To Kollam and back.

Our day had begun at 4 AM with Lekha's cellphone alarm going off. We went about our chores and were ready before 6. Sajish came soon after and we headed straight to the ATM at the east nada and then southward, to Kollam. The roads were very light on traffic at that time and we had hit the highway at a very comfortable time.

Breakfast was at Ananda Bhavan, around a quarter past 8 and Lekha and I could share the 'combo' as we'd desired but couldn't during our last trip. The filter coffee was not up to the mark, though. We resumed our journey after about 20' or so.

Though there were rain alerts today, we didn't experience even a shower during the complete journey. We were at Kavanadu, Kollam by 20' to 1 and decided to go to Lekshmi's place after having our lunch. It was done at 'Arakallu', a new eatery run exclusively by women. The proprietor, Reshna, is smart and knows how to run a popular kitchen though I did give some unsolicited(?) advice at the end of it all - the dishes needed to be tastier.

I had forgotten my cellphone at the counter but by the time Lekha and I had returned from the rest rooms, Reshna was standing anxiously outside the eatery to hand it over to me.

We reached Lekshmi by about a 20' to 2. And this was the gist of it all :-

"Aniyan was diagnosed with cancer of his pancreas about a year and a half back. It was detected when he used to complain quite often about a frequent pain in the lower abdomen that finally ended up with a sharp, clutching pain at the base of the backbone.

Whether he had his apprehensions about having contracted the deadly illness wasn't known to anyone and he was by then, busy in his elevation as the District Rotary Governor, the tenure finishing in June this year. Then he was left with plenty of time to himself and there were times when he spoke to his close friends about the illness. Chemotherapy and radiations were administered during the period but it didn't deter him, Lekshmi says. 

All his three children - two sons and a daughter - were in by early November. In one of his candid talks with the oncologist at the Aster Medicity, Kochi he realised that he was lucky to have survived for 11/2 years while most succumbed within 6 months after diagnosis. But then, the doctor had spoken to him frankly because he thought his patient to be rock solid and full of inner strength. That, however, seems to have been the tipping point as he realised his end to be near.

A day after Diwali, as the pain had increased, he was admitted into a private hospital, nearby for palliative care. A heavy dose of Morphine was administered to keep the pain away till death took him away in the morning of 23 Nov".

We were with Lekshmi for about an hour or so. Leaving Lekha along with her, I had insisted upon going to the cremation spot and was chauffeured to the place by his brother-in-law, Radhakrishnan who was driving that sophisticated car for the first time and made errors galore. Damn sweet of him. Saw Aniyan's bones lying scattered in the pit reminding me, yet again, as to what life was all about.

Said a short prayer for him, as I bid my final adieu.

On return, without much ado, we left for Guruvayur. Had dinner at 'The Emperor' at Kodungallur; the wheat parathas were nice. Reached home by 2200 hrs.

Tailpiece.

Kittu was waiting for us and Lekha had ruffled up his dinner of fish and rice which he devoured in haste only to disappear into the night. These days he sleeps on the rug at our balcony.