*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 60

Good morning. I wish you a beautiful day. All the best.

Thalaivaa-2 A continuation of Thala vaa but nothing to do with the actor

Sunday, the one that just whizzed past, two of my dear friends, Rajan and JP complimented me about my writings, which I secretly felt, that they secretly felt were daily floggings of words by me, and the same, which I flog them daily with my posts in Whatsapp.

Rajan said " rooted in Philosophy" and JP said, " but he carries the reader well and to the end."

Whatever the theme of the thought, it should at least be interesting and make for decently good reading. The moment we put down our thought is the moment that we put it down with a bit of manipulation, fanaticism and yes, our essence of the soul and our thoughts and dreams.

Wait, Wit not I am doing here and just stating the fact.

Why do we write and then why do we ache to share it with those we love and cherish and also those that we do not? ( uh-oh. sorry my bad. But, I get all this forwarded from people whom I barely know and thought that you would be thinking on the same lines)

If writing is a personal thing, then sharing it with others is also a very personal thing.

I take you back all the way to the classic film " The Poseidon Adventure " that released in 1972 in the USA, but which I am damn sure released much later here in India and importantly in namma Chennai.

I say that with confidence for I was all grown up and by that I mean somewhere between 8 and 10 years. I think me and my cousins saw it at either casino or Devi theater and it scared the living daylights out of me and a lot of others.

Remembering that film and writing about it now, I have to point out the important fact of the film and about how the massive cruise ship gets overturned by a rogue wave.

Little did we Indians know that a similar rogue wave, waves in fact and much bigger and vastly more powerful would pay a visit to our shores in 2004 and introduce itself as what we know as a Tsunami.

Naama beachukkku ponaa adhu walking.

Beachu namma veetukku vantha adhu Tsunami.

But, back to the film The Poseidon Adventure and why I am talking about it here. If you remember well, in the film after disaster has struck, two groups form and with two leaders and one of them is my favorite actor and hero Gene Hackman.

Most of the passengers ignore his pleas and only a few follow him and he eventually leads them all to safety but not before losing his life, rather sacrificing his life for the safety of the others and he does that with a smile, a bold smile.

I remember that scene for it tore my heart with its tragedy and I will never ever forget it.

Leader, in the film, Gene Hackman leads, saves and sacrifices his own life and I know it is just a story. But then all our Gods, their actions are just that, stories.

Does it matter, that it is just a story, a myth, a legend when what really matters is what it can do and how it can help life and the human race on this planet?

Leader, yes people we need a leader to lead and a leader whom we can look up to and sing this song.

O Captain! My Captain! by Walt Whitman

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;

The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;

Rise up–for you the flag is flung–for you the bugle trills;

For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths–for you the shores a-crowding;

For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!

This arm beneath your head;

It is some dream that on the deck,

You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;

My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;

The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;

From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;

Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!

But I, with mournful tread,

Walk the deck my Captain lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

Good morning. I wish you a beautiful day. All the best

I confess, openly, honestly and without any shame or inhibition that I am oversensitive, emotional and totally dramatic. What to do people? How else does a person exist and blunder through this life that itself is so much more dramatic than me and my thoughts?

That said, and put on the board for all to see, come now, and let me tell you a small story, an incident, a moment in a person's life and how it moved me to tears, invisible and real tears that put a stitch in your soul and leave you feeling black and white and also leaving you thinking aloud ' This is what Life is all about'.

Muhammad Kutty Paniparambil Ismail is known to us by one name and that is Mammootty. Although, he is chellama called " Mammukka".

But Mammootty also stands for class, perfection, master in acting and for a great screen presence.

Take the film Thalapathi and tell me if any other actor today could have stood opposite the superstar and still garner attention for his presence and acting and let us not forget his voice.

For me, my list of great actors who are my masters starts obviously with Nadigar Thilagam, Amitabh, Kamal, Mammootty, and Mohan Lal along with Savitri and Ranga Rao.

Mammootty is known in the industry for his fancy after electronic gadgets and imported cars.

Benz or BMW, I am not sure but he was driving one late in the night and on the highway all by himself and this was much after he had already won 3 national awards.

Seeing a small light on the side of the road being waved frantically, Mammukka stopped to see what it was and saw an old man waving a lantern and trying to catch the attention of the passing vehicles.

Mammukka stopped and getting down asked the old man what he wanted and the old man said his wife was very sick and needed to be rushed to the hospital and that there was no one nearby to help them.

