The crooked twist in the tale…

When I started putting down my thoughts and experiences, I never anticipated getting directions with topics to write. I get requests to write on various topics and if I can mix the reality with appropriate mix of fiction and have enough details, I usually write about it. Recently, one of my friends wrote to me, “Write about our ponmudi trip, if you remember that“. A request/challenge from my closest friend circle.

The trip to Ponmudi happened around 10-15 years back, around Christmas time, when me and my neighborhood friends, who were in early twenties, all willing to ride wild horses, took a motor bike ride to a small hill station around 60 km (1 km = 0.6 miles) from our place. Only thing, I remember very clearly is the anticlimax of the trip. I remember vaguely the serpentine route, choked bikes, chilly, breezy and drizzling climate, the water fall on the way, the hill surrounded by clouds all around at the pinnacle, greenery everywhere and we having a blast there with a very little memory on details.

Situated en route to the Ponmudi is a small village named Kallar which got its name from the river Kallar, which flows through the region. Kallu means ‘stone’ and Aru means ‘river’ and the river literally represents its name in this area, the frothing water flows in between abundance of attractive, round-shaped boulders and pebbles. We were 6 people in 3 bikes and on the way back to our place from Ponmudi, we decided to have a halt at Kallar and have a dip in the crystal clear waters of Kallar river to cool off. We found a place dotted with some rapids and a small pool of “flowing” water for our fun activity. It was little off from road, but clean and looked like a bathing place only.

Two of our friends opted out entering the water as they have some other appointment early next day and had to be at home early that night. They spend some time at shore splashing water and then left. We four, were in water, splashing, diving, swimming and were having fun with the beautiful and loquacious Kallar. All of a sudden, with a face expression of Kallar just proposed him, Anand yelled in full throttle,

“HOLY S*%T,  man…., my bike keys are with Narayanan…”

Long pause…., all faces frozen at Anand’s. He hit his head with his right palm

“I am not sure, he kept it along with our clothes, let me check…”

He jumped out of the water and searched the place where our clothes were kept, only to realize that his bike keys are with Narayanan, who had already left. The fun-filled faces suddenly switched to confusion and awe. Anand’s bike was unlocked, but to start the bike, we need keys. In those days, in India, mobile phones were just becoming popular. In the entire group, only two had phones and both of them are in the group that stayed back. It was decided, me and Sankar will wait and guard the unlocked bike while Kumar and Anand will follow Narayanan & Raja to get back the keys. They had to catch them as soon as possible. If Narayanan & Raja manage to reach their home, before Kumar & Anand can collect the keys, they will end up driving around 100 kms to and fro, just to get the keys back. Also we were hoping, Narayanan & Raja doesn’t change their plans in between but go directly to their respective homes.

I was relieved, that I don’t have to drive, but felt sorry for Anand & Kumar. They set off, myself and Sankar started rewinding the fun, we had that day, so as release the tension. As we were indulged in talks, darkness stated setting in. Now there is very little light in the area, where are in. The only source of light was the half-moon up the sky and flashing lights of vehicles passing by. The sound effects around us stated changing, the predominant sweet chatter of Kallar gave way to little frightening sound of  lady night and her friends. As time passed by, the cricket trilling, owls hooting,  chorus of Bullfrogs and Green Tree frogs intensified. Even sound of Kallar changed, she was little rough then, looked like it was raining, up there in the hills.  It sounded as if, the mother nature was asking us to leave the place. We looked at each other, Sankar took his cell phone out to check the status with Kumar and Anand but to realize it is out of charge.

“Let us go and find a phone booth (PCO) and make a call to them and come“, he told.

