THE RIDE BACK HOME AND THE MIRACLE

THE RIDE BACK HOME AND THE MIRACLE

The times of our lives, the Bangalore Mysore vacation was a damn good time. Then there is the ending part, all good times never last forever. You need to pack your bags and go to live your lives, normal ones. We did packed our bags and ready to go but then we were excited than before cause we were going home and it is always special to get back home to your loved ones , even though how dysfunctional or crazy they are. It is your family, it is your world and your heaven.

We set out to the point where we supposed to be picked by the bus coming from Bangalore. We got a drop from the hotel. We were trying our best to keep in touch with the bus operator so that we don’t miss the bus at any case. But when the bus came it parked at the far end of the road from where we were standing. Now with all the 10 big bags we had, we need to rush to catch the bus. John was sprinting to the bus when he saw it and then sprint back to us to get the bags. We had to hail an auto rickshaw to take our bags from the spot where we stood to the bus which was like 50 meters apart. Finally we managed to throw in the bags and found our seats.

We had a short stop somewhere on the way around evening time. We bought some snacks, too may snacks. It was a wrong movie considering the things which followed.

All was well and good until we started climbing down the thamarasheri churam. Dheeja started to feel uneasy and she did vomit and managed to do it into the blanket provided by the bus. That was the beginning. I had to carry the blanket folded around the expelled items to the front and asked the bus driver and the assistant to help me to throw this out. They gave me a nasty look and then opened the door for me to throw the blanket outside. They were busy tackling the hairpin bends on the road.

They told me that there is plastic covers hanging beside the door which I can take. I took a couple and went back.  Now the lady sitting behind me asked for a cover, which I passed to her and I passed one to dheeja which dheeja accepted and continued her business.

Then after a while john was saying that he is not feeling good. Of course even I was not feeling that great. I had to walk to the front and ask the driver whether they could stop for few minutes. They were not ready to budge stating that they are behind schedule already. They advised that let the person get up then come sit here in the front and he may feel better and it is not far to Calicut which is the next stop.

John managed to go to the front and sit there for a while but then after some time I saw a couple of guys getting up walking to the front. Then the bus driver pulled the bus to the road side. All the guys standing in the front including john got down. I got up from my seat and went to take a look what is going on. What I saw outside was amazing. Four guys standing in a line beside the road and vomiting. I went to get some water for john and was rubbed his back.

After a while we resumed our journey, John and Dheeja was feeling better.  I was sitting beside dheeja. Then the Miracle happened. Dheeja got the news that she passed her exam. We verified the result and confirmed that it is true. That changed her mood and she was back to normal. We woke up john and told him the news. He was pinging himself to make sure it is a dream or not.  We called everyone to tell the news and every one appreciated dheeja for what she have done.

There was this friend of dheeja from Dubai who was also trying to clear this exam and failed was telling her that she is so intelligent and lucky and so on. I could say that my sister was on cloud nine and flying high.

The result and the timing of the results was splendid as there was no tension or stress anymore and we could celebrate Christmas all in. Thank you dheeja for your efforts and to God for his blessing.

We reached the dropping point on time and papa was there to pick us. We planned to take an auto to keep the bags but then our small car could accommodate all our bags inside.

 it was great to get home for Christmas. 

Curd Rice and Butter Chicken – An Anthology of ANN DIMPLE TONY

Curd Rice and Butter Chicken – An Anthology of ANN DIMPLE TONY

The ultimate aim of our (john and me) trip to Bangalore was to feast upon the various delicacies which we longed for and of course to get drunk. The Mysore masala dosa, Chow chow bath, Gobi Manchurian and Non Veg meals from Empire. We even found a place to stay near to a Empire to serve this purpose.

But then best combo which I had was the Curd Rice and Butter chicken along with Gobi Manchurian. That was chosen and introduced by great Dimple alias Annama. Even when I was fed Curd rice as a staple every day during my stay in college hostel it never occurred to me that Curd rice could be a great Combo with spicy Non vegetarian.

Well this combo emulates the personality of dimple itself I guess. I am referring to life situations which she faces and the indifference with which she approach them. Insanity unplugged. Trying this combo was so exciting and so was every moment we spend with her in the trip.

To start with the most striking incident was during the debacle at the Mysore hotel Check In, where John and dheeja was settling the hotel guys to accommodate four us in one room. I was telling dimple that the hotel guys is not budging to accommodate us and we may be in trouble and I was expecting her to panic a bit as where to spent the night if we are not allowed in. Instead I couldn’t even see her flinch even for a second. She was super cool as if it is not even a problem to bother. I could gauge that her cool composure rooted from the belief that either me or john will be kept out and not her. But then she was at the better side of her luck that the hotel guys let us in after some drama else she would have been the one who had to stay out.