Mammootty asked him where his wife was and the old man pointed to a small tiled house about a km off the road and the road was all muddy and full of potholes.

Benz or BMW, I am not sure but Mammootty asked the old man to get in and slowly managed to reach the house and carrying the old lady gently placed her in the back seat and drove quickly to the nearest clinic which was about twenty km away.

Like all actors, Mammootty thought he would be recognized, but he thought wrong for there was not a flicker of recognition in both the old man and his wife's eyes.

They soon reached a clinic and Mammootty helped the old lady out and up to the clinic's doors and was about to turn to leave, when the old man stopped him and gave him some cash and said, ' I don't know who you are but thank you very much. please have a cup of chai with this and wish my wife well.'

Saying this, the old man holding his old wife slowly stumbled and disappeared into the clinic leaving Mammootty in the barely lit area.

Mammukka held up the note and saw it was a fade two rupee not with frayed edges and holes.

' At that moment, that torn, faded 2 rupee note felt worthier and better than all the awards that were given to me and will be given to me.'

These are his exact words from his autobiography.

Footnote or endnote

“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” — Jonathan Gottschall, The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human

There is a scientific explanation for our love of stories: when we hear a story that resonates with us, our levels of a hormone called oxytocin increase.

Oxytocin is a “feel good” hormone.

It boosts our feelings of things like trust, compassion, and empathy. It motivates us to work with others and positively influences our social behavior.

Jannal Oram 306

When I was young, I believed that life might unfold in an orderly way, according to my hopes and expectations. But now I understand that the Way, winds like a river, always changing, ever onward. My journey's, revealed, that the Way itself, creates the warrior; that every path leads to peace, every choice to wisdom. And that life has always been, and will always be, arising in Mystery. Socrates.

The chaos and sounds of the traffic outside wERE nearly muted for the windows were up and apart from the gentle gurgling of the AC in the vehicle, there was pin drop silence.

Raman sat in his own thoughts and lost in them and there was not even the slightest movement of his head, hands or torso and sensing his mood, Jeeva and both sets of parents remained silent.

They looked at each other with worried looks and it was Shaktivel's warning that he delivered by placing a finger on his lips that sealed their total silence.

It took them nearly 40 minutes of crawling through Chennai's peak traffic hours, that starts at 7.00 am and lasts until 12.30 pm and then begins again at 2.30 and lasts until 10.00 pm. But then, one has to take into consideration the sudden trips by Babus and Netas from the capital that double and sometimes, triple the time it takes to travel from one point to another point in the city.

The large MUV slowly negotiated the lane that led into the hospital's premises from the main road which is the Arcot road and is also known as the N. S. Krishnan Salai.

Raman instructed the driver to go have his breakfast, and wait for their return, and then gave him a 100 rupee note that the surprised driver took, reluctantly, and with a lot of gratitude.

With a smile, Raman said, ' This is has nothing to do with the cab fare ' and getting out, stretched his shoulders, and looked at his family, ' I know what you all are thinking about my silence, but forgive me for even the slightest contact with that man, Vaidyanathan gets my blood boiling and leaves me trembling and angry with rage. That's why I fell silent for I needed to calm myself for the person who we have come to see is not doing well and I doubt if his parents are doing any better. And, to top all of that, I will be meeting Assistant Commissioner Damodaran who if my instincts serve right is a very smart and able officer and an honest one to boot.'

Pin drop silence and not a squeak or word of reply and Raman with a slight smile, ' okay. Now down to business.'

With a slightly wary expression, he looked at all of them and tried vainly to search for the right words and the right way to say it and Manigandan, who was standing with the help of Shaktivels support said ' Raman sir, take your time please but forget not that my knees and hips don't have all that time.'

Raman apologised and requesting Mani to hold on for a second, ran into the reception area and a few minutes later came back with a wheelchair and with two attendants in tow.

He helped Mani to get into the wheelchair and then informed the attendants that their services would not be required for the moment and stressed his thoughts when they refused to leave and instead requested that they stay behind but at a discreet distance.

Raman looked at all the questions that Jeeva and both sets of parents had and answered them, ' well, my law firm, Rangachari & associates did some important work for this Group when they sold off their famous Chandamama publications and copyright to a Mumbai based software company called Geodesic Ltd which is now being liquidated by the courts for a number of economic offences.'

