I'd got up by about a quarter past 5 to finish up my packing and to get ready for my longish trip to Thiruvananthapuram. Anto had come, on the dot, at 7 and he'd dropped me at the road transport corporation stand where the bus that I was to board was ready and the journey began in right earnest at 20' past 7. It passed by my house as it took the Kunnamkulam route to Thrissur.
I wondered whether the state of the soul, once released from a body felt something similar to what I was going through then. I was passing by pretty close to my house but was unable to communicate with Lekha or say, comprehend what's happening within 'The Quarterdeck'! Of course, the argument could be retorted by saying that communication was, indeed, possible with the cellphone that was available on my person! ........Some crazy thoughts, huh!
I'd befriended the driver whose name was Subhash, hailing from Thiruvananthapuram as I'd occupied the seat on the left side, across him and therefore, was privy to the onrush of the road and the first sights that came by as the bus headed for its destination. The sun had, however, begun to bear and I'd to shield my face to cut off its glare towards the final three quarters of the first stretch of my journey!
I'd reached the Vyttila hub by a 10' past 10, well in time for boarding the low floor a/c bus to Thiruvananthapuram which had departed pronto at 1050 hrs. I'd enjoyed this part of the journey last time, too, and hence opted to repeat it. It was comfortable and I'd the packed lunch that Lekha had given me when the bus had stopped at a motel, past Kayankulam for the purpose. Incidentally, a young couple had gone for their beer at the attached bar and it did raise many a eyebrow among the passengers! We, mallus, can never change!!
Meanwhile, Lekha had taken off for Palakkad in George's taxi and had reached Rema's house by 3. She'll be dropped by Achu on Sunday on my return to Guruvayur. Incidentally, today was his first day at Marico! Must get to know about what his experiences were in due course.
The previous bus that I was travelling in was overtaken, somewhere short of Ambalapuzha!
The traffic between Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram was rather heavy and it took about two and a half hours to negotiate that stretch. I pitied the driver who, many a time, had to encounter errant drivers enroute. Imagine the cheek of certain drivers to race with the road transportation corporation's buses! It's outright silly, churlish and immature!!
Eventually, I'd fetched up at the Foundation, courtesy Sivakumar - he's our new man behind the wheel, a quiet 'un compared to the volatile Omanakuttan, who'd quit about a month back - by a half past 5. We'd quickly gone into a huddle, so that I could take stock of the situation and prepare myself for the meeting, the day after.
After the others had left, maman and I'd gone through our ruminations. Soon after, Ammayi and Manu had returned after their trip to a temple and we'd dinner at a place with the fancy name of 'Curry Chatti', on the youngster's insistence - the fair was just about okay!
Tailpiece.
We'd dropped in at my cousin, Sindhu's place to meet up with Vilasini kunjamma. Her smile, radiant with joy on seeing me, did make my day!
I wondered whether the state of the soul, once released from a body felt something similar to what I was going through then. I was passing by pretty close to my house but was unable to communicate with Lekha or say, comprehend what's happening within 'The Quarterdeck'! Of course, the argument could be retorted by saying that communication was, indeed, possible with the cellphone that was available on my person! ........Some crazy thoughts, huh!
I'd befriended the driver whose name was Subhash, hailing from Thiruvananthapuram as I'd occupied the seat on the left side, across him and therefore, was privy to the onrush of the road and the first sights that came by as the bus headed for its destination. The sun had, however, begun to bear and I'd to shield my face to cut off its glare towards the final three quarters of the first stretch of my journey!
I'd reached the Vyttila hub by a 10' past 10, well in time for boarding the low floor a/c bus to Thiruvananthapuram which had departed pronto at 1050 hrs. I'd enjoyed this part of the journey last time, too, and hence opted to repeat it. It was comfortable and I'd the packed lunch that Lekha had given me when the bus had stopped at a motel, past Kayankulam for the purpose. Incidentally, a young couple had gone for their beer at the attached bar and it did raise many a eyebrow among the passengers! We, mallus, can never change!!
Meanwhile, Lekha had taken off for Palakkad in George's taxi and had reached Rema's house by 3. She'll be dropped by Achu on Sunday on my return to Guruvayur. Incidentally, today was his first day at Marico! Must get to know about what his experiences were in due course.
The previous bus that I was travelling in was overtaken, somewhere short of Ambalapuzha!
The traffic between Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram was rather heavy and it took about two and a half hours to negotiate that stretch. I pitied the driver who, many a time, had to encounter errant drivers enroute. Imagine the cheek of certain drivers to race with the road transportation corporation's buses! It's outright silly, churlish and immature!!
Eventually, I'd fetched up at the Foundation, courtesy Sivakumar - he's our new man behind the wheel, a quiet 'un compared to the volatile Omanakuttan, who'd quit about a month back - by a half past 5. We'd quickly gone into a huddle, so that I could take stock of the situation and prepare myself for the meeting, the day after.
After the others had left, maman and I'd gone through our ruminations. Soon after, Ammayi and Manu had returned after their trip to a temple and we'd dinner at a place with the fancy name of 'Curry Chatti', on the youngster's insistence - the fair was just about okay!
Tailpiece.
We'd dropped in at my cousin, Sindhu's place to meet up with Vilasini kunjamma. Her smile, radiant with joy on seeing me, did make my day!
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