"Eppo readyavum ma? I shouted out to my mom who was busy preparing all the delicacies for the ona-sadhya. She had been preparing for the special lunch all morning. With all those 20 odd dishes to cook, you really can’t do anything but wonder how she pulled it off. "pathu nimisham moneh”, replied my mom. I looked at the clock which said it was 10 minutes to 2 O’clock. I was still thinking about the football match at 2.
"Ok ma. Pashe ennikku late agunnu”. I didn't want to make her feel bad. Since Ammumma had shifted over to our house, every one in the family had come over to our place to celebrate Onam. It was a very important one for Amma since she was hosting it. She would want me to be around.
I had told the guys that I would be at the ground at about 1.45. It was a friendly six a side football match for the annual day at our office. We had won a match in the morning and the next round was scheduled for the same afternoon. I knew I wouldn't make it in time for the match. But Amma kept her promise. She had already served for all us by the time I was brooding over the fact that I will miss the match.
It is a 20 km drive to the ground, which would take me about 30 min's under normal circumstances. I was still thinking of making it to the match. "If I can drive a little fast I can make it in under 15 minutes. Guys might be late from office anyway and these matches never start in time. I can still make it”. I hurried through the sambhar and avial. "Moru curry ohrikatteh?” Mom asked me. “Vaenda ma ... njan eranganam. Korachu payasam matharam tharanam”. I had some quick desert and started.
It was 2 when I kick started my bike. I sped away. I was already doing more than a 100 km’s when I hit the main road. The first 12 km’s was a 3 lane road and prone to less traffic, but the rest of it had heavy traffic during any given time of the day. It had taken just 6-7 minutes to complete the first 10 km’s.
As I was zooming past all the dampened sound of vehicles I was suddenly reminded of the Episode of Samurai X that I had seen yesterday. "Ama Kakeru Ryuno Hirameki” - The Ultimate style of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu Sword Style. Kenshin, the hero of the story, learns to master the greatest technique of the sword fighting style from his master. As his master put it, “The secret to executing the technique to perfection is the will to live. Only those who have a strong will to live may master the attack”. The best offence is defense. My bike slowed down to match the pace of the vehicles around me as the thought streamed through my mind. I began to realize that I myself was doing something really dangerous. Indian roads aren’t meant for high speeds, especially with all the traffic on the road. This friendly match was nothing important and wouldn’t matter much. Somebody will replace me in the match. What mattered was that I was driving much faster than I should have and something bad could happen. I slowed down a bit more.
I was zoned out with that thought. But unconsciously, I had brought my bike to a controllable speed.
The first thing I remember seeing, when I came out of that train of thought was a Auto rickshaw , doing a quick maneuver to beat the traffic just to end up in front of me. I had very little space to pull off any tricks. I hit on the brakes real hard and the disk brakes on the bike were quick to react to my call. The harder realization came afterwards. I was on a stretch of flowing water when I hit the brakes. The authorities responsible for watering the plants on the median had left the water running and it had overflowed on to the road. My back tire skid and my bike was going away to the left side. I tried to balance it back to position, but in vain. I hit the tar road real hard. I did a few 360’s and tumbled forward, and my bike was sliding ahead of me. The sound of my bike scratching on the road was loud, but there was some other sound that seemed to dampen it. A sound of a tire screeching that originated from behind me. I rolled to a stop and I looked up. The front of a car struggling to slow down and dragging itself on the tar surface was what I saw next. It came to a stop at about 30 cm’s from me. It was there, standing right in front my face. It was this car's tire making the sound as the emergency brakes came upon it.
I still was not sure of what had happened. The shine of the sun off the cars shiny front bumper were hurting my eyes, But they were still wide open staring at the car. I still had not got the hang of what had happened. A few people came over to me. They had already had started pushing my bike towards the sidewalk when I started to get up. I removed my helmet and looked at all the bruises I had gotten. The driver of the car came out, and quickly held me and walked me to the side. I looked at the guy's suit that had gotten blood smeared from holding me. A faint Thank you came of my mouth that even I had trouble hearing. "It's ok. Are you alright? " .
It took me about 10 sec's to answer that. I scanned my body and said. “I think I am fine. Chinna adi mathiri thaan irukku”.
You might think that I had this accident because I zoned out. But when I think over it, I try to think what might have happened if I was going any faster. I can imagine me going ahead of my bike under the wheels of the Truck to the right of me, but that’s not what happened. What if that thought was meant to occur to me at that time. May be it was nothing. May be it was something.
I write these 38 days from the incident. I have recovered completely. All that is left of it are some scars. And these scars remind me that the past is real...
I had 2 fractures on my right hand and spent 3 weeks resting. I Got time to watch all the remaining episodes of Samurai X and many more movies J .
My manager replaced me in the match. He had a sprain/ligament tear on his leg from the first 5 minutes of the game. We lost the match. He was still limping around when I joined back at the office.
The folks who had gathered around me after the accident disappeared in 3 min’s. It is busy world out here. I had to wait for 20 min’s for one of my friends to arrive.
My bike hasn’t been repaired yet. Nobody lets me drive anything anymore L .
And the mallu/tam sentences translate thus
"Eppo readyavum ma? – When will it be ready.
"pathu nimisham moneh”, - 10 min’s son.
“Ammumma” – Grandma.
"Ok ma. Pashe ennikku late agunnu” – Ok mom, but I am getting late.
"Moru curry ohrikatteh?” - Can I pour some more Curry for you?
“Vaenda ma ... njan eranganam. Korachu payasam matharam tharanam”. – No mom, I am leaving. Just get me some desert.
“Chinna adi mathiri thaan irukku”. – It looks like a small wound.
