The day had begun at 5 AM for us. I'd planned a get away at 7 but by the time we'd finally driven off it was 20' past 7. Meanwhile, Madhavan, the security man of the housing complex and a man for all seasons, had washed down my Chevy and Padmakumar had left for the office by a quarter past 7. Achu saw us off, he'd earlier returned from the night shift by 6.
Though the drive through Kuthiraan was smooth, the Wadakkancherry and Mannuthi stretches had bogged us for a while because of bunched up traffic. There was a bit of a confusion at the Paliyekkara toll because they'd blocked one of the lanes all of a sudden! The tea break at about 10 was at a wayside cafe, opposite the Geeyem Motors' service station at Nettur.
The wait in the queue at the Savakkotta Paalam at Alappuzha was for almost a half an hour. What angered me is the manner in which motorists creep past you and go ahead, without bothering to stay in the queue. They give one the impression that being disciplined and waiting for one's turn is outright stupid and unwanted! Lunch was at our favourite haunt, the Kalpakavadi Inn off Thottappalli and the meals, fish curry combination was just too yummy. Shihab had looked after us well!
There was a long queue at the Kottarakkara junction and the guys jumped the line there too. What bugs me is that these guys get away, with the cops not even being bothered about taking penal action! We drove straight to Lekha's sister, Letha's place, in time for a cup of piping hot tea and snack.Thereafter, I'd got our dish TV activated by telling Lalu, at the kiosk and drove the last stretch home. There was that thrill within me of being with my parents for the next ten days!
The work around the house hasn't been completed and the caretaker says that it will be done by Monday. The house was clean and was ready as though for a 'cabin cupboard', as we say in the navy for a superior's inspection. I'd spent some time at my parents' resting place and briefed them about our programme for the next ten days. The caretaker had come and sat with us to give a short situation report, woven around this sleepy village. The gruesome death of a 10+1 student, Vinayakan, son of Manoj, the cable television guy, consequent to being run over by Saranya, the private bus that plies on our arterial road, was a heart rending story. The villagers damaged the bus in anger and the result is that the company has stopped running its services ever since the accident; the face saving grace is that the road transport corporation's services have increased manifold and hence, the villagers and the regular commuters are happy.
A simple dinner of idlis and chutney, laced with a lot of conversation between the three of us was the highlight of the first evening out here. Guests have started coming by just to say hello.
Tailpiece.
Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.
"Mohan has been shifted from the critical ICU to the neuro ICU. His condition remains the same as has been reported earlier".
Though the drive through Kuthiraan was smooth, the Wadakkancherry and Mannuthi stretches had bogged us for a while because of bunched up traffic. There was a bit of a confusion at the Paliyekkara toll because they'd blocked one of the lanes all of a sudden! The tea break at about 10 was at a wayside cafe, opposite the Geeyem Motors' service station at Nettur.
The wait in the queue at the Savakkotta Paalam at Alappuzha was for almost a half an hour. What angered me is the manner in which motorists creep past you and go ahead, without bothering to stay in the queue. They give one the impression that being disciplined and waiting for one's turn is outright stupid and unwanted! Lunch was at our favourite haunt, the Kalpakavadi Inn off Thottappalli and the meals, fish curry combination was just too yummy. Shihab had looked after us well!
There was a long queue at the Kottarakkara junction and the guys jumped the line there too. What bugs me is that these guys get away, with the cops not even being bothered about taking penal action! We drove straight to Lekha's sister, Letha's place, in time for a cup of piping hot tea and snack.Thereafter, I'd got our dish TV activated by telling Lalu, at the kiosk and drove the last stretch home. There was that thrill within me of being with my parents for the next ten days!
The work around the house hasn't been completed and the caretaker says that it will be done by Monday. The house was clean and was ready as though for a 'cabin cupboard', as we say in the navy for a superior's inspection. I'd spent some time at my parents' resting place and briefed them about our programme for the next ten days. The caretaker had come and sat with us to give a short situation report, woven around this sleepy village. The gruesome death of a 10+1 student, Vinayakan, son of Manoj, the cable television guy, consequent to being run over by Saranya, the private bus that plies on our arterial road, was a heart rending story. The villagers damaged the bus in anger and the result is that the company has stopped running its services ever since the accident; the face saving grace is that the road transport corporation's services have increased manifold and hence, the villagers and the regular commuters are happy.
A simple dinner of idlis and chutney, laced with a lot of conversation between the three of us was the highlight of the first evening out here. Guests have started coming by just to say hello.
Tailpiece.
Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.
"Mohan has been shifted from the critical ICU to the neuro ICU. His condition remains the same as has been reported earlier".
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