Kamakshi mumbled ' Ada kadavule. What is the world coming to?'. Ambulimama used to be my favorite book and also of our generation.'

' Well, all that was long ago and soon Vijaya group of companies headed by Nagi Reddy sold it off to this software company for 10 crores and retained just 6 percent stake in it for sentimental value. That kind of put them in a bit of soup which I and my boss handled a few years ago by travelling to Mumbai.'

His face turned slightly serious and his voice took on a slightly deeper timbre when he addressed them, ' Please don't get mad at me for I am going to request you all to stay put here, while I go and see what the situation is up there in Mohan's room.'

Valliammai nodded, ' understood Ram. I guess only now, hearing you say this, we are realizing how difficult it must be for Mohan's parents to see their only son in such a terrible state.'

Raman added, 'amma, let us not forget the most important fact, which is, they have no knowledge about our existence and must be going mad, hearing their only son say just two names and names which belong to total strangers. Their hearts must be under tremendous strain facing all these tensions. So, let me go and see what is going on and then if the situation is okay, I will come and take you to see Mohan.Okay.'

Jeeva answered for all of them, ' Okay Raman. I guess, we all came along to see Mohan for he is the last link to Suja and the one who was loved and the one for whom she killed herself. Please hurry up, and come back soon.'

Raman left them in the large parking lot that lay under an umbrella of trees and all of them stood under the dark and cool shade, each one going through, ruminating over the day and all the days that had dawned and with it had dawned and with it had brought them a tsunami of sorrow and whose waves seemed not ready to stop with the many blows it had already delivered.

Far away, Home Minister Vaidyanathan came back to his house and opening the safe, took out a mobile phone and switched it on and waited for the android system to boot up.

Then, he slowly typed in a message in the app that had been downloaded and waited for the reply. Instead of a message, the phone rang and he answered it and from the other side, Santoshi Lal's voice greeted him warmly and loudly, ' Vaidhi Bhaiya. Kaise ho Bhai.'

Good morning. I wish you a beautiful and peaceful day.

Blinded by sight and knowledge

Against all odds, Pakistan bowled beautifully and knocked out New Zealand for a low score, yet a score that had to be attained if they harboured any hopes of getting into the semi-finals.

India not playing, and I would have normally turned my back on the channel but since this match had vast ramifications on even those who were not in the tussle had me glued to the screen.

The pregnant storm clouds that had been threatening to deliver more rain to the thirsty and starved city finally decided to let go of their rain babies and it was a suga prasavam.

Thunder and lightning danced and roared and the MES thought ( god only knows) it was time to switch off the power supply and they did so and plunged my area in total darkness.

My groans and wail was joined in a chorus of wails all around my neighbourhood and was soon drowned in the roar of the rain dance.

Ponaal pogattum poda sat for rain and its water is more important than the match, I thought and in the darkness reached for my five-year-old Nokia mobile that has been serving as my music player.

Well, ever since, production managers and casting agents and my co-ordinators began to request, photos to be sent via WHATSAPP, My Nokia switched from making calls and sending messages to playing music via headphones.

I slotted in a 16 Gb memory card which is all the poor old analogue phone can handle and have been happy with it and absolutely have had no problems.

In total darkness, the feeble lighting of the Nokia screen lit up and asked me " Start without sim card " and I pressed accept and then went into the storage folder and accessed speeches.

Music only while running or walking or lazing in the morning sun.

Speeches for slumber and for a good night's sleep.

Suki sivam began to speak and it was a speech he had delivered in Coimbatore about Bhagwan RAMANAR.

In the darkness, I learnt again, more about Ramanar and his fascination about death and his true love and his journey towards Arunachaleswarar.

Like a dead body, I lay in the darkness, with the only light coming through my ears and which then entered my soul.

I think most of you will agree, when I say that, in life, some of the most beautiful moments of revelations, realization and understanding comes only in solitude and in the darkness of our mind.

Outside the window, the rain rained steadily and through my ears, suki sivam rained questions into my soul.

Questions for only when you begin to question can one find an answer.

yearn, seek and you shall find that you try and endeavour to.

I will not dwell, flog or stretch this thought of mine too much and will leave you with your flogging and dwellings to do.

Jannal Oram 307

Raman as a force of habit never took an elevator unless he was really pressed for time, and late for a meeting, which again was a very rare thing for he was pathologically punctual. He glanced at the two elevators that stood with their doors gaping open and stopped just at the first step of the stairs and ran towards the 2nd lift that was about to shut and without any fear, placed his hand between the doors that sensed a disturbance and opened up again.

