August 1996. Srivilliputhur, Thamizh Nadu.
Srivilliputhur Andal Kovil was one of the pit stops en route in our annual visit to Kutralam. While the rest of the folks (parents, athai & cousins) were in the temple, I was with Athimber observing him as he tweaked a few things under the bonnet of his most beloved white Ambassador car. We took the car to a mechanic shop in the outskirts of Srivilliputhur for a precautionary check. The mechanic was away and the fierce sun drove us to the tree shade right beside the highway. It was a typical rural highway - narrow and rutted. There was no traffic in the highway apart from 2 yellow trucks coming from opposite directions. Both truck drivers would've watched each other approach and would soon manoeuvre to pass, or so we thought. CRASH! They drove into each other. I couldn't believe my eyes. How could they do it? I thought.
May 2010. Sunshine State, Australia.
The above incident was far removed from my mind as I clipped my helmet and set forth on the long overdue ride in my mountain bike. Having pigged out a LOT in the recent India trip, a few kilograms need to be shed.
So there I was riding along in quiet backstreets of my suburb. I settled into a neat rhythm, legs pumped steadily, I took breaths in regular intervals, eyes transfixed on the road...all motions reached equilibrium as I peddled in a lively speed.
After a brief ride in the main roads, I reached one of the posh suburbs of the city. The best way to explore a suburb is to do so on a bike. I pedaled along in one of quiet backstreets checking out the real estate. It was an interesting suburb and I had my own running commentary inside my head...
"some people's taste is really in their bum. I mean, wad is this! " as I went past a bungalow hideously painted in purple. Purple!
"and look at that", I muttered gazing at a monstrosity which looked like a cross between a mausoleum and The White House.
"Indha kezhavikku yedhuku singaaram (Why beautify an old lady)", I quipped (to myself) at a few dudes painting an old house.
Feeling smug about the cosy Queenslander I live in, I pedalled along hearing the soothing rrrrr sound of the tyre as it rolled on the rubberised road, checking out the periodic reflection of sunlight on the chrome spokes and then suddenly there was a "Thunnnnk". I was lying on the road.
It was a long straight road. There was only one car parked on it. Only one car. Lost in my trance, I had pedalled straight into it.
I stood up, gathered myself. My mind/conscience was laughing out loud at me "Kadavul kuduthaar paar! Hahahah!" (God gave you that. Hahaha!)
A thought struck me. Perhaps the lady of the purple house or the grandma living in the Mausoleum-WhiteHouse watching me would've thought: Any moment he is gonna change course and go around that car. Any moment. No he is not. No! The idiot rode straight into it!
I did.
--
I've been away for a while. Thanks to those who keep checking this blog occasionally. I hope to post more often. Thanks for visiting :)
Srivilliputhur Andal Kovil was one of the pit stops en route in our annual visit to Kutralam. While the rest of the folks (parents, athai & cousins) were in the temple, I was with Athimber observing him as he tweaked a few things under the bonnet of his most beloved white Ambassador car. We took the car to a mechanic shop in the outskirts of Srivilliputhur for a precautionary check. The mechanic was away and the fierce sun drove us to the tree shade right beside the highway. It was a typical rural highway - narrow and rutted. There was no traffic in the highway apart from 2 yellow trucks coming from opposite directions. Both truck drivers would've watched each other approach and would soon manoeuvre to pass, or so we thought. CRASH! They drove into each other. I couldn't believe my eyes. How could they do it? I thought.
May 2010. Sunshine State, Australia.
The above incident was far removed from my mind as I clipped my helmet and set forth on the long overdue ride in my mountain bike. Having pigged out a LOT in the recent India trip, a few kilograms need to be shed.
So there I was riding along in quiet backstreets of my suburb. I settled into a neat rhythm, legs pumped steadily, I took breaths in regular intervals, eyes transfixed on the road...all motions reached equilibrium as I peddled in a lively speed.
After a brief ride in the main roads, I reached one of the posh suburbs of the city. The best way to explore a suburb is to do so on a bike. I pedaled along in one of quiet backstreets checking out the real estate. It was an interesting suburb and I had my own running commentary inside my head...
"some people's taste is really in their bum. I mean, wad is this! " as I went past a bungalow hideously painted in purple. Purple!
"and look at that", I muttered gazing at a monstrosity which looked like a cross between a mausoleum and The White House.
"Indha kezhavikku yedhuku singaaram (Why beautify an old lady)", I quipped (to myself) at a few dudes painting an old house.
Feeling smug about the cosy Queenslander I live in, I pedalled along hearing the soothing rrrrr sound of the tyre as it rolled on the rubberised road, checking out the periodic reflection of sunlight on the chrome spokes and then suddenly there was a "Thunnnnk". I was lying on the road.
