A Surprise Trip!

Saturday was a good day spent. It was 8th of March. It was Women's day. We Stickers, our friend circle tag name if someone has not read the previous blog on remote Bangalore, met up for a play.

Comedy play. It was good catching up and watching this play. I had a content feeling already for the weekend, for I didn't know what was coming next!

But before that, Why I say content already when Sunday is left Because being in a desk job and in Bangalore, when weekends arrive if you have still life left you would want at least something different to happen if not on weekdays but at least on weekends. So out of two if at least one day is spent nicely in this IT small country Bangalore, its a content feeling. Otherwise you would end up shopping aimlessly on the streets or sit in front of the TV or laptop scrolling through with no real purpose. When this happens you know you are part of the crowd.

But no offense to the ones who do this and would say to me, no You are wrong I like watching TV or laptop or I love(like) shopping. Good for you then! I would still say find a life...not that I don't do this, but do not like it myself when it happens.. because there's more life happening out there... because I am bit stay-out kind of person, talk less but want to see whats happening around, enjoy seeing people with third eye..smile when they smile unknowingly.. Look at a kid fall or do adorably mischievous acts or two old ones walking like penguins. I call my Mom penguin at times too. Just that the way they walk is cute like those penguins, comes with age I believe.

PS: don't think I am against I like to stay with my family on weekends, that's a better option too when you know u mean it! :)

Just wish to say don't be stuck to a high calorie life ;)

OK so I was on Saturday. Finished the play, reached home by ten. A familiar face with an unfamiliar look as always was waiting at the door. My footsteps were silent, for Sis had slept already. Both tucked ourselves good night by 10:30. Both because Dad was in Coorg for it was coffee season and he was there for nearly a month now. Away from city, lil isolated deep inside the coffee plantation living in almost mud made hut house with bare necessities while we were with 24hour light and water supply here in Bangalore.

I had a good sleep like the ones in which you don't have to think yourself to sleep.

Sunday happened. Brush...Sun...breakfast..TV..yes TV! it started 'Clouding' over my head..what to do, what to do...! moved over to laptop..yes laptop!

Time: ~12PM, around Lunch time.

My room was half shut with headset on, so technically I was disconnected from physical world.

Muthiiii.....Muthiiii!!!!! (I assume this line 'cause of what happens next, btw Muthi is how sis calls me)

Why on earth can you not play on less volume. You don't hear anyone calling you!!! and she comes and sits with a thud besides me!!

and I was like Woaaa!!

Ok!! Sooo why were....you calling me!!

I wanted to ask something!!

(btw its a reminder.. its Sunday, half day gone and tomorrow is Monday that means I have to at desk by 8:30AM)

I say am listening to you too!! :P

like rapid fire question....Let's Go Meet DAD!!

I was like WHAAAAAAATTTTTTTT!!!my headsets were down by now and technically connected to the physical world!

This is one of those emotions where in you cant be unhappy because its Dad...cant be happy cause its nearing evening and You are the one who has to drive on a lazy Sunday for next nearly 7 hours into the Jungle resort. This was still sinking into me!

I said..'Give me half hour to clear my head!! No points for guessing, but yes I had a poker face..a real irritated poker face!!!

Sis could see it and then it turned out like I had two moms at home!! I got punched emotionally left right and center!! Headset was up now again! Technically Lost!!

Time ~12:45PM.

Alright! We go! (Score was 2 - 1, lost it!)

Mom goes ohk I'll get some chapatti's and chicken curry packed. We leave by 1:30-2:00PM.

I was a poker face on the move!

God helped with the Traffic, otherwise am sure I would have gone ...... !!! By nearly 2:30PM we were out of IT country.

I love my Punto baby! and Music playing in it. Yes there are nights when instead of TV's or laptops I have spent the nights in my car, seat reclined with music on in the parking lot.

And so I was less of a poker face now! Highway was pretty much empty on our side, for we were getting out unlike the other side of the highway which had the crowd getting into the city after spending the weekend.

Next pit stop was after 81Km's from Home. Indradhanush Hotel. Our common pit stop for years now. Sis went for a cone. Me and Mom sipped a coffee. There are only two places that I like the coffee to have out of non-formality: Indradhanush and Indian Coffee House on Church street.

We were back on street. Eyes wide. Sun was setting.

Mysore passed.

Around 7PM we made it through the rusty gates holding Grand dad's name on it. His Son wouldn't have thought what we had thought. We were in the almost Jungle like environment.

our Man's a defence forces guy, his surprise and happiness is contently inside of him.

