Here's the story of how me and my friend SK met the soldier(allegedly, a) named M.
We'd gone for a wedding at Edappazhanji that particular Sunday. She was our classmate and I couldn't miss the chance of an impromptu reunion with the college crowd, in spite of having an arm in a sling.
The nikkah went fine, and later I had the opportunity of devouring a traditional Keralite sadya using a spoon. At the wedding, I had to explain the story of the injuries and the sling to too many people, and finally I started hearing myself telling them with a wink, that slings are the latest fashion in Tamil Nadu.
When I'd stepped up to catch a glimpse of the newly weds, an old man in a white jooba accosted me on the dais, jokingly asking whether my bandages were the result of a fist fight somewhere. He was dramatically relieved when I said that all I'd had was an accident.
After the wedding, SK and I got out of the venue, and hailed an autorickshaw to Vellayambalam, as the driver would only drop us till there. From there, we caught another autorickshaw, whose driver was oddly verbose and reeking of alcohol.
He assured us that there was no need for alarm, as he was the most cautious driver in the city, even when drunk. And he was - drunk and cautious.
He told us that he was a soldier in the Indian army belonging to the 1237th Madras regiment. He said that he knew that his time had come nigh. That he'd sinned a lot in his life, and because of that he was being sent to Ladakh for his next stint. He was drinking and driving just to taunt the police, as army men were out of police jurisdiction.
The man said that he was thirty three years old. He'd two more years of mandatory service with the army. He told us that we wouldn't understand the fury of a bullet leaving the muzzle of a rifle. He kept on repeating that he would be coming back in a coffin the next time around.
He had been driving the autorickshaw around the city, giving free rides to people, in the hope that it would balance out his karma, to counter his sins. Our ilavasai taxi.
I don't know the veracity of his claims. I hope that he has a good life, if he does not get annihilated in Ladakh, as he'd thought then.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A soldier named M
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6 comments:
Man, thats the best tale of a Auto driver. I have been fortunate(?) to hear the biographies of several, but this takes the cake. You get a lot by traveling, even if its for a short distance!
That was a touching story of a soldier as an auto driver, whose lives we seldom notice. Thanks, poison...
When I was in Chennai, I used to love auto-rides in Tvm as it was a great relief from the bargaining and killing rates in the metro. Then the minimum charge in tvm was Rs 10,while in Chennai you end up paying Rs 20 just to step into an auto!
@ rockus -
life can throw up its best at the most unexpected venues!
@ raindrops -
in chennai, one has to be a professional negotiator, if one dares to step into the realm of the 3 wheeled monsters. for me, an auto is the last resort there!
Interesting. Intriguing.
Isn't it curious that we think of our karma when we have built up a lot of "bad" karma and we are about to die; as opposed to thinking of the things we have left to achieve in life if we haven't sinned and are about to die?
Why are we afraid of the afterlife/unknown?
cool! he is giving free ride?! :O
what a nice man... i like those people who talk about karma.
that is very indian no? poichan.
wish you have a lovely weekend!!
@ camphor -
That's a good question. They don't know what awaits them in life, or in death. The uncertainty about the laws of what exists in the afterlife(if any) scares most people. We are not always afraid of the unknown.. surely, there must be some who seek thrills or knowledge about it.
@ niki chan -
karma is a scary concept if it is for real.. i would be in a tight, tight spot!
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