The 13-year-old does not know his body is host to the AIDS virus. Nor has he any inkling that his days are numbered. And for one who has lost both legs, why, he is going to get a car soon. So what if it is just a toy. No problem.

It is his mother who brings sobering reality to his bedside at the BYL Nair Hospital at Mumbai Central, spilling out a wretched tale which began when Sunil was pushed out of a moving local at Kandivli. Somewhere between the railway tracks and his tumultous journey through two hospitals, severe head injuries, two amputations and numerous blood transfusions, Sunil contracted the HIV virus.

After his accident on February 6, Sunil Gupta was admitted to Bhagwati Municipal Hospital at Borivli. One of his legs wasamputated and he was administered 10 bottles of blood. On March 18, Sunil was admitted to Nair Hospital, where his other leg was amputated. Here, he received two bottles of blood before he was tested for AIDS. His fever would not abate and the worried doctors therefore ordered the test. The results came back positive.

Life, since then, has been a hellish experience for the Guptas, residents of Kandivli, who have been wrestling with poverty and the certainty of losing their son. ``The doctors insist we were responsible for Sunil's condition,'' says Sunaina, Sunil's mother. Both parents immediately got their blood checked and both tested negative. ``He could have been infected only during his treatment. He never had any operation earlier. Nor was he given any injections,'' Sunaina points out.

Both hospitals have cleared themselves of blame and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), which monitors blood banks in the city, has ruled out the transfusions as the source of the infection. ``The blood wasproperly screened. He could not have been infected by blood from either hospital,'' says G G Joshi, assistant commissioner in charge of blood banks.

But Sunaina refuses to accept this. ``The person who gave my son contaminated blood is still out there. He could be infecting others too. Why isn't anyone bothered? Is it because we are poor,'' she asks, gazing at her son in abject despair.

``What will happen to our daughter's marriage,'' Sunaina wonders, adding that Sunil's accident has stalled marriage plans, which were already underway. ``What will happen to my Sunil,'' she continues. Skirting the obvious, Sunaina says she will spend as much time as possible with Sunil, the second son in a family of five siblings. Her husband, who was a fruit vendor near Andheri station, lost his job during the ongoing drive evicting hawkers near railway stations. Busy hunting for alternative employment, Bhim Jena, has had little time to tend to his son. Even the mayor's promise to provide him a job as not materialised,Sunaina says.

Sunil's case was raised in the municipal corporation recently after which Mayor Nandu Satam ordered an inquiry. ``The blood samples from Nair Hospital were found to be clean. Samples from Bhagwati are being checked. The report will be ready in two-three months,'' says Yakub Memon, Samajwadi Party corporator, who had first raised the matter in the corporation.

Blood samples, inquiries, AIDS... Sunil is not concerned with such details. All he wants to know is when he will get his car. ``Gadi Kabhi ayegi (when will my car come),'' asks Sunil, a student of Dalamal School at Kandivli. Ignored by his friends, relatives and neighbours, who have not visited even once since he contracted AIDS, Sunil is chugging on with life with unusual zeal.

During his five-month sojourn at the hospital, Sunil has engaged all and sundry with his incessant chatter as his mother wheels him around the premises. ``He just doesn't stop talking,'' smiles Sunaina, anxiously awaiting his imminentdischarge.

Recalling how brave he was when he fell off the train, Sunil says he was fully conscious after the accident. ``I even gave the policemen my parents' contact number,'' he grins.

His mother admits Sunil is at times gloomy, watching the other children kid around. But he has an explanation to beat his own wistfulness. Looking at his mother, he says, ``Aap bolte the na, ki khana nahin khayenge to pair kat jayenge. Dekho ab wahi ho gaya,'' (You has always warned me that my legs would be cut off if I don't eat properly. See, that's happened now).''