I reminded him about the bike, first we thought we will leave the bike and go, however since the bike’s handle was unlocked, I decided to stay back to guard the bike. I sat on the bike with center stand on, lighted a cigarette and started singing loud to drive away my fear induced by the environment and the realization of being alone. Time was ticking slower than ever, I threw my cigarette butt in the darkness. All of a sudden there was a flurry of abusive tantrum from behind. I looked back, I didn’t see anyone there but only “A” grade abuses from darkness, that will be bleeped out by any censor board. Then in the light that was flashed by a passing vehicle in the main road, I  saw a dark, bald, lean man with a big moustache, whose head looked little bigger for his body size, with a stick in his hand. He was struggling to stand in his legs, at times he uses the stick in his hand to gain his balance. That drunk guy’s appearance from darkness, the new abusive tutorial and the prevailing background score pushed me to new heights of angst. I looked eagerly to the darkness in the direction Sankar went. The drunkard was shouting something, I was not paying attention to him as I never knew that person and I never like taking to strangers, especially when they are not in their senses.

“Can’t you hear…? Are you deaf…?”

That was from close range, I turned back. He was showering me with more abusive words and waving the stick in the air. That sight, made me jump off the bike and move to a safer distance. However the act of waving the stick made him fall backwards. For a moment, I worried whether he was hurt, but just like a phoenix, he got up, with the help of stick in his hand. He moved towards me swaying, adjusted his lungi, spit out sputum with aversion and started interrogating me

“What the hell are you doing here…? you… M%^&# F&*(%$*“.

I shrugged, moved to a safer distance, out of reach for him and his stick and replied

“waiting for my friend...”

He moved forward raising his stick, but that action of him made him take two steps backward and unbalanced him again. He managed to gain his equilibrium with the help of the stick in his hand.

“So you are the one, who visits my wife, when I am not there…? ^&%$#… I have been waiting for months… %^*# It’s only now, I was able to catch you, red-handed.. You M%^&# F&*(%$*“.

I was stunned, looked at him in disbelief… “What… the F*&K?”.

He persisted, “Aren’t you…? I am going to kill you and her… you bloody &*^%“.

All of sudden, there was shouting, crying, yelling, cursing…. I don’t remember what and all, but everything added to my confusion and emerged two more people from darkness, both females. One a middle-aged, well-built woman and a girl in her teens.

The woman was cursing that man

“This man will bring shame to the family and will not allow to live in peace….

doesn’t even remember have a girl to get married….

keep your mouth shut and come inside the home…

Oh… God… how many people die in a day in so many ways… why you are leaving this guy out…?”

The girl was crying, the discomfort of embarrassment was evident in her face in the dim light available. “Come on, dad...” the girl held that guy’s hand pulled him back. He fell on the ground. He started abusing me, that girl and women. From his words, I understood, that lady is his wife and the girl, his kid. The women lifted that man with the same ease as the girl lifted that man’s stick.

I was little relieved to see the way situation has turned around, all of a sudden from no where help has arrived. The women looked at me and apologized, “Sorry, son… He is like this only… when drunk… he suspects, anyone who pass by as my lover and quarrels with them…“. I managed to bring a smile in my face and acknowledged her apology.

Beyond all this turmoil, she surprised me with an advice, “Son, don’t stay here in this dark, there are lots of crawling creatures in this area… “

“By the way, why are you standing here, doesn’t look like you are from this area“. She raised her eyebrows.

I explained her the story of bike without key. She didn’t look convinced but told me

“It is not safe to stay here at this time, go home… if needed, put your bike at our home and come back tomorrow and take it“.

“No thanks madam, the incident which happened minutes before will never ever make me do that even in the worst possible scenario also“, I said in my mind.

But smiled and declined that offer by saying, “It’s okay, my friends are on the way“.

They carried the resisting man to the darkness, however I could hear him shouting at that lady, which gradually fainted away.

I also didn’t want to stay there for long, it was pitch dark, the unexpected event and the advice of the lady intensified my fear. I decided to move to a place, where there is some light. I took the bike off the center stand and started pushing towards the main road to see Sankar returning. He informed, Kumar and Anand has to go all the way to Narayanan’s home to pick up the keys and they will be with us anytime. We both pushed the bike to the side of the main road where there was street light. As I was explaining my bad experience, Kumar and Anand joined us. Waiting no longer, we all started back, looking forward to the scolding that we would be getting at home for being this late without notice.