Aah! You guys are here! that's all we got, but we knew what he meant! He was covering up the day's coffee beans that was plucked so that the rain could find another way to flow just in case it fell! I parked my baby. Music off.

Music was back on. But this was Natural! The poker face was gone, for nothing beats when am part of the nature. Am at peace with myself more then any meditation would do when am amidst the greens. But!

Cherrryyy!! Take the items out of the car!

Yeaaa, Okkk!! (Damn!! forgot am still the unpaid driver.)

 

I enter the hut like home. There was one 'bed' in the corner. A table with radio and few some other things. A line of old unused phone wire going diagonally through the room, hung with clothes.

And just besides the wall down on the floor, Dad had spread the oranges and banana's (split individual) with military precision. He likes his things set, man's learnt it and like they say Habits die hard! Love him for that!

 

past this 3 by 4 metre room was kitchen. Mom laid out the food we had got to be warmed up for later. Power was fluctuating. Lights here are not necessity its add-on if available.

Day previous there was no Power, Dad said. Let me boil some water for you guys to get fresh.

I gobbled up a banana and an orange. 

I was the last one to get under the water. Dad said change over here into towel, change once back from shower. You generally playfully ignore something like that so common when parents say. Only to enter into a bathroom which Only has a commode, a big water vessel on fire and a plane door with no hooks and blank walls. :| And in places like this bathrooms are little away from main house setup, so no use calling for someone to take the clothes.

Two parts of the dress got perched on 10 x 30cm concrete slab. One on the far side of the bathroom where water splashes were not reaching. Then opened the door to see if anyone was there, none, there was a nut bolt on the other side, hung my shirt on it. Phewww...! Quite a shower prep it was.

It was pitch black with just two lights one in the distance almost a star and another hanging at the other end of our home. Clouds gave way only for the moon and hid the stars behind.

Mom started. Well they always do ;) Sis was taking a walk in front like a pendulum and occasionally stopping by to hear the chit-chats. I was one ear plugged to Celtic music and another to Mom-Dads. It was around 8:30PM.

Power went off!

After few minutes it was back. And the urge to have the food before another power shutoff was aired by Mom. We followed. Dad too! :P

Our happy man poured himself a peg. Mom gave a temporary eye but it passed soon, he was happy and its mothers heart! so!!

For nearly after 20 years we were all sitting so close for dinner, almost in a foot radius circle under that small roof without a table! It was different for me, that Moment!!

Time ~9PM.

It was time for me to be me. My little talks with the maker and his creations. I was plugged on light music and took a walk in that faint light. Moon now had a visible company of countless stars. Open sky, the last time I was under a starry mat was on the edge of a mountain in my sleeping bag couple of years before. Crazy trip that was too. Like they say whatever happens, happens for good. So am glad I made this trip for it feels emotionally and selfishly right. After a while Mom called up to get some sleep. Clouds were settling back, it started to get lil foggy.

I walked in.

The bed was ready for Mom and Sis. It was a shaky one. I sleep down so I am good any surface. But Dad said, nights floor would turn up cold we better get you something. So I got one which I think will never forget. There were coffee sacks rolled outside. He asked me to get them.

Four layers of unrolled coffee sacks and two rolled sacks for pillow! Voila!!!

Dad called me up to say there is a way in which you can close this door, if you guys want to. I was like, ok interesting!

Ok push the door out, you see a wooden plank hanging turn it clockwise and put over the wedge and then to final confirm it he says..there you go, its a Fort Knox now!! Nothing can

come inside!!

Felt like a small kid right at that moment, I don't know why! It was momentary!!

He went into the adjacent room with a common wall. Lights went out. And it was darker than black. Dad called out saying you can keep the outside light on if its too dark!

Dreams dawned!

Time ~6AM

One of the Best nights ever!!

Dad was up. I was up.

Time ~7AM

We started packing towards Bangalore. 

The workers started coming in for work. We were packed with oranges and chickoos.

Sis comes by my side and asks do you think we could stay for one more day. I hate to be in this position when you have to act like a grown up. For I had a desk job not that I regret it but!!

Am the younger one by the way.

Time ~8AM.

Goodbye Dad!

so you see at least that 'Clouding' is needed 'cause like the Alchemist says "When you really want something to happen, the whole world conspires to help you achieve it."...

otherwise couch is all the life that is left there and am sure that will break some day!! (this wasn’t said by Alchemist ;))

-Cp