Now it's Bad Sunday!
Can you guess how bad an evening can turn out to be for someone as good as me? Well read ahead..
I slept late till 3:30 in the evening. I had to take the bus to Chennai at 4:30pm and the packing still remained uninitiated. Still wavering in half-slumber, stuffed up things into my bag, and left for the bus terminus at 4:10 PM. Senthil and Ganesh were waiting at the stop and Kala also joined us.
Senthil and I always prefer PT&TDC bus to the more frequent RTC transport. One reason was the comfort that the seats in PT&TDC offer and the other was that it cruises the distance almost an hour earlier than other transport. No reservations with PTTDC implied that you should fight through to secure your seat as soon as the bus enters the terminus. It was a big fight yesterday and I managed to catch a double seater towards the rear. Just then the man sitting in the next seat claimed that he had already reserved it, pointing to the hankie that was lying in the corner of my seat. He was already occupying a double-seat and wanted me to vacate this one too. Told him I can't leave. He started with threats and later resorted to whining.. I couldn't help it! I held firm. He posed to be very angry and tried pull the other person who was sitting near into the issue. Go to Hell, I told him. Then Kala sat beside me. Ganesh and Senthil too were seated comfortably.
I would always bid for a window seat facing the East. Watching the Bay of Bengal and the scenery that decorates its shores while traveling along East Coast Road is my favorite pastime. But this time I was sitting near the window towards the West where the sun was already burning my skin black. Badly wanted the bus to start off soon so that I could get some breeze to chill me out. The bus was scheduled to leave by 5:00 and it was already 5:15. Suddenly people in the front seats started to get down murmuring. What was wrong? I couldn't guess. Came to know that the driver hasn't turned up and the bus wouldn't leave until 8:00 PM when the next driver was supposed to come. All this fight just for getting down? Bad!
Well, every other bus was on reservation and we had to wait for another 30 minutes to catch a bus that plies through the GST (Grand Southern Trunk). Unlike the ECR, this road is in a very bad shape as it is now being expanded into a 4-way lane. The road is very dusty and it runs zigzag for more than half the way. But, no other go.. Kala consoled me saying it was at least a pleasant evening and it wasn't raining like the previous week when it was truly worse. I cheered up, but that wouldn't be for long. It started raining within an hour and bus was leaking along the sides. Water was dripping over my shoulders. The driver put off the lights inside and I couldn't read the magazine I bought. I was sitting with my bones shivering..
I slept late till 3:30 in the evening. I had to take the bus to Chennai at 4:30pm and the packing still remained uninitiated. Still wavering in half-slumber, stuffed up things into my bag, and left for the bus terminus at 4:10 PM. Senthil and Ganesh were waiting at the stop and Kala also joined us.
Senthil and I always prefer PT&TDC bus to the more frequent RTC transport. One reason was the comfort that the seats in PT&TDC offer and the other was that it cruises the distance almost an hour earlier than other transport. No reservations with PTTDC implied that you should fight through to secure your seat as soon as the bus enters the terminus. It was a big fight yesterday and I managed to catch a double seater towards the rear. Just then the man sitting in the next seat claimed that he had already reserved it, pointing to the hankie that was lying in the corner of my seat. He was already occupying a double-seat and wanted me to vacate this one too. Told him I can't leave. He started with threats and later resorted to whining.. I couldn't help it! I held firm. He posed to be very angry and tried pull the other person who was sitting near into the issue. Go to Hell, I told him. Then Kala sat beside me. Ganesh and Senthil too were seated comfortably.
I would always bid for a window seat facing the East. Watching the Bay of Bengal and the scenery that decorates its shores while traveling along East Coast Road is my favorite pastime. But this time I was sitting near the window towards the West where the sun was already burning my skin black. Badly wanted the bus to start off soon so that I could get some breeze to chill me out. The bus was scheduled to leave by 5:00 and it was already 5:15. Suddenly people in the front seats started to get down murmuring. What was wrong? I couldn't guess. Came to know that the driver hasn't turned up and the bus wouldn't leave until 8:00 PM when the next driver was supposed to come. All this fight just for getting down? Bad!
Well, every other bus was on reservation and we had to wait for another 30 minutes to catch a bus that plies through the GST (Grand Southern Trunk). Unlike the ECR, this road is in a very bad shape as it is now being expanded into a 4-way lane. The road is very dusty and it runs zigzag for more than half the way. But, no other go.. Kala consoled me saying it was at least a pleasant evening and it wasn't raining like the previous week when it was truly worse. I cheered up, but that wouldn't be for long. It started raining within an hour and bus was leaking along the sides. Water was dripping over my shoulders. The driver put off the lights inside and I couldn't read the magazine I bought. I was sitting with my bones shivering..
Meanwhile Ganesh was fiddling with his mobile's security setting and messed up something. His SIM was blocked. He asked for my SIM card to check if something was wrong with his handset. As you would now guess, he messed up again and ended blocking my SIM too! It was not my day!
Slipped into deep sleep later. Woke up just minutes before my stop was due. Got down the bus and tried to take an auto. Ganesh went on to get his bike at the Moffusil Bus Terminus while Senthil me were going home direct. Kala too took an auto to her home. At last everything was coming to an end. Not yet! Well, the episode was completed by the autowala, who would only too gladly come to my place for just 25 bucks, would not even look upon us for anything less than 40 bucks. Agreed for Rs.40 and reached home.
Did I say that was last? Hold on my friend, I have more... Only on reaching home did we realize that neither of us had the key. Sam was supposed to be at home, but he ditched us and came over to Pondicherry without letting us know. We had to wait for Ganesh. We ate the bread (It too was too stale, must be months old!) sitting on the stairs. Ganesh, the Key-bearer, came an hour later and escorted us inside. Well, It was just not my day!
At last I caught on sleep the moment I put my head on the pillow, without lending myself to anything more that was waiting to come through that night. I had a pleasant sleep! At least that..
Slipped into deep sleep later. Woke up just minutes before my stop was due. Got down the bus and tried to take an auto. Ganesh went on to get his bike at the Moffusil Bus Terminus while Senthil me were going home direct. Kala too took an auto to her home. At last everything was coming to an end. Not yet! Well, the episode was completed by the autowala, who would only too gladly come to my place for just 25 bucks, would not even look upon us for anything less than 40 bucks. Agreed for Rs.40 and reached home.
Did I say that was last? Hold on my friend, I have more... Only on reaching home did we realize that neither of us had the key. Sam was supposed to be at home, but he ditched us and came over to Pondicherry without letting us know. We had to wait for Ganesh. We ate the bread (It too was too stale, must be months old!) sitting on the stairs. Ganesh, the Key-bearer, came an hour later and escorted us inside. Well, It was just not my day!
At last I caught on sleep the moment I put my head on the pillow, without lending myself to anything more that was waiting to come through that night. I had a pleasant sleep! At least that..
posted by Nil @ 5/24/2004 02:00:00 AM
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