The Night, I met a reader family

July 9, 2008

Not everyday I come across someone calling me out of the blue, “Jobless, I like your blog”. Well it just happened one night I met (not exactly met, but talked through the window with) this family. I was on my way home from Madurai, and around 1 AM, the bus stopped in the place called A1 plaza, on the way to Karur not sure but on some highway. The first time I had been to this place was with my mom, where we’d a leisurely mid night dinner. I fell in love with the place, there’s nothing so specific about the place, except it has a book outlet, a Petrol bunk, a canteen ( plus awesome coffee and tea,) and a couple of rest-rooms with a garden around, but it’s definitely the time when I first saw the place, made me fall in love with the place.

This time, I was alone, the bus stopped; I’d some 15 minutes, I got down to stretch out. This was definitely a Bus lag, and of course I’d this strange love for traveling in the SETC buses. Don’t know why, but a long night travel in a SETC, is something I started to love. I got an Appy tetra pack n came out and stood near another SETC bus, lazily sipping my drink, I was just loosing myself in the night sight with a cool breeze around. I was bit sleepy too, had my ear phone plugged in, with the song, “Tere Mere beach mein…” from Ek Thuje keliye. How romantic!!!

I felt something hitting my back and I turned to see a girl sitting near the windows in the bus and gesturing me to unplug my ear-phones, I removed the ear phone, and asked her, “Are you talking to me?”

Yeah, she was undoubtedly talking to me, “Hey Jobless! You here!!” How you doing?”
I managed to utter a Hi and replied “… yeah… Fine Err-you!! You know me”. I stood exactly like an idiot smiling away to glory. She told me that she is reader of my blog and she knew me. I really don’t know how she recognized me. I did put a photo, but! Well. Anyways…

She extended her hand out and I stepped in and stood on my toes to greet her. God How short I’m. No these SETC buses are monstrously tall. When she touched my hand, there was a deafening roaring sound in me,

Yeah, there was. The engine of the bus sprang to life, and it’s a Volvo bus (engine at the rear) she told her name twice and I couldn’t hear her name. The bus was about to move, and someone else shouted, “Barath, amma Barath!!!” I stood like a rock. And someone peeped out of the window and said, Hey son. I like your writing, keep going. Write more. All the very best, Son!

I kept staring at the bus till it went out of my sight.

I should have at least had the basic sense/manner to ask her out; I mean, ask her to get down from the bus. I stood surprised. My bus started and the conductor sir was calling everyone. When the bus turned towards me, the headlights hit straight on my face. I felt like I was out from a dazzle. Who are they? Why was I so dumb? I should have talked properly to them. And is jobless such a common household name, (at least in their family) But I felt so good that some stranger, somewhere could associate with my writings and me.

And whoever it is, Thanks a lot.

P.S. I dedicate this post to the reader family of Musings blog.

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Written by Bee Nat Posted in Diary, Magic Of life, Memoirs, My Days, Travel