Sunday, November 6, 2016

Back at 'The Quarterdeck'.

The bus had stopped at Ernakulam and I'd informed the conductor that I was going out to ease my bladder. His word of caution amused me, "Sir, come fast as the bus is already running behind schedule", as though a delay on my part would have a cascading effect! The public urinal is badly kept, in fact, in most of the road transport corporation's bus terminals the cleanliness factor is found to be wanting because of a lackadaisical attitude, notwithstanding the money that they collect from the passengers for its use. Strange! I couldn't spot the urinal obscured behind parked buses and hence did it in the open, going against the spirit of the 'open defecation free' status of the state. I must hasten to add that I did feel ashamed about it, but getting back to the bus early was the need of the hour!

Back in the bus, I noticed that my laptop had fallen from the overhead rack thanks to an irresponsible fellow traveler having placed his haversack beneath it and consequently, it must have fallen off during the journey! Felt angry and hoped that there was no damage!! The bus reached Thrissur at about a 20' past 3. As I alighted and looked around the platform I realised that there was no vacant seat where I could sit and work on my laptop since the first bus to Guruvayur was only at 5! Due to an utter bankruptcy of thought and to while away time so that a vacant chair would present itself, I'd gone to the tea stall for the morning cuppa and it was while having it that a Tamilnadu transport bus, headed for Guruvayur, had come to a halt near me. Plenty of passengers had disembarked and therefore, getting a seat was easy and within another 40', I'd reached the state road transport corporation bus stand at the western entrance of the Guruvayur temple, from where I'd begun this journey, three days back!

I'd reached our house soon after, thanks to an auto rickshaw and within 15', was fast asleep. Later at 6, the morning chores of lighting the lamp and the opening up of the house were gone through. My cousin, Unni chettan from Thalavoor, had come soon after to collect his stuff and went back to attend the wedding of his friend's son. Padmakumar, Rema and Achu, along with Lekha, had arrived by lunchtime and my cousin, the advocate, along with her brother-in-law and his children, had made a quick visit so that Jayettan could formally invite us for his daughter's wedding at the Guruvayur temple, on 01 Dec.

Almost simultaneously, Mini, had called up from Bangalore to say that the boy who's marrying Ammu and his folks had visited them and have invited us for the return visit to their house at Payyannur, later this month to finalise the details! After mom's passing away, such intricate aspects have become my responsibility and I must confess that I've no clue on the finer aspects!

Padmakumar, Rema and Achu left after tea, back for Palakkad. It's damn nice of them to drop Lekha, otherwise I'd have had to make a trip up and down for the same.


Tailpiece.

The customary walk was undertaken and it's refreshing after a lapse of three days.         

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