My First Day in Bar

For Hostellites, an invitation to a Day-skee's house to spend a day is
a dream-come-true.
And it cant be any better, than an invitation for a Sadya on the day of Vishu.

Ajith was more than happy to invite his best friends - Dipu and me - to his
home for a get-together.
Arun PS was also invited.

Hostel ile saha anthevaasikale ellaam kothippichu nirthi njaanum
Dipuvum purappettu
Dipu was developing into an expert rider those days.
And he consciously, used not to let go of any opportunity to sit closer to the
handle on a bike, on which he was travelling..

Problem no. 1
We decided to go to Ajith's house on bike. But on whose bike ?
Neither me, nor he, has a bike.
So the privelege goes to KK (who else)
And we both happily started from the hostel, on KK's max100.

Aaah.. that sound of max100 was music to many ears.
it had been the Taxi of Bethany.
no other bike in the history of Bethany would have had its odometer ticking
like this, while on duty for Bethany !
Thanks to KK, many guyz in Bethany (like Ullas) took up mess responsiblities -
hiring not just KK's bike , but also KK , for mess service..

Dipu is a very choosy guy.
He doesnt like going to too many guys, asking for bike.
KK was his favorite. Then comes Asim.
Asim was a +1 student when he joined the Bethany bandwagon.
And he doesnt mind lending his splendor to "Deepu Chettan"

But Dipu was all the more comfy with KK's bike.
The reason - it is a 2-stroke machine.
And that a 2-stroke bike jerks less than a 4-stroke bike is known to many.

I'm not a Mech Expert.
So lets go on with the story...

It was a smooth ride to Ajith's house.
His house is near the quite walls of the Pangode Military Camp..
A nicely maitained camp, with so many greenery..
And nice roads, lots of fresh air..

With me in the navigator role, Dipu has never lost his way.
Even KK would agree to this :D
(Thats a different story)

Reach Ajith's home..
Parked the bike.
Went in to see the smiling faces of Ajith and his family.
His dad is in CBI. Delhi office.
His brother is no new to us. He is our junior in college.
And he has a sis. I guess, she was still in schools then..
And aloving mom.

Ajith took us to his room.
A lot of fancy items in there..
The DSP processor which he deviced was lying there... connected to his PC.
He explained its working to two "very interested" friend of his.
Fate, what else..
Sadya unnaan kurachu thallum kelkanam....

After quite a bit of wandering here 'n there, the much awaited call came.
Ajith's amma "Ennaa choru kazhichoodey"

Chaadi veenu..
Meshappurathu niraye vibhavangall..
Pala tharam !
Yummy dishes...
Kondu vechathum theernnathum maathram ormayundu.

Avasaanam oru embakkavum vittu eneetu.
Kurachu neram avidem ividem okke thirinju kalichu.

Went for a walk.
Along the military roads..
Saw an officer on guard.
Ajith explained that he stands there, morning to evening, doing nothing but
'taking guard'
Such discipline ! Hm... it takes a lot to be a military officer..

When it started drizzling a bit, took a U turn and got back home..

In a few minutes, Dipu and I thought, "ithrem budhimuttichathu mathi.
pack cheyyaam"

So there we were.
Back on bike.
The family saw us off.

Ajith's house is a bit up hill.
Riding down hill is fun..
The first few turns went smooth.
This was the discussion.

R: "Aahh.. What a wonderful way to start a new year"
D: "Ngae ? New year o ? Ninakku velivu nashtappetto ?"
R: "hahaha .. nalla thamaasha"
D: "thamaasha ethu kaaryamethu ennu manasilaakkaan polum pattillennaayo ?"
R: "Da , innu new year aa"
D: "ethu planet ilaa ? "
R: "Bloody fool, innu malayaalam puthuvalsaramaa"
D: "oh.. gbb.. glubb.. jab.. aa.. athey athey. athu thanneyalley
njaanum paranjathu"
R: :-S ippo angene aayo ?!

D: sheriyaa.. new year day ingane enkil ini angottu enthaayirikkum ?
(note that dialogue)
R: very true.. ee varsham muzhuvan nalla treat aayirikkum.. nalla
vibhava-samrudhamaaya oru varsham njaan munnil kaanunnu
(note this dialogue also)

R: Da.. nee oru kaaryam note cheytho ?
D: Enthaadaa ?
R: Ee kk-de bike undallo.. sundaramaaya performance aa..
D: athey athey.. valare correct.
R: Ippo thanney kando.. yaathoru sound um illa.
D: Athenthaa ennariyaamo ? Engine ippo off aa..
R: Athenthinaa nee off cheythey ? Petrol laabikkaanaano pikkushaa ?!
D: Petrol laabikkaanum onnumalla.. vandi angu off aayi ppoyi..

