The alarm had gone off at 4 and we were up and about, going through our chores. Rema and Mini had also woken up as we were leaving Raj Nivas together. Mini, along with our neighbour, was going to the Pattazhi Devi kshetram. Rema was dropped at Pidavoor.
And I'd taken leave of Pidavoor Amma and Padmakumar while Lekha sat in the car. We set off by the Pathanamthitta-Thiruvalla-Kottayam-Angamaly route this time, as the road was good but it doesn't have a central median - I'm harping on this fact because I was gonna face the brunt of it in the course of the journey. Breakfast was at the Hotel Elite at Thiruvalla where it was a buffet, with a wide spread, that was meant to cater for the inmates staying in the hotel.
The manager had told me about it and added that, for us, the breakfast would be @ Rs.200/-. I didn't mind the cost because it had clean, spacious rest rooms which was of great importance to the both of us. We'd idiappams and egg masala and in my second helping, I wanted to have a 'puri' but that was not to be as the steward told us that, "the oil was getting heated and a five minute delay was anticipated". We didn't want to waste too much time on a puri and therefore, had called for the bill. I was surprised seeing the bill amount of Rs.244/44 and queried the steward. His answer was truly humbling, Sir, both of you'd taken only one dish each and we couldn't offer you the puri that you wanted. Hence, the bill is on actual consumption".
Why I'd explained it in detail was to highlight that manager and his steward's ethics, along with the kindness, shown to us. The world has many nice people and it's they who make this place worth living! And no, I ain't speaking so because we'd paid Rs.165/56 less for our breakfast.
After about half an hour, we'd resumed our journey. The newly refurbished road had ample width but it also provided plenty of opportunity for wayward drivers to drive on the wrong side of the centre line! And I was gonna pay the price for it a little later. We're approaching Perumbavoor, when a wine red Alto, I think, passed too close that its rear view mirror hit mine, cracking it instantaneously. I'd no heart to stop my Chevy but I saw the blighter speeding away as though it didn't matter at all. Was too sad that such a disaster had taken place!
The air conditioning system of the car had a problem in that the cooling was partial, so the heat was being felt within and it was miserable. And there was a huge traffic snarl at the main junction. Wonder whether it was the cumulative effect on me that when I braked the car it continued to roll and touched the sturdy rear portion of a pick up truck , causing the bonnet to buckle. My woes had been added!
It took about a half hour to extricate from the block and the subsequent passage was uneventful. We reached 'The Quarterdeck' around a quarter past 1 to be in time for lunch and Preetha had a lovely spread ready.
It was nice to be back after a break of 12 days, refreshed.
Tailpiece.
It might take a while for my Chevy to be roadworthy because the Geeyem Motors will need time to get the requisite spares, from its supporting depots, to effect repairs.
And I'd taken leave of Pidavoor Amma and Padmakumar while Lekha sat in the car. We set off by the Pathanamthitta-Thiruvalla-Kottayam-Angamaly route this time, as the road was good but it doesn't have a central median - I'm harping on this fact because I was gonna face the brunt of it in the course of the journey. Breakfast was at the Hotel Elite at Thiruvalla where it was a buffet, with a wide spread, that was meant to cater for the inmates staying in the hotel.
The manager had told me about it and added that, for us, the breakfast would be @ Rs.200/-. I didn't mind the cost because it had clean, spacious rest rooms which was of great importance to the both of us. We'd idiappams and egg masala and in my second helping, I wanted to have a 'puri' but that was not to be as the steward told us that, "the oil was getting heated and a five minute delay was anticipated". We didn't want to waste too much time on a puri and therefore, had called for the bill. I was surprised seeing the bill amount of Rs.244/44 and queried the steward. His answer was truly humbling, Sir, both of you'd taken only one dish each and we couldn't offer you the puri that you wanted. Hence, the bill is on actual consumption".
Why I'd explained it in detail was to highlight that manager and his steward's ethics, along with the kindness, shown to us. The world has many nice people and it's they who make this place worth living! And no, I ain't speaking so because we'd paid Rs.165/56 less for our breakfast.
After about half an hour, we'd resumed our journey. The newly refurbished road had ample width but it also provided plenty of opportunity for wayward drivers to drive on the wrong side of the centre line! And I was gonna pay the price for it a little later. We're approaching Perumbavoor, when a wine red Alto, I think, passed too close that its rear view mirror hit mine, cracking it instantaneously. I'd no heart to stop my Chevy but I saw the blighter speeding away as though it didn't matter at all. Was too sad that such a disaster had taken place!
The air conditioning system of the car had a problem in that the cooling was partial, so the heat was being felt within and it was miserable. And there was a huge traffic snarl at the main junction. Wonder whether it was the cumulative effect on me that when I braked the car it continued to roll and touched the sturdy rear portion of a pick up truck , causing the bonnet to buckle. My woes had been added!
It took about a half hour to extricate from the block and the subsequent passage was uneventful. We reached 'The Quarterdeck' around a quarter past 1 to be in time for lunch and Preetha had a lovely spread ready.
It was nice to be back after a break of 12 days, refreshed.
Tailpiece.
It might take a while for my Chevy to be roadworthy because the Geeyem Motors will need time to get the requisite spares, from its supporting depots, to effect repairs.
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