A voice from inside yelled loudly, ' stupid idiot, you could have really hurt yourself' and Raman saw it was a young doctor along with another female colleague and without replying, turned and helped the middle-aged lady into the elevator.

Slowly, he turned and facing the doctor who had yelled at him and who by now realizing his mistake, began to apologize, but Raman raised his right hand and cut him short, ' Accepted, I am a stupid idiot. But,

what about you two doctors that have this whole elevator for yourself, while this poor lady carrying a coffee flask and fruits stands, waiting for you to go up and then wait until this elevator comes back down.'

Stopping the elevator doors from closing again, he shook his head and in a humble voice continued, ' you call yourself doctors when you don't have the slightest clue about helping others. What kind of doctor are you anyway and add to that abusing the public loudly and not worrying about what people will think or what kind of example you will be setting for aspiring students whose dreams are becoming a good doctor.'

Raman stepped out and watched the doors close and the elevator begin to rise and with a sigh turned and climbed the stairs to the fourth floor which had its Neurology ward.

It was visiting hours and so, the stairs were a bit crowded and it took Raman a few minutes to reach the fourth floor and then he stopped to enquire about Mohan and which room he was in.

The middle-aged lady got out of the elevator and walked the fifteen feet or so and stopped on seeing her husband standing near the large balcony looking lost and very sad.

' Venu', Thulasi called him softly by his name and Venu Srinivasan turned to her with his eyes swollen and crimson with all the crying that was not stopping and wiping his eyes, bravely flashed a smile and asked his wife, ' Did you eat something in the canteen? ' and knew from her silence that she had not eaten anything.

' Okay, I will go get something for both of us ' Venu said but Thulasi shaking her head, replied, ' Maybe an early lunch. But this coffee will do for now.'

She looked at him with a smile and seeing it, Venu's heart skipped beats and he exclaimed, ' Amma, thank god. finally, my wife has decided to bless me with her bewitching smile' and asked her, ' Okay, share it with me for maybe it might put a smile in my soul too.'

Thulasi looked at him, ' I met a kind man today. A real gentleman but also a bit scary.'

She told him what had just taken place and remarked, ' we have been here for more than a month and it has taken all long for me to spot a good and kind man.'

Her eyes caught a movement in the distance and brightened into a smile and grabbing Venu's arm, gesticulated, ' him, that man, that tall good looking young man. It was him, the very same man who helped me just now.'

Venu Srinivasan and Thulasi Srinivasan both stared at Raman as he walked towards them although his eyes were busy scanning the room numbers and finding the room he had come in search of, paused and then raised his hand to knock and request permission to enter when somebody said ' Excuse me, sir.'

Good morning. I wish you a peaceful day. All the best.

conscious-conscience

The top three greenhouse gas emitters— China, the European Union, and the United States—contribute more than half of

the total global emissions, while the bottom 100 countries only account for 3.5 percent. Collectively, the top 10 emitters account for nearly three-quarters of global emissions. The world can’t successfully tackle the climate change challenge without significant action from these countries.

So, the 10 emitters emit, commit, damn it while some poor African villager suffers for something that they did not do and suffer the same global consequences, even though they diligently still follow the law of the land and nature which equals God. Which, simply put means, thinking, caring and worrying about other lives other than the human species.

These past few months, I have personally seen to my astonishment, Dogs refuse food and instead look achingly at the water bottle, asking for more water.

The polar ice caps are melting. From, polar bears to fish in the deep sea, the message, "imminent extinction" has been sent.

I wonder at that point in time, that fork in the evolutionary road when human species branched away from primates and went on their way to evolve to become the topmost predator.

How is this possible if this is indeed God's creation?

Did God only give humans the choice between right and wrong?

Sometimes, I think God is an alien species that used earth as a lab for his practice or maybe even his exams and then maybe he got busy with some other universe and decided to leave us.

But, before that, he made us conscious about us and the world around us and also most importantly gave us that power that is called Conscience.

That imaginary tool that we use every day to do the right and also wrong and sadly my right is somebody's wrong while their right is my wrong.

Seriously speaking, we humans are truly Bi-polar. Take, a newborn baby which has been just delivered and is thrown into a garbage dump, wait wrapped in paper. The same baby is rescued and adopted by members of the same human species. BI-POLAR or not.