R: Ninne okke evidunnaa vandi odikkaan padippichathu ? Njaan odikkano ?
D: Da, puthuvalsarathile baakki divasangalum koode onnu kandaal kollaam ennundu
R: ngaa.. ennaa nee thanney odicho..

R: oru kaaryam chey. vandi nirthu
(bike was still on its down hill path)

We stopped by the road, gave it a few powerful kicks and there u r. It started.
2 more turns, and the bike again stopped.
some more kicks and it started..
This continued a couple of times.

Finally, the engineering brilliance started working
Dipu was the first to put forward his finding

D: Da, entho kozhappamundu
R: Sheriyaa.. entho kozhappamundu
D: Enthu cheyyum ?
R: Hm... irakkamalley.. thalli vidaam.. aadyam kaanunna mechanic ine kaanikkam

Now, I dint have Google Earth installed in my watch to correctly
suggest that there
is a bike mechanic nearby. But it was my day (note this statement)
There indeed was a bike mechanic at the next turn.

Praise the lord.
The mechanic, screwed out the spark plug, cleaned it, put it back.
First kick , and there you are. The bike was raring to go..

With no further major mechanical glitches, we managed to reach PMG.
Again problems...
Same old problem,.. bike wont start..

But then we knew there is a TVS showroom near by..
Managed to get the bike to the showroom.

Now this is what you would call "Times of India"
Showroom closed !
(may be due to the festive nature of the day, was it a sunday too ??!!)

Came to know that there is a mechanic near by.
Time was flying like anything..
5 in the evening and we are still on the roads..

Guided ourselves (and the bike) to that mechanic's house.
His wife greeted us..
"Aalu sthalathilla.. alpam kazhinju varum"

Oh sheri.. a long wait.
And yes indeed he turned up.

He checked the bike.
Boy, he IS a real mechanic.
he did that great thing..
Checked for fuel.. Not a drop inside !!!

Dipuvum njaanum mukhathodu mukham nokki ninnu poyi !

Now, its not the right time for a blame game..
What next is the golden question.

The nearest petrol pump is 3km from the place where we are.
What to do ?
The mechanic doesnt have any stock with him..

Do you believe in God ?
If not, you would have started believing if u were in our shoes that day
(Daa dipu, annu nammal shoe ittirunno ? AAaahh... )

A God sent 'Angel' came on his Yamaha.
A friend of the mechanic, and his neighbour, he came to know the
trouble we are in.

After narrating some of his past experiences of no-fuel condition, he opened up
his tool box. There u r - a small bottle , u cant call it a bottle..
its the kinda
container in which u get those homeo tablets.. yes such a small thing.
But contained what we needed - Fuel !!

The Angel - You can take this.
D: Thanks chettaa. ithinte paisa njangal thannolam
A: paisayo ? snehamaanu valuthu. paisa onnum venda..
R: Chettan angane parayaruthu.. (i thot he is gonna that fuel for free)
A: Ningal aa bottle athu pole fill cheythu thannaa mathi
D: Hmm.. oru kaaaryam cheyyaam namukkithum adichu poyi petrol adichittu varaam.
Ennittu kurachu ee bottle il aakki kondu varuvem cheyyaam.
A: Athengane sheriyaavum ? ningal athu vazhi angu poykalanjaalo.. ?!

R: Dipu, nee poyi adichittu kuppeelaakki kondu baa.. njaan ivide nilkaam
(Wow ! what a bold decision. yes indeed, a bold decision.. read on to
find why..)


OK.
All set and decided and finalised.
Dipu goes on bike in search of petrol.
I stand there in front of the mechanic's house.
In company of the Angel.
15 mins
20 mins
25 mins (let me increase the step, else this page will be wasted..)
35 mins
50 mins

Where is this guy named Dipu

I started worrying for him.. Ini ivan valla lorreede adiyilum petto ?
Licence undennullathu sathyam. But then, Algol inu vare licence ulla kaalamaa !

1 hr !

No sign of Dipu.
Meanwhile, the Angel started getting irritated and restless.
He went on his bike to some place and came back..
Still no sign of Dipu.
He came near me.. smell of liquor - intense smell

A: Evidedo ninte koottukaaran?
R: kaanunnillallo..
A: ngaa.. kaanunnillallo.. enthonna avante peru?
R: Dipu
A: ninakkethra varshamaayittariyaam ?
R: 2 varshamaayittariyaam
A: Sherikkariyaamo avane ?
R: ngaa.. ente room mate aa.. nallonam ariyaam

A: hmm.. evidathu kaaranaa avan ?
R: Kottayam..
A: hmm.. kottayam kaare onnum vishwasikkaan pattilla..
Enthaa avan ithrem thaamasikkunney
(by this time, the tone has changed. it was getting dark. visibility
getting lower.
and the mechanic's house locked from inside. just me and that man on the road.
a pocket road. no one in the vicinity. mosquitoes flying around and biting.
no street lights nearby)

R: avanu bike odikkaan athra nannaayittonnum ariyilla. ini engaanum ?
A: engaanum ??
R: evideyenkilum idichu kaanumo ?
A: nee keru . namukkonnu poyi nokkam.. ithangane vittaal pattilallo.

