History & Civics exam was the one remaining unfinished. The concentration was haywire. Dad had booked tickets for the customary tour. As a kid, trips were always fun. H&C exam was duly decimated. The monkey was off the shoulders before the holidays. I was to Bangalore, on a train. It was a Saturday. Dad explained, “No tickets to Chennai. We’ll visit our relatives and take the train to Chennai tomorrow!” All that a kid needed was being to new places and so, I made sure dad wasn’t queried further. The train took the necessary turn past Jolarpettai and reached Bangalore.
A cow was run over by a speeding train on a Railway crossing. Mom was quick to close my eyes with her hands. Any scene that was gory received a straight ‘A’ certification from mom and banned from view. On reaching my uncle’s house, before dad could explain, I said, “We were supposed to go to Chennai. We didn’t get the tickets and so we are here!” I told leaving my dad searching for words. “Why are you eternally lazy? Get up! Grow up!” mom taunted. The Chennai train was to be at 6 30 am. The roads to the Railway station, on a wintery morning in Bangalore were always busy. I picked up a copy of ‘The Hindu’ and got into the train. ‘Aussies looking forward to winning their 300th test match’, said the paper. On the way to Chennai, “Dad, the first thing we are doing when we reach Chennai is visit the beach”, I said. Srilanka and Newzealand were playing an ODI.
By the time the train reached Chennai, NewZealand team had thrashed SriLanka by 7 wickets. While waiting for a train to West Mambalam, a bystander at the Park Station remarked, “Chennai la niraya yedam kadal kulla poiduchanga!” (A lot of places in Chennai have sunk under the Sea). Dad dismissed him as another deranged fellow, probably drunk. I was angry with dad; he wasn’t taking me to the beach, as promised – a kid from a land-locked city, visiting a beach was always an awesome idea. My cousin welcomed me home. We switched on the TV. Headlines were run. And I watched in complete shock. The land was, under the sea. What the man told, and ignored without a moment’s thought, was true.
And the world was filled with sorrow. I would’ve been on the beach when it was swallowed but for the tickets to Chennai that I couldn’t get. Kamal Haasan, in his epic Anbe Sivam¸ had talked about Tsunamis. Now people took notice. It was a cold Sunday. It was December 26th, 2004.
And the world was filled with sorrow. I would’ve been on the beach when it was swallowed but for the tickets to Chennai that I couldn’t get. Kamal Haasan, in his epic Anbe Sivam¸ had talked about Tsunamis. Now people took notice. It was a cold Sunday. It was December 26th, 2004.
Result: History & Civics: 47/100.
Australia won their 300th test.
SriLanka cancelled their tour of NewZealand to head back home.
Cheers,
Gopsay
