fear has a new address- Bangalore

There was fear in the air even before I started from home.
The only real reason to leave the house when you are already frightened is the prospect of meeting a favorite professor.
So,
Stepped out armed with my tiny compact umbrella and waterproof handbag.
Getting an auto ride during rains was never my strong point!
I wait and wait, none free in sight, so I decide to take the metro train after a 10 minute drench (do not want to open the umbrella since it would get wet!!!!)
Trudge down to the metro station, the escalator refuses to “recognize” me
So I rush up the stairs ( see am smart and know the metro train well, since I had walked along the route for a few mins and there was none in the direction of MG road, I knew the next one would arrive soonly )
Am the only person there at the station, I rush to the ticket counter, hand out a 20 Rs note for a  counter,
He asks me for change!!!!! He has a bowl full of change in his till, yet he demands change, I apologise and he goes through the act of searching for change!!!
I hear the announcement that the train is reaching and I know I can still make it ( all those years of sprinting before I became a “slow” runner would have helped me at that time)
The ticketeer takes his time counting, he slides the counter and the change to me finally, the train is already there, I hear the whistle blowing and the doors closing!!
I seethe in anger!!
I slowly go up the stairs now, knowing I have a 15 minute wait.

How many of you carry a book with you wherever you go,
I am one suchJ now that is one of the things which makes the load look heavier!!!

So I take out my current read, slip out of my wet slip ons and get comfortable with the book.
I keep glancing at my phone willing it not to ring to let me know that others have reached the destination!

Train arrives I get in, I get out, and the dreaded phone call comes
He has reached, how much time will you take? I say 5!
And I run down MG roadJ yeah if anyone asked about the girl in full black running on MG road, that was meJ

I did it, 5 minutesJ

Even crossing St Mark’s  road was not difficult, since the rains caused all two wheeler traffic to come to  a standstillJ

I run into the restaurant, luckily for me the rain made them think it was water and not me sweating from my runJ
 Wonderful to meet some old professors and some surprises too!
 I had decided to leave early and the calls started at 9:00 pm
Ak1, Ak2, Home – 3 different phones- messages, calls, gtalk, whatsapp, technology being used to monitor movements!!!!
 It took me another 40 minutes to get up and another 10 to walk out,
 Metro ride was my option to get back home, but the pouring rain, thunder, lightning was frightening and the constant calls and messaging were getting stressful!!
So the easier option was an auto ride straight home, but getting an auto on a normal day from that location was never easy,
Raining, flooded roads, almost 10:00 pm-seemed impossible!!



Yet, I try,
I step out and I see an auto and ask him- he readily agrees!!
Why would he?
He does not demand a penny extra either!!

Should I have been worried?

He quickly decides to fill gas at the station next door,
Should I have been worried ( I live 3 kms away from that junction)

Well, tank filled, he rides fast.
It is raining so heavily, am drenched, my jeans feel like they have been washed and hung to drip dry on me!!
My flimsy top is now clinging to me – luckily it is black!!!

He rides fast, the lightning and thunder are scaring me!
Am still on the phone with the Ak’s giving them minute by minute detail on where I am.

Cubbon road
I like the road, since it is not very busy, the road is good and pavements well laid and not many businesses  or crowds there!!
But not that night!!
It was dark, water logged and less than normal traffic!!

And he stopped!!!
He tries to start, the engine disappoints!
Again and again.
By some strange coincidence, there is  another auto “stranded” 5 feet away, having the same problem, only difference is, it carries a male passenger!
Both drivers seem to be in Unison, starting, giving up, starting giving up,.
It goes on for 5 minutes!!
I search anxiously for the driver details board, it is missing!!!!!
He looks about 25 years old.

If you are a regular reader of the newspapers in Bangalore, you may know what would have gone on in my mind at that moment.
The few cars passing by and rushing by do not think it necessary to stop and help someone in need!

I sit in the auto, wondering whether I should get out and make a dash and face the unknown on the deserted road or was it safer inside?
He puts his head down -was he praying?
I don’t know, but I know I did!

The messages do not stop, I should have reached home by now, since they all know the time it takes to reach home from Cubbon road, I tell the kids am stuck in slow moving traffic!!
And prayed that it could be so!!

The thundering and lightening add to the fear, since the trees on that road are huge and could cause the branches to fall!!
 Something worked and the engine slowly came to life!
It sputtered and then stopped!!

I almost called K, at 10:15 pm!!
SOS! But then did not want him exposed to the perils on the road!!
I did not call my dad, knowing he was yelling at my kids for my night time escapade!!
I did not call my brother knowing he was supposed to be someplace else!!

I did not know what to do!!
Prayed more- both of us!
Was it my prayers, or was it his?
Or a combined cry for help?

 He gave it his all!
And yes!!
I was almost in tears!!!

The auto in front slowly started pulling away, and mine slowly started driving away.
Took the slow route trying to avoid major potholes and flooding, not succeeding!
Reached the Gurudwara signal, slow, real slow,
Kids are more than worried, the phone wont stop buzzing.
Maybe the auto driver knew I was on the phone with someone who was worried about me being on the road at that time in that weather!

The market road was completely inundated!!
It was like a small river flooding the street.
The auto driver, ( his name was Mahesh, he lived in some area near majestic) goes slowly, doing his best to get me home!!

The kids are frantic, and so am I!!

It is 10:30 pm, I send a message saying am outside the gate, the rains have now reduced, the lightening not as fearsome, the thunder not so insolent!
The meter showed Rs 40/-
I hand over a Rs.100/- note to him, he responds in a tired voice- no change,
I told him I did not want change and to get home safe!
 ( what happened at home with my dad is another story )

Trust- completely absent.
Fear -rules us!
Faith- keeps us going!