I have no other option but to get on the bike.




I recollect screaming my heart out on the Tora Tora in VGP, Chennai.
And on the worm rides.. Very scary..

I thought those were the scariest things on wheels.
i was wrongs.
This guy and his bike are even more scary.

A drunkard is one who is drunk.
(aah.. thanks for that valuable info)
And he is one who bothers not , of the traffic.
(now that is scary)
Given the power , a yamaha bike can deliver , u can imagine the situation.

he cruised along at stunning terrific speeds.
From pocket roads, he got onto heavy traffic main roads, at full throttle.
At one instance, I thought about jumping off the speeding bike.
But didnt do that..

We went straight to a bar!
Enuff to scare the hell out of me.
I dont drink. Is he gonna force me ?
Luckily he did not.
He parked the bike and grabbed me by my shoulder and got in.
I remember he tendering a 20 rupee note for a drink.

Aargh.. it was full of smoke and a filthy smell inside..
I wanted to get out..
I thought I will cry loud so that other ppl will help me.
But dint do that.. My sound wont come out at all.

Finally he got out.
Back on bike. me on back..
I'd lost all hope.
I was almost sure that this will land both of us into a hospital.
Such was his rash riding..

We went to the nearest petrol pump. No dipu.
I started breaking down, from inside..
And signs started showing up on my face..

He started cursing Dipu in bad words..
His anger was clearly visible in his riding.

At times he would say
"nee avante koode nadakkanda.. avan chathiyanaa.. Kottayam kaaranalley.."

Finally we reach back to the mechanic's house.

To my greatest relief, Dipu was there standing by KK's bike.
The man saw Dipu in the dwindling light.

Before Dipu starts of with any excuse, I wanted to warn him, lest this
guy does some unforeseen actions..
The very structure of my face gave Dipu a first hand info of the situation.
He would have made out that there indeed is something wrong.
And I tried to convey this thru my hand expressions too...
(well, that was not needed, my face told it all)


A: Enthaadaa ninte vichaaram ?
D: Ayyo chettaa.. athu pinney..
A: Vendaa.. nee onnum parayanda.. Edaa ninne kandappozhey enikku thonniyathaa..
mukhathaake oru kallalakshanam.. kottayam kaarellaam ingane thanneyaadaa
D: Chetta.. petrol vaangaan poyappo...
A: Vendaa.. ninnodu njaan orikkal paranju .. mindaruthennu..
Ivan paavamaa.. Eda.. nee avante koode nadakkanda.. kandilley, ninne ingane
ivide ittechu poyathu.. Nee ini ivante koode nadakkaruthu . Nadakkuvo ?
R: Illa.. nadakkilla.

The drunken dark man went on abusing and cursing Dipu.
Thank God, he did not man handle any of us..

Dipu had his bottle filled up at the pump.
He handed it over to the man.
He took it , reluctantly.. but with more dialogues.

A: Edaa.. ninte ee oru kunju paatta petrol inu vendi onnumalledaa njaan vannathu
manushyanmaaraayaal sneham venam.. vishwaasam venam.
paranja vaakkinu vila venam.
enikkenthaa joliyum kooliyum onnumillennu vichaaricho neey ?
ente onnara manikkur veruthey minakkeduthiyille nee..
athinaaru samaadhaanam parayum ?

D: (pocketil kai ittondu) Chettaa.. ithu muzhuvan chettan edutho.
ente kaiyil vere onnumilla.

A: Phaaa.. ninte pichakkaashonnum enikku venda. kondu podaaa ***


After a few more arguments, some how we managed to take ourselves out of that
mess. Dipu on the driving seat. Me on the back.

Dipu gathered that I am in a frenzy. May burst out any time..
He handled the situation nicely..
He kept his kool and speaked in soothing tone.

The bike sped towards the hostel. It was late and nearing 7.30PM
R: nee evide poyathaadaa ? (even the sound was shivering)
D: Da, aa mechanic entho oru tube vaangaan paranjathu orkkunnilley ?
athu vaangaan
poyathaa..
R: Manushan ivide jeevan povaathe nokkumbazha avante ammoommede tube.

Intelligent Dipu kept quiet there after.
I narrated the entire story on the way back to hostel..
He got a grab on the situation. And got an idea on why my face was so much out
of place..

That night, I couldnt have my dinner properly.

And we thought "ee varsham muzhuvan nalla treat aayirikkum"



A very memorable day from my life.
This happened 4 years back, and I could write it down event-by-event even on
this day !