Sleep was interrupted at a half past 1 and after a wash, I'd recited my prayers. It was a trifle too early, I know and the question that I asked myself was, "Hey Rajeev, is your praying act getting reduced to something that you've to do, failing which you think that you aren't able to tick off 'a must do duty' in your daily activity?" The answer's a big 'no'!
Ammayi had given me a shake up at 5 as I'd instructed and I went about my chores and was ready by a half past 7. Alex came soon after and we're on our way to Kallara to make it there at 10 o'clock after picking up Komalam from the Foundation. Everything seemed to be going fine when hell broke loose and the sequence of events went something like this:-
(a) The Exploratory was parked within the premises of the panchayat headquarters for the night
and it was a tight fit between the gate and the building's frontage. This was based on the
President's instructions to ensure the safety of the vehicle.
(b) There was a water bowser within the premises which had to move out, collect water from a
nearby water point and distribute it to the people of the panchayat whose wells were dry.
Neither did we visualise such a requirement nor did the panchayat staff tell us about it.
(c) Our day's programme was to begin at 10 and we're making it on time when calls began to pour
into poor Santosh's - the co-ordinator - cellphone. The gist of the news that was being passed
on to him was, "A group of people was restive that the water bowser had not reached their
houses and they'd collected up in front of the panchayat headquarters blaming the
Exploratory's faulty parking. The President had come by, exhibited his annoyance and
threatened to bash up Aji, the driver and Santosh, the co-ordinator and blurted out expletives.
My team did not want me to face the flak and hence, prevented me from going to the spot!
The President, consequently, did not come to our first venue of operations as promised last
evening".
(d) A message was passed on to me through the co-ordinator that it was all a 'put on' by the
President to thwart the opposition from making a mountain out of a molehill!
For me, however, it was a let down regarding the man whom I'd placed on a pedestal, at our first meeting last evening, when he spoke movingly about my grandfather and his association with him from 1968! I did tell the co-ordinator to pass on my feelings to the old man and decided to let bygones be bygones and went about our interactions at six places that had been slated for the day. During lunch, I suddenly felt queasy and didn't partake the food and rested in the Qualis till the others returned. A nice wash of my face with ice cold water and many deep breaths made me feel better and there was no looking back. I'd resumed my interactions, thereafter, with the same vigour, as before, to allay the fears of my team.
Tailpiece.
It was a late secure at a half past 6, in pouring rains. Had dropped Komalam at her house before heading for home. For a change, today I felt tired!
Ammayi had given me a shake up at 5 as I'd instructed and I went about my chores and was ready by a half past 7. Alex came soon after and we're on our way to Kallara to make it there at 10 o'clock after picking up Komalam from the Foundation. Everything seemed to be going fine when hell broke loose and the sequence of events went something like this:-
(a) The Exploratory was parked within the premises of the panchayat headquarters for the night
and it was a tight fit between the gate and the building's frontage. This was based on the
President's instructions to ensure the safety of the vehicle.
(b) There was a water bowser within the premises which had to move out, collect water from a
nearby water point and distribute it to the people of the panchayat whose wells were dry.
Neither did we visualise such a requirement nor did the panchayat staff tell us about it.
(c) Our day's programme was to begin at 10 and we're making it on time when calls began to pour
into poor Santosh's - the co-ordinator - cellphone. The gist of the news that was being passed
on to him was, "A group of people was restive that the water bowser had not reached their
houses and they'd collected up in front of the panchayat headquarters blaming the
Exploratory's faulty parking. The President had come by, exhibited his annoyance and
threatened to bash up Aji, the driver and Santosh, the co-ordinator and blurted out expletives.
My team did not want me to face the flak and hence, prevented me from going to the spot!
The President, consequently, did not come to our first venue of operations as promised last
evening".
(d) A message was passed on to me through the co-ordinator that it was all a 'put on' by the
President to thwart the opposition from making a mountain out of a molehill!
For me, however, it was a let down regarding the man whom I'd placed on a pedestal, at our first meeting last evening, when he spoke movingly about my grandfather and his association with him from 1968! I did tell the co-ordinator to pass on my feelings to the old man and decided to let bygones be bygones and went about our interactions at six places that had been slated for the day. During lunch, I suddenly felt queasy and didn't partake the food and rested in the Qualis till the others returned. A nice wash of my face with ice cold water and many deep breaths made me feel better and there was no looking back. I'd resumed my interactions, thereafter, with the same vigour, as before, to allay the fears of my team.
Tailpiece.
It was a late secure at a half past 6, in pouring rains. Had dropped Komalam at her house before heading for home. For a change, today I felt tired!
No comments:
Post a Comment