It was a long straight road. There was only one car parked on it. Only one car. Lost in my trance, I had pedalled straight into it.
I stood up, gathered myself. My mind/conscience was laughing out loud at me "Kadavul kuduthaar paar! Hahahah!" (God gave you that. Hahaha!)
A thought struck me. Perhaps the lady of the purple house or the grandma living in the Mausoleum-WhiteHouse watching me would've thought: Any moment he is gonna change course and go around that car. Any moment. No he is not. No! The idiot rode straight into it!
I did.
--
I've been away for a while. Thanks to those who keep checking this blog occasionally. I hope to post more often. Thanks for visiting :)
ivvalavu sogathiliyum., oru blog post... hmm... unakku romba thahiriyam then :)
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling much better now ! I wonder what got you !?! the purple house or the long empty road !
ReplyDeleteAbout the lorries driving into each other...well, then it means quite a lot of drivers in India are into transcendental mediation ! For they are often driving into each other !
Wonder what purple patch they hit !
:)
Hope you are feeling much better !
LOL.....I cd practically picture the whole scene;-D
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha, it often happens na.. We tend to judge a person or incident, and it right away happens to us..Nice post..
ReplyDeleteVijayGanesh, no sogam n all. all happy only :)
ReplyDeleteKavi, Thanks! i am well. twas a combination of both plus the pleasure of cyling that led me into the reverie.
Reflections, thank you :D
MoodyGemini, I know! tell me about it :)
It is good to have you back .I couldn't help but have a hearty chuckle as it took me back to my cycling days in Adayar when I bumped into the only buffalo on the road on an otherwise empty street at 9pm one night.I think it is the rhythm of the pedaling which sets our downfall or may be one of the dudes caught your attention LOL
ReplyDeletechithi,
ReplyDeletewas it Kabali's yerumai?
Sriram,
ReplyDeleteTake care dude while driving.
my tvs champ got kissed by speeding car and about fall down in road near my school in fountain plaza signal and luckily i balanced !!!
since then i wore helmet ...
Dude was it really a old lady or was it some scene babe and you got DISTRACTED :) ;)
I do check ur blog in weekends!!
Keep blogging
Hi Nirmal
ReplyDeletelol. na na. there was no one on the road. no gumeel figures, nobody. just one car.
thanks man for being a regular reader.
I thought your post was about Kutrallam at first and was excited to read about it(as I've never been there). Funny how you rammed into the car. Had it been India, you would invariably have landed in a gutter.
ReplyDeleteMachi, I dint know of your 'thiruvilaiyadal'...Hope you are ok now.
ReplyDeleteNice narration. As a reader, I could just live through it all, scene by scene. You helped me visualise the whole thing as it happened and I enjoyed the ‘Sri’ humour in it. And you know what, it reminded also me of my very first bike accident in NZ.
Being new to the city/country, I decided to explore Auckland on bike. I rode through various suburbs and ended up in Greenlane. Riding downhill at what I thought was a safe speed, I rightly banged right into the passenger door of a car pulling out of a drive way, only to realise it was a brand new car! Yes, someone was taking delivery and I decided to make it very memorable…LOL.
The accident left me unconscious and I was immediately rushed to hospital for emergency care. Spent the whole night under observation!!
lostworld, haha. true!
ReplyDeletegans, woah! u've never told me about this. you were unconscious?! u mustve been screaming downhill. son of speeed :D i was fine after the impact. just a bruise on the elbow & knees.
haha...there is a secret in all of us!!
ReplyDeleteWell, I wasnt really screaming downhill... I was just 'gently' paddling my bike, making sure I was riding to the conditions... And I think you have mistaken me to some else by calling me 'son of speed'... :D
LOL. NICE POST.
ReplyDeleteippadi dhan oru naal, I WAS TAKING A JOG outside my home and tripped over a dividing barrier and fell on my head, all in one perfectly smooth motion.
thankfully no one was around to observe that nonsense.
Gans, no mistake on my part. you are 'sunaapspeed'. idhuku nz traffic police saakshi :D
ReplyDeleteKumz, hehe.
Your writing template has undergone a change. I like :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I ve had similar incidents aswell. We ll just leave at that except maybe yes I wld want to say that I literally had a dog chasing with me paddling the cycle for life. Rest, as they say, is history;)
Blog more.
Hahaha, It happens to everyone :P I like the writing style!
ReplyDeletearchana, thanks! ive had couple of dog incidents too. Both of them with dobermans. i dont like that breed. aggresive creatures those. ive never been bitten so far. touch wood! :)
ReplyDeletefd, thank you :)
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ReplyDelete