers. He books a flight to Ahmedabad, despite every reasonable person around him subtly suggesting this might not be necessary. The next thing we know, he is standing in a hospital ward. And there lies Govind. Curly hair. Wheatish complexion. Thin frame. Dry lips from medication. A young man who looks far less like a mystery and far more like a human being. When Chetan introduces himself, Govind is understandably shocked. Imagine waking up in a hospital after a suicide attempt, only to discover that the famous author you emailed has somehow tracked you down. That is not a scenario most people prepare for.

Govind’s mother soon appears, and my heart genuinely goes out to her. She looks exhausted, sleep-deprived, and emotionally drained. She refuses to leave her son’s side despite instructions from nurses. Honestly, what parent would? Eventually, after much persuasion from hospital staff, she leaves. The room quiets. The doctor wants everyone gone soon. And finally, the conversation that has been building throughout the chapter begins.

Govind apologizes for sending the email. Chetan, however, is interested in something else entirely. The story. Why did all of this happen? What brought him here? What could have gone so wrong? When Govind hesitates, Chetan pushes him. And then comes my favorite line of the chapter. Govind says he knows what friendship is. Because he had two friends. The best ones in the world. And just like that, the mystery truly begins. You cannot open a story with a suicide note, spend an entire chapter chasing its sender across cities and hospitals, and then end on a line like that without making readers immediately turn the page. Well played, Mr. Bhagat. Well played!

Book: The 3 Mistakes of My Life

Author: Chetan Bhagat