Why, I say this is because when a new male lion takes over a pride, it sets about killing all the lion cubs from the previous male's family and then begins fresh and with new blood.

This practice is called Infanticide.

But, only in humans, we witness both Infanticide and also the need to protect and defend lives that are not kith and kin.

God, you cruel joker. What were you thinking when you gave this power of choosing between good and bad and right and wrong to the human beings.

I think the existence of human species is the longest running soap opera and with the highest ratings.

Jannal Oram 308

Raman turned to see who had just said, ' Excuse me' and had reached out to him and much to his surprise saw the lady whom he had helped get into the elevator, a few minutes ago. He saw her looking at him with a huge smile and also saw the man standing next to her, staring at him with eyes wide open.

It took him just a split second to connect the room and the couple who stood before him and instantly knew that he was face to face with Mohan's parents.

Venu Srinivasan saw the sadness and pain now slowly mixing with the man's bright aura and wondered as to what was weighing on the poor man's soul whose aura was special.

Mohan's father, Venu was a highly successful businessman who dealt with furniture and most of his wealth were made by exporting designer furniture and from orders that customers gave from all over the world. His academic prowess aside, his passion for carpentry was only pushed to second by his other passion, hobby, madness and which was known only to his family and a very few friends and even few customers.

The roots of Vedic astrology go back thousands of years where it was first recorded in the ancient Indian scriptures known as Rig Veda. Many experts consider the Rig Veda to be at least 5,000 years old with some references suggesting the origins to lie as far back as 8,500 BC or even 10,000 BC.

Regardless of the actual date of origin Vedic astrology rests on very deep foundations of scholarly research, intense observation, spiritual insight, and lengthy experience. Modern Vedic astrology grew out of ‘Jyotish’ or the science of light as it is known in Sanskrit. Like most ancient systems of knowledge, Jyotish was initially passed on from teacher to disciple through a system of oral transmission.

Venu Srinivasan had learnt well from his Guru Ganeshananda, an Aghori from Kottayam, Kerala. His Guru had taken on only those he felt deserved to be taught and those deserving had to first and foremost have the gift of sight and the power of observation.

It was with his Guru's teachings mixed with his own power that Venu read and deciphered Raman's auras and future and then forgetting the place and that he was now talking to a total stranger, he proceeded to say, ' You are carrying a heavy burden as all great men, heroes carry. You are carrying all this darkness and yet they do not belong to you. All this pain, guilt and yet your light shines brightly but with a tinge of red at its core and which means, blood, killing and deaths.'

Venu was about to continue, when he began to tremble with fear and slowly he stepped back and continued with a wavering voice, ' you have killed before, and you are going to kill again and all those who have died and are going to die, deserve their death, for they have the blood of innocents on their hands and conscience.'

' Stop it Venu, for god's sake, please stop talking, and scandalizing this young man who is like our son ' pleaded Thulasi. For, the moment, Raman had gently held her arm and helped her into the elevator, she had felt that bondage that she felt with her son, Mohan.

Assistant Commissioner Damodaran who had come dressed in casual clothes instead of his uniform, stood calmly and heard every word that Mohan's dad had just spoken and a career police officer, closed his eyes and dotted the i's and crossed the t's.

He remained still as to not make the three aware of his presence and quickly ran through all that had happened in the case of Sujatha who had hung herself.

Sujatha, younger sister of Jeeva

Jeeva married to Raman

Raman arrested on his wedding day without any proof or warrant

arrested at the behest of some powerful minister

Raman is in a life and death struggle with the dreaded minister Vaidyanathan.

Minister Vaidyanathan's men go missing near Thiruvannamalai and Raman is falsely and without proof accused of being behind their sudden disappearance.

Sujatha and Mohan were part of a medical camp near that area.

Periyakaruppan, minister Vaidyanathan's main man had recently been murdered

Minister Vaidyanathan had some quiet war going on with Minister Durai Pandi Arumugam whose son Vijay had been murdered in Delhi.

Raman was the only person who had accompanied Kavita Arumugam, Vijay's sister to Delhi, and they had come back with the body and the funeral was slated for later that evening.

Assistant Commissioner Damodaran ran through all the information and came to one conclusion and he thought to himself, ' I better handle this person carefully for if he is really behind all these murders, then he will not hesitate or step aside from whatever crusade he is on and even if it means, an honest police officer like me. More importantly, he seems to be highly connected and his martial arts teacher is the former supercop, DGP Devarajan'.

