Friday, May 20, 2016

Back at The Quarterdeck.

There seemed to be a celestial collusion! Just as it was on the early morning of the 7th, when we're leaving for Raj Nivas - there was a power outage and we're through our early morning chores thanks to the emergency lighting - there was a power failure and consequently, had to go through our chores with candles and emergency lighting! I'd quickly delayed our departure time, firstly because I wanted everyone to sleep more and secondly, because there would be some daylight time before we set off! There were heavy rains prior to 6 o'clock and I simply hoped that it would stop while we got into the car and when Mini disembarked at Sanil's place.

We could leave home by a half past 6, spend a few minutes at the small snake temple at Ranadalummodu as per mom's wishes and then, shaped course to Ayur, 18 kms south. Mini had guided me through a shorter route and we reached Sanil's place half an hour later. Mini had gotten off with her luggage, we interacted with Sanil's mom - she's a year junior to my mom but is much active compared to her - and left without much ado through the pitter patter. Breakfast of 'appam and muttakkari' at a wayside restaurant immediately close to the petrol bunk that I frequent, where the Chevy was topped up and the tyre pressure checked.

Because of the cool environment, everyone's bladders were active and so we stopped in between at another place that we frequent. The met forecasters had warned about heavy rains all over the state thanks to the depression over the Bay of Bengal and it was experienced till Kochi. From then on it was a dry spell, all through, and we reached 'The Quarterdeck' at teatime exactly after a fortnight. The drive was smooth without even a hint of erratic drivers all through.

The unpacking and the opening up of the house were achieved without any hitches and I could go for my customary walk which was a great source of relaxation. I was particularly at peace that I'd completed all the work that I'd planned and could put the remainder, in motion, to their logical completion. Mom and Lekha did not look tired after the long journey!


Tailpiece.

1. I forgot to mention earlier that my attempt at psephology was a miserable failure. The attempt at forecasting the results, that is. Only goes to prove that my inputs were inadequate and I went by my heart and did my subconscious mind influence my effort? Nevertheless, my apologies!!

2. Today, while driving, the speedometer showed '1019.7' at one stage and what surprised me was that the number was my academy roll number, sans the decimal point. Some strange coincidence, this!

3. The LDF has begun on an inauspicious note, according to my opinion, for the following reasons:-
    (a) VS Achuthanandan has been sidelined to make Pinarayi Vijayan the chief minister. The old
          warhorse had campaigned effectively and vigorously, paving the way for the huge mandate
          that the LDF has mustered. If he'd stayed away, the LDF would have been nowhere with
          Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at the helm. By dumping him, the party has once
          again shown that it's heartless!
    (b) Pinarayi Vijayan needs to come clean on the SNC Lavalin case, otherwise that blot on him
          will remain forever just as he blames others of wrongdoing.
    (c) On the eve of the declaration of results some CPM workers were found with over 18,000
          bogus votes in Pinarayi Vijayan's constituency. Nothing has been said about this so far. He
          needs to tell the people as to what it was all about.
    (d) Sitaram Yechury has, thankfully, lost his bluster after the unholy nexus between the left and
          the Congress that he'd scripted in West Bengal, dumping ideology for short term gains. It was
          thus a chastened Yechury, who abandoned VS Achuthanandan to save his face among the
          CPM's top leadership, who're Pinarayi Vijayan's supporters.
    (e) Towards evening, the media was speculating on the would-be-ministers of the LDF government
         and I was aghast to see the following mentioned for the reasons mentioned against their names:-
          (i) EP Jayarajan               who can forget the sight of the guy overturning the Speaker's chair
                                                   and pushing it over the barricade during the fracas in the Assembly?
                                                   How can he, as a minister, advocate restraint, maturity and decent
                                                   behaviour when he'd proved that he didn't have them at all? 
         (ii) MM Mani                   how can one ever forget the arrogance that this guy'd shown when
                                                   he justified the killings/hounding out/wounding of those who did not
                                                   agree with the party's ideology?
     

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