Or even when she chose to go for a coin toss to decide whether to skip her exams and come with us to Mysore. Well then even I guess there was some issue with the coin that whenever we tossed the coin it always flipped the favorable and she had no choice but to come with us. I cannot imagine skipping an exam and doing something else which is like a forbidden sin which I could never forgive myself. But then there was Dimple who chose to do that. I guess she had her own valid reasons for that.

Or the way she swims. Her demand for googles and cap to swim left me an impression that she is a swimming rock star and yes she was, until the point where I saw her started swimming. She did swim but then only to the length of a breath. She is yet to learn how to come up, breath and continue swimming.

I remember, right there in the swimming pool we asked her to day with us for the night and then thought upon a plan to inform the hostel warden about a group study. Then to accommodate her I was asking her to sing a song for us which she still owe us. She do owe us another one for training her how to lie effectively. But then looking back to that, I guess first thing we should have done was to get all her particulars, her address, parents details and so on. Because standing outside the hospital room next night and wondering what is going to happen her during the overdose, the only though running across my mind was, how to contact her parents if something bad happens. How the police going to believe our story. She is supposed to be in Bangalore and not in Mysore.

Or when she decided to have some shots with us. Now having drinks with friends was always a joy but then having some with whom thoroughly enjoys every moment she having is something else and then there is this joy telling this person about the things you know. Dimple took that night and turn it to moments which we all could cherish for many days to come.

Or when she decided to come home for Christmas. We were concerned that she might get down in the middle and go back home. But then she did came.

Or when she set foot on a boat ride through the Pozhi, from the sea to the river. She never knew that many a people have died at that very spot before. I am sure she was not aware of that but then I don’t think she would have bothered even if we told her that. 

TALE OF AN ALCOHOLIC NOVICE- (The AFTERMATH- PART 2)

It was always a joy to introduce someone to the world of Alcohol and spirits. If that someone is a free spirited girl then it is more fun. Well this is not the account of that spirit encounter but the after effects of that.

Drinking with Friends is one thing but then you get an “Out of the world” experience is another and then you get to learn new things along the way makes it a complete package. The new thing I learned was the term “ALCOHOL INTOLERANCE”.

“ALCOHOL Intolerance is stated as a condition in which your body fails to breakdown Alcohol Efficiently. It is due to the Deficiency of certain enzymes in the body to metabolize the toxins in Alcohol. This will trigger allergic symptoms in the body”

But then it took us some time to identify that Alcoholic intolerance could be one of the reason why the novice (Dimple) is complaining of continuous itching in her body.  I saw her sitting in front of me scratching her arms and shoulders like a monkey and I wanted to help her cause I felt the moral responsibility to do so. My concern grew into a compulsion inside me which forced me to search online where we discovered the so called physical condition.

Once the symptoms were verified, we checked for the availability of medication. Hotel Reception told us that there is a medical facility nearby. I set out to look for the place then. Given by the directions from hotel I walked through the dark streets of Mysore with a heartbeat spike hoping no one will attack me from behind. I saw a hospital sign in the distance and approached that to find that it was a full-fledged specialty hospital.  Hoping that I could find a pharmacy inside I stepped inside the causality.

I could use some broken Kannada to locate the Pharmacy but then they denied any medicine without any prescription. I need to come back to the causality to find a doctor who could help me to generate a prescription without a patient. Finally I managed to convince the doctor and told him the symptoms, I had to say that, we are travelling and a friend of mine who is a girl had some shots then now she is having some skin allergy symptoms. He wanted to see the person before he could see anything. He was concerned whether the symptoms could be indicating something else. But finally he agreed to give the prescription. I went to get the medicine which was just a general Anti-histamine tablet. But then the concern of the doctor got transferred to me. I was worried what if the condition is not just allergic reaction. May be Dimple should need further consultation. I found the place to be safe and with common standards. Again the concern of a Drink mate pricked my conscious and forced me to take a decision to get her to hospital so that she could recover as soon as possible.

I went back, asked dimple to follow me which she did. We came back to the hospital. But then by now the situation in the hospital have changed a bit. It got bit busy. There was some new patients in the OP. A senior doctor was called in to attend the situation. By the time we stepped into the casualty all available doctors were busy. The senior doctor was in no good mood and wanted us to move out and leave our shoes outside. We waited for long after which we have been told to go through the usual procedure of getting a registration in the OP and so on and the wait continued. Dimple was growing bit concerned with all the hospital environment. Even I started thinking whether it was a good idea to bring her here or not. Well the worst was yet to come.  