Acting as if he was just arriving, he walked towards them and greeted Raman, ' Good morning Mr.Raman' and hearing him say the name sent wave after wave of shock in both Venu and Thulasi's souls.

They both looked at him, and in unison, said, ' Raman, Raman. It is your name our Mohan has been saying again and again.'

Thulasi began to sob and then boldly grabbing Raman's arms, asked him, ' What happened to Mohan? Why did the accident happen? why is he saying your name and who is this Suja?'

Jannal Oram 309

“It's strange how the worst day of your life often starts just like any other. You might even complain very quietly to yourself about its ordinariness. You might wait for something more interesting to happen, and just when you think you can't bear the monotony any longer, something comes along that shatters your life to such a degree, that you wish with every cell in your body that your day hadn't become so unordinary.”? Joanna Cannon

Raman, whose complete attention had been totally concentrated on Mohan's parents had not sensed or felt the arrival of Assistant Commissioner Damadoran, now cursed himself and from the second look into the police man's eyes and from the handshake, he knew that what Mohan's dad had just said had been heard, loud and clear.

Raman shook hands and then AC Damodaran greeted both Venu and his wife and enquired as to how their son Mohan was doing.

Thulasi Srinivasan wiped her eyes and sobbingly replied, ' no improvement from the time he began saying these two words, two names and has only been repeating them again and again.'

Venu continued the reply that Thulasi could not for the condition her only son was now in was too much to bear, ' It is just these two names and it is like listening to a stuck device and it seems that my son is stuck at that moment.'

Turning to Raman, ' Raman, so the person with one name is here. Who then is this person called Suja?'

Venu Srinivasan saw a shine, a membrane of tears begin their dawn in the stranger's eyes and it made him sad for even though he was a stranger, he felt a bond with him, a kinship and a near protective parent like emotion surged in his heart and with a smile, ' my wife, a pure but simple-minded wife just equated you with our son and she is never wrong and is always right when it comes to judgement of character.

So, please tell me Raman, who are you and why is that my only child who just might be lost forever is speaking your name and this other person's name. What debt is he in that your names take precedence over our names, his parents, his blood and his everything ? what power do you and this Suja hold over him that he is chanting your names like a mantra and remarkably, the doctor says my son is not even aware of this action, this speaking.'

Thulasi in a pathetic voice, ' You know what is the cruelest thing in the world Raman, it is being alive, breathing, existing when the purpose of your body and soul has been taken away. It is not only my child who now lies in a coma but it is also me and my husband who now broken and are now in a sort of our own kind of coma. A state that cannot be explained in words but one which has to be experienced.'

Venu began to cry, ' and on top of all this is this state of madness of not knowing why my son had this accident for he is not the sort of person to drive rashly for more than his own safety, he always worried about other people and lives that were on the road along with his car. He has cautioned me so many times when I made silly mistakes like not turning on the indicators, seatbelts and also when I suddenly cut lanes in a hurry.

I used to joke and tell him that instead of being a doctor, he should have been working in the transport department for he would have brought about tremendous changes in traffic rules, and the strict enforcement of the laws. But, all that is gone, and here he is now, alive, only physically while his soul is either gone or barely hanging on for your arrival and the arrival of this Suja.'

Raman's face softened, ' I will tell you everything. Everything and leaving nothing hidden.'

Hesitatingly, he glanced at Assistant Commissioner Damadoran, and Venu seeing the look that was exchanged between them both, addressed Damodaran, ' sir, which department are you from?'

Assistant Commissioner Damadoran was stumped and totally lost for an answer, ' Crime department, sir'.

' Assistant Commissioner, and that too from the crime department. But, my son's case is a traffic accident and why then is the crime department involved in this?'

' Adhu, adhu vanthu Mr.Venu'.

Venu in a casual but curious tone, ' Sir, naa franka kekkaren. Do you want a bribe to close this case and to return my child's belongings? For, you yourself informed us that no other member of the public or any other vehicle was injured or damaged in the accident. What then are you doing here and why are you involved in this case, Mr. Damodaran.'

Assistant Commissioner Damadoran realized that he was now, way out of his depth for he had neither the evidence nor the jurisdiction to follow the case and realized that the best way was to back out and make good his escape. But, he had been asked a question and there was no way he could wriggle out without it being a blunder on his behalf and without giving an answer.

