My Chennai Marathon

“Anna, Koembedu onnu!!”, I asked for the ticket from Velacheri.

He didn’t open his mouth, just came near and lifted my blue heavy case thrice, but failed to do so. Then in a suspicious way he interrogated me. “Just my dresses. I’m leaving to my home for the semester holidays”. This explanation was unnecessary though. Than he gave me a slip printed all the details, of my travel and shockingly double the amount was charged. Then I understood that it was charged as he was not able to lift my case.

I travelled almost a hour. My index finger, middle finger and thumb caught hold of the case and resisted it from rolling. Other two fingers were stretched to hold myself. My right hand, really pathetic to say, was securing all my money and laptop bag.

I reached the bus stand with broken fingers. Then I managed to roll my case over the ups and downs which I saw with no gaps between them. I went in search of some officials to find the Travels that could take me to Kombai. I walked… walked until I met the man who directed me towards the govt. bus stand. I walked… walked until I got the doubt if it was the right way that I was leading to the bus stand. Then I stood there and asked a common man who then really showed me the green lighted board that was shaped to show the entry of the private bus stand. This man directed me correctly. But I asked the same question to official to direct me to the private bus stand. There he showed his gov#ment brain.

I walked… walked until I felt the foot above the ground. On the way busses passes by just one or two… but in hundreds I would say. It was really a lot as compared to my place 😛

Finally, I reached the place. I could see many busses, but with the same name. It says, JOY Travels, then where are the other busses!, I asked myself. Then I approached a driver and asked for the timings and the tickets. But then he just directed me towards the JOY  Booking Centre. But actually what I wanted was, the common booking centre. But since he said as a good person, I walked as he directed. I had to walk around 0.5 Kms and cross the road twice. I felt really embarrassed to do so with my huge case and a laptop bag. So I enquired about the common booking centre to a common man. He showed me a point where a bridge went over the road. Then I got some memories with my dad, once we had come here and I asked him about the over bridge and that fort kind of thing. I gathered confidence and marched towards the bridge. I passed many auto drivers who were in search of such a victim like me. But then I escaped from them and I walked in a more cool way saying that I have reached the destination. Yessss!! I reached my destination. There those busses are getting out. Many ideas stroke  my mind. To get the bus on the way when it comes out, so that I can reduce my walking distance. But before I planned this out perfectly, I reached the bus stand.

A white bearded man came running by shouting “Coimbatore! Trichy! Madurai!”. I felt a bit defended. But then gathered my confidence and went with him for booking my ticket. He took me to a room where I felt so comfortable to be inside. The cold AC in the warm weather was just awesome!! But then I got the ticket in JRT Travels. But I actually wanted to go in TAT.  But it was ok! I can manage! I have that mentality of adjusting to any circumstance. J

I walked towards the Bus. I read out the bus names. It said, ‘KRS’, ‘KALLADA’, ‘TAT’, ‘JOY’, ‘SKT’, but never saw ‘JRT’. I kept walking… walking until I read ‘JRT’. Finally I read aloud, ‘JRT’.  I just felt awesome. I went near to check if it went to Cumbum. The driver directed me to the JRT Booking centre. Then I went there and showed my tickets. They asked me to wait. I walked a bit away and just waited.

A guy was playing with a kid. The kid was so cute. He seemed same as my Mugunthan thambi. Then I just tuned left and found a girl. I thought about my dad. Just wanted him to choose such a girl for me. She was in a casual saree and long hair. She sat on a chair towards the same booking centre. I was thinking if she would come in the bus that I would go. ‘OMG! She too must take ticket to Cumbum and come with me’, I told myself. But then someone shouted the name, “DHEENA”.

I went near the booking centre. But before I reached there, that guy who was playing with the kid, came running towards the booking centre and reported, “Sollunga Anna”. Then I understood that even his name was THINA. I searched for the kid with whom he was playing. I found that kid in the girl’s lap. OMG! The scene is so cute. :-* I just felt firm on what I wanted above. 😛

That other Thina called out the people going to Cumbum in 8:45pm bus. I went near him, and found that girl also standing up. I felt the happiness to my greatest extent. I saw with my single eye and found that she is coming back of me. I mean… for the same bus. Happiness peeked out of the limit. But I found that kid walking along with her and a man walking with the luggage behind them. There I broke in to pieces L by seeing this moment. I understood the complete scenario, that she was not a girl, but a lady who was already married and the kid was her child. I just felt like laughing. And I thought, My dad shouldn’t get such a married girl for me… lol.

          I walked with Thina, and reached the bus. I saw that the bus was sleeper. But I booked semi-sleeper. But then it might be a mistake of that agency where in booked my ticket. I went in to the bus, and found my number, 12. Just arranged and got settled. It became late. Time was 9:15pm and the bus started to move. It went and got a pace. Then it took a ‘U-Turn’ and came the same way. I was talking to one of my school friend named, Bala. We were talking almost for 30 mins. But when I found that the bus arrived to the place of departure and stood again, that other Thina came near me and asked for tickets. I showed him the ticket and he kept checking the list. Bus started to move. He asked my seat number and name twice and said, “Sorry! This is not your bus.”

          “But you asked me to come with you to this bus right!”

“Yaa., but you bus must be the 9:15 Bus. Please go fast!”

          “Omg! Okay.,  Just call them and inform please!”

“Yaa., ok!”

          I just ran out of the bus in hurry. I asked that guy to open the back door for taking my case. I went down and waited for him. But I was shocked to see the moving bus. I tried to bang the bus. But just had a try, but failed. I shouted, screamed and ran behind the bus. I didn’t feel the weight of my laptop bag. I just ran as I ran 100mts race in my school sports day. But here I ran almost a mini marathon. There came a man in a bike. He looked exactly like Surya’s dad. He asked me if I wanted to stop the bus. I shouted ‘Yaa, my bag is inside’. Then he just accelerated fully, and pressed the horn in the frequency of 6. Then he went and stopped the bus. Then that guy came down and opened the back door. And I took my bag and started running back to the bustand to catch my correct bus. I ran with all my energy and didn’t feel the distance of my run. But on the way back, i felt really surprised that if it was me who ran this mini marathon.

I found that the bus just came by the stand. I gave a deep breath. And I got into the bus. Sat on my semi-sleeper seat number 12. I felt relaxed more than that of a guy who completed his board exams. I called my dad, mom, chithi, mama and some more people and explained about this awesome experience. I slept with a great mind, and reached my home at 7:00am. 🙂

The best foolishness that happened was that, I didn’t even look at the man who came in bike. I don’t know who he is or how he looks! I didn’t say a thanks also. But on the way back to the bustand, I felt sorry for it and I thanked him thousand times. But he was not there to hear. I felt the presence of real God in that man. Yaa, seriously.

I would say, this is where and how we find God. Nowhere in a religion or religious building.