Finally the doctor came, the one who gave me the prescription, he prescribed two additional injections to be administrated. We went to get the injection.  Once we got back, Dimple was taken to a Bed and I was told to wait outside. As I turned back to look at dimple while walking outside I could see them drawing the curtains to cover the bed she is lying. I assumed that the injection going to be applied at the unmentionable parts and hence the curtains. I was waiting outside looking at the people going in and out of the room. Almost felt like I was acting in a movie where the character is waiting outside an operation theater.

Minutes passed, I was waiting and then after a while some one summoned me inside. I stepped inside and I could see all the curtains were opened and then Dimple still lying on the bed.  I could only think that she may be told to lay down to relax. But then when I walked to her I saw that she had a CRT machine attached to her fingers and they were monitoring her vitals. I was shocked to see her heart rate was at 92bpm. I looked around for the doctor and he was not there. Now my heart rate shot up and I looked at dimple. She was lying there, as if she is semi-conscious. Tears rolling down her cheeks.  I called her name, shook her head, asked her to look at me. I was in total panic. I hold her hand to check her pulse to confirm whether the machine is faulty. It was not, the heart beat was spiked. Now I saw another lady doctor in the room and I ran to her. I asked her what happened. She came to dimple and checked then went to look for the male doctor. Doctor came and asked to check her BP. They removed the CRT machine. By this time I was trying to talk to Dimple. Telling her to stay awake. Don’t close your eyes. Don’t sleep. Talk to me. We are going back soon. I tried to communicate best way possible. I made her to sit up, stroking her hair. Holding her face. I was not sure what I am doing.

Doctor checked the BP and told that she is normal. Even I could feel her heart beat have dropped a bit than before from her pulse. I asked dimple to stay up. All this while she was not responding. She looks at me then she looks the other way.  I literally lost my mind. I wanted to hit the doctor but I had to stay calm as partly this situation was bit of my own doing..

By then the doctor called to do an ECG just to confirm her situation. I was asked to stay out and again the curtains were drawn. I had no choice but to leave as I have no business there. I went out. I had dimple’s phone. Just a while ago on the way to the pharmacy while trying to make a call to john and dheeja I could notice her phone Lock key. That was useful to unlock the phone. I called john. I don’t know what to tell them. I told him the situation and asked them to come fast.

Now again I was waiting, the lady doctor who appeared to be a malu and saw me staying in the lobby without any shoes on. She said, you can wear your shoes and come inside As if it was her way to apologize for the whole fiasco. I went inside and walked to dimple and found her bit normal now. I was relieved to see her looking at me and holding that gaze. I told her john and dheeja is on the way. Tried to talk to her and understand how she is feeling. I told her it could be the overdose. She was nodding her head as a response.

I asked the doctor about the ECG results and he told it is all normal. I wanted to get some water for dimple but then there was no water around and I had to walk upstairs to fetch some water in a bottle. When I walked back I could see that dimple s body was covered with a blanket kind of cloth. Now again my heart skipped a beat. But then when I walked to her she was quite normal. I realized that they covered her cause her top was reaching only up to her knees and then there were lot of men in that room.

By then, John and Dheeja came rushing in to the room. I was so relieved to see them and I could breathe normal then onwards. We were talking and making fun of dimple who was still lying down. Now again the senior doctor asked us to leave and wait outside. I was not amused by the way he was communicating and wanted to react which again I know was not a good idea.

Finally after waiting for some while outside we were given a bill of payments to be done. We got dimple out of the bed and she could walk to the Car which john and dheeja managed to get from the hotel. 

I went to the counter to pay the bill but then the guy was busy with something. I thought for a while and then I told him I need to get cash from my friend and I stepped outside, walked to car got inside and left the place. Bill not paid. At least I could do that in return for the stupid events.

We got back to hotel and put dimple in the bed. I was still worried about her hear beat as it was not normal yet. We asked her not to sleep soon. But then everyone was tired and we slept. But then every time when I woke up in between I used to look at dimple and found that she changed positions while sleeping which is an indicator that she is still alive.

Now if I ever get to introduce anybody to the world of alcohol the first thing I am going to get is an Anti-histamine tablet and any time we going to have dimple around us that calls for a medical kit kept ready.

Thanks for readings guys. Hope you liked it.. And Dimple glad you survived that.. Sorry for putting you through all that drama.... it was fun though when we think about it now...