But, then he was rescued by Raman who answered on his behalf, ' Sir, all your questions will be answered shortly after the AC leaves us, taking with him with our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for doing his duty honestly. If he is guilty of anything, then being honest, efficient are the only virtues that he can be accused of as his crimes.'

Damadoran flashing a toothpaste ad smile that would put the best models to shame, and also grinning at the same time and speaking which is physically impossible for a human being to do without being thought of as a total nutcase and a joker, did exactly that, ' Raman sir, ella explain pannuvaru. I just came, to give some moral support, sir. Please, don't misunderstand my intentions.'

The way Assistant Commissioner Damadoran, grinned, spoke and then turned and vanished was really a funny sight and it reminded Raman of Charlie Chaplin and his naive and innocent expressions.

slowly, he looked at Mohan's parents, ' please excuse me for I have an important call to make before I begin' and pointed to the room, their son was in.

Both of them nodded and thanking them, he called Jeeva, ' It is going to take some time here before you can all come up. So, I think, it is better, that you have your breakfast.'

He heard Jeeva's protests, ' baby, you and I are young and can manage but not our parents. please, take them to a nearby restaurant and finish your breakfast. Please, take your time for there is no hurry.'

Jannal Oram 310

Mohan's parent's waited and then seeing Raman struggle with his emotions, Venu said, ' start from the beginning as that is always a good start to a good story.'

' Yes, in a way, like life's many beautiful stories, this too is a beautiful story and has now become more than that and is now a miracle' Raman said and then looked at all the red arrows pointing towards various destinations and Thulasi realizing what he was searching for, informed him, ' sorry, but there is only one restaurant and it is on the ground floor.'

' okay. I guess, that is about the best place for us and for what I am about to tell you.'

Venu and Thulasi began to walk down the corridor to turn right to reach the elevators and Raman followed them slowly with worry coupled with sadness building up and also wondering what their reaction was going to be.

Assistant Commissioner Damodaran got out of the elevator on the ground floor, his mind full of Raman and the case and its vast ramifications that now seemed to have its heart centered in the very heart of the nation itself.

His police eyes recorded the dozen people waiting to get into the elevator and immediately the two men dressed neatly in formal clothes caught his eyes. But, with his head full of all that he knew and its various permutations taking precedence, his instinct was lax in its efficiency and he slowly walked towards the parking lot to wait for Raman.

At about the same time, Raman and Mohan's parents got out of the other elevator and proceeded slowly towards the restaurant, the other elevator began to rise slowly, floor after floor.

Mohan opened his eyes and realized he was awake and awake after a long and deep sleep. He tried to get up and felt a strange heaviness fill his limbs and a heaviness in his chest. Panicking, he used his hands to slowly push himself and with a tremendous surge of energy, sat up and sighing with relief, took stock of his immediate surroundings and began to panic again for he was in some kind of emergency ward and not knowing what was going on, confusedly turned and looked behind him and froze in shock and then fear.

For, it was him on the bed, lying with a drip running through his arm and a ventilator machine pumping air into his lungs and there standing next to the bed was his Suja, his beautiful Suja, smiling and with her hands open to take him into them and into her soul.

Mohan looked at her with a huge smile lighting his face and said, ' wow, you look even more beautiful than before. What have you been eating and what have you been doing with yourself, my beautiful princess?'

Suja smiled, ' waiting and watching over my precious prince. what else will your princess do, your majesty?'

Mohan smiled and then burst out laughing, ' podi, neeyum unnoda shakespeare storiesum.'

Suddenly, the temperature began to drop drastically and Mohan began to freeze and then he saw Suja turn from gold to red and she screamed, ' Mohan, hang on, hang on for a second and I will be back.'

' what, Suja enna aachu. Don't worry, I am here, I will protect you and will not let anything happen to you.'

Mohan tried to go to her as she vanished but found he could not move and realized he was back in his body and that he had never left it.

' Had he been dreaming? Had Suja been real? Suja, Suja, what happened to us? what happened to you and what happened to me and why are we in a hospital?'

Mohan screamed, but in vain, for he screamed stuck in a state of coma and his body lay still and unresponsive.

The door shut itself and if the two men expected it to be open and inviting for them to do what they had come to do, then they were sorely disappointed.

One looked at the other,' we have to open it and finish this job or else we are dead by night.'

Quietly, discreetly, the slim, petite, lady doctor watched them both and waited for them to make one wrong move and then she would act.

Down below on the ground floor, Raman felt it first in his soul, then he felt it again as his heart began to race and he closed his eyes and let his instinct talk to him and instead it was Suja's whispers that reached him, ' Mohan is in danger.'

Raman moved, Raman turned, like a ballerina twists, and then he moved and as he moved and took the first step to launch into a sprint towards the stairs, he growled, ' not now, not today and not ever' and sped up the stairs.

Assistant Commissioner Damodaran who had been calmly going through the case details in his mind suddenly felt the memory flash like a lightning in his mind and he spoke aloud, ' yes, I remember those two faces now and they are from a few cases that happened in Mumbai and Delhi. Killers. Hired killers.'

He too ran into the hospital, and although he ran as fast as the adrenalin allowed his legs to run, Raman ran, nay flew for that is what Angels and heroes do. They walk on water and fly with their zeal and it is simply thus because they do that, not for themselves, but to serve, protect and defend others.

Suja stared into Mohan's eyes and comforted him, ' baby, just a bit more. just a little while longer ' and then gently lowered her lips onto his and kissed him softly.'

“People you love never die. That is what Omai had said, all those years ago. And he was right. They don't die. Not completely. They live in your mind, the way they always lived inside you. You keep their light alive. If you remember them well enough, they can still guide you, like the shine of long-extinguished stars could guide ships in unfamiliar waters.”

― Matt Haig, How to Stop Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SiylvmFI_8&list=RDQMayZ-ED3hA5Y&index=10

Sarah McLachlan - In the arms of an angel

Jannal Oram 311

Raman felt Suja's voice in his soul and he moved. At the same time, a few seconds later, Assistant commissioner Damodaran moved and ran into the hospital. Seeing, Raman turn, and run like the wind, Mohan's dad, Venu instantly knew, something was going on and followed him with his wife Thulasi behind him.

Mohan lay in a room that was near the center of the portion that was the Neurology wing of the hospital and lay between two corridors. Raman entered through the right, and several seconds later, AC Damodaran came in through the left corridor for he had seen Raman taking the right and so strategically chose the left so as to corner the two hired assassins.

One man was hard at work in trying to open the door that would lead them to their objective while the other stood with a bouquet of red and white roses smiling and also shielding his partner's actions.

The one holding the bouquet immediately saw Raman coming quickly towards them from the right side and nudged his partner with his elbow and whispered, ' Pandey, danger. There is a man coming directly towards us.'

The guy who was trying to open the door smiled politely and reached out and took one of the bouquets and said ' no problem. we will try to escape and if that fails, we will just handle it and come back later for the one inside.'

But the moment they laid eyes on their foe and locked eyes with him, they knew that he knew who they were and what they had come to do and instinctively knew that the only way through the man who stood before them was to either kill him or disable him and with that thought they pulled out shining and scary knives that they had hidden in the flower bouquets.

If they had expected the man to either back away or run away, then they were not only disappointed but shocked and soon shock turned to wariness for the man kept advancing and the fight ensued and just like that it was over.

The man to Raman's left swung his sword from a top angle so as to slice him into two and all he did was step back to let the knife arm go down and his left arm with the fingers bunched like, a steel knuckle Duster slammed into the man's exposed throat that was open and leaning towards him, carried forward with the action of his right arm that had swung the sword.

Raman's right arm came up and sideswiped the other man's right arm and again his left arm delivered a lethal punch to the man's head which bent sideways to his left and then sprang back to the normal position.

But, nothing was normal for his spinal cord had broken and he died instantly and this is what is technically called a whiplash injury. the neck can take and absorb front and back movement but not sideways and that is why we have our strong neck muscles holding them up for protection and flexibility.

The first man too died a few seconds later, struggling to breathe for Raman's punch to his throat had first crushed his larynx and the immense force of energy of the punch had been absorbed by his right carotid artery that just exploded or rather imploded.

Both the men had launched their attacks on Raman and who had responded with two of his own strikes and it was all over in two seconds.

It took Assistant Commissioner Damodaran more than that, triple that to reach the fourth floor and found Raman standing there calmly looking down on the two men who lay at his feet.

The duty nurses and doctors arrived in singles and pairs and totally clueless as to what had happened and then Mohan's parents arrived on the scene.

Raman calmly moved and opening the door looked at Mohan and entered the room and signaled to the staff members and yelled ' Please, check Mohan's vitals and see if he is okay.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlmxNND9-4g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfwohFXeSCQ