From & To Sathish #5 - Page 104

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Avan, Aval, Adhu 356

A few months ago, I was chatting with a friend of mine over a cup of coffee when he told me about this traffic violation challan that had been sent to his mobile phone a few days ago. Surprised by this news, I asked him, ' yenda, you are always getting caught and yet somehow you always manage to wriggle out of it by palming a 100 or 200 rupee note to the constable. So, why didn't you do that this time? Were you driving so fast that you didn't see the traffic posse but they saw you? Do you realize that it goes into your driving record and if you keep violating traffic rules, you will soon lose your driving license?'

My friend who resides in Anna Nagar remained silent for a few moments and then looked up with that look on his face that I know very well and have seen many times over the past twenty years. It is a look that he usually sports when he is cornered and has given up the fight.

I resumed stirring the cold coffee that had been hot filter coffee when it had been served and waited and waited.

' It is challans as in plural. Four traffic tickets in two days.'

' Four challans! ' I gasped and my friend nodded and said, ' violating red lights, violating pedestrian zebra crossing, driving the wrong way in one way lane, and finally parking in a No parking zone.'

I looked at him and asked in anger, ' Idiot, and you are going to tell me that you didn't see the traffic cops in all these four violations?'

My friend smiled and said ' Yes da and it is the truth for I didn't see them and the best part is, they were not present during my violations.'

' Then, how, who? ' I asked in a voice tinged with less shock and more curiosity, and he looked around the cafe and raising his hand pointed to a point behind me, and I turned slightly and saw the camera and realized what had happened and exclaimed, ' CCTV cameras.'

My friend smiled wisely and corrected me, ' Not just CCTV cameras but ANPR Cameras. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is a highly accurate system capable of reading vehicle number plates without human intervention.'

It took SI Maari Muthu just ten minutes to locate the vehicle and track it as it made its way into Madurai via NH 85 and then stop outside a hotel that was situated very near to the Government hospital and he immediately asked the controller to switch to live mode and enquired if the black honda city was still parked there. The controller confirmed it and SI Maarimuthu heaving a sigh of relief quickly called Meenakshi and informed her about the car being parked outside Hotel Kailasam.

When Meenakshi asked SI Maarimuthu if it had been difficult tracing the vehicle, he replied that it had been easy since she had provided, the number, the make and the color of the car and also the place where it could be found.

' NH85 is a busy road and traffic is heavy after sunset but not that busy for a car to escape our eyes or rather our cameras. Madam, most people are unaware that there are cameras everywhere in Madurai and that the government sees everything and records everything. The problem arises only when we have to sit and sift through hours and hours of data looking for something and half the time we are not even told what to look out for but for the instructions, " Anything suspicious. Report immediately ". Thankfully I was able to be of assistance because of all the details you provided me. Anything else I can do madam.'

' No, SI sir. I am not going to forget your help and I will get back to you soon. Thank you.'

SI Maarimuthu thanked her and slowly sat down in his chair and wondered what was going on. ' One thing I am sure of and that is someone is in for a long and hard night. I wonder who this woman is after and I wonder if the people in that car know who is coming for them.'

While all this was happening, outside Hotel Kailasam, Madhu had asked Azhagan where he would be staying and he had answered her by tapping the car.

' Push the seat back and switch on the AC and fall asleep. Nothing to it. I am used to it.'

' What about dinner? Are you going to eat that too in the car?' Madhu asked and then pointed to all the shops, ' This city is called Thoonga Nagaram. The land that never sleeps and folklore says that it is because of the benevolence of Goddess Meenakshi who stands watch over all this city's residents. Life does not stop just because it gets dark and day turns to night. Instead, each slips into the other and carries on. Remarkable place. One is sure to get a hot meal even in the late or rather wee hours of the morning.'

Looking at him, she said, ' So, let's go out and have dinner together.'

Azhagan shook his head, ' Please don't mistake me and please don't be offended but I have to say no.'

Madhu looked at him with eyes full of disappointment and then realization slowly filled her eyes and she nodded, ' I understand Spartan. You have a job to do and I doubt if you can do that in all this hustle and bustle of this city.'

Azhagan nodded, ' True ma'am. It will be beyond my capabilities to watch over you out in the open and that too in this busy city.'

Madhurima slowly turned away from him and said, ' Okay, sir. But I doubt if anybody even suspects my presence in this city.'

Azhagan smiled and thought to himself, ' Ma'am if only you knew and God knows what your reaction would have been if you had seen the killers who came for you and what I was forced to do to all of them.'

She turned with a happy smile lighting her face and said, ' I guess I have had enough for today. I came for Ravi and he is up and well and then I spent time with him. This will do for today.'

Azhagan asked her if she wanted him to get some dinner for her and Madhu quickly turned down his offer and said, ' I have my friend Kutty for that and he will be happy to do that for me.'

' Kutty? Who is Kutty, ma'am?

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Avan, Aval, Adhu 357

Respect the old when you are young, help the weak when you are strong, confess the fault when you are wrong...because one day you would be OLD, WEAK, WRONG.

Madhu and Azhagan both turned hearing the yells, ' Coming madam, Kutty coming ' and as if he was conjured by magic, Kutty came running towards them and stopping in front of Madhu, saluted her and asked, ' You called me madam ' and then seeing Azhagan standing next to her, quickly raised his right hand to give him a mock salute as he had done for her but he did not.

Instead, Madhu watched with fascination as Kutty stared at Azhagan and then quickly closed his hands together and said, ' Iyaa. Vanakkam ' and then proceeded to stare at him. Madhurima placed a hand on his shoulder and turning him towards her asked him how he had heard her even though she had not even called for him.

' We were just talking about you and yet you heard me say your name over all this heavy traffic noise ' and looking at the traffic that was roaring past them, horns blaring, engines screaming, ' How is that possible, little one?.'

Gently and fondly she felt his ear lobe and observed, ' Kutty, I bet even a bat will envy your hearing powers.'

The thin brown boy smiled brilliantly and said, ' Madam, I don't know why but it has been like this for as long as I can remember. I don't know how to explain it but I can somehow hear my name being called, and I always hear it above any noise and come running.'

' Why is that, little one?'

The boy smiled but there was no joy in it and both Azhagan and Madhu recognized the depths and layers of sorrow that lay behind the smile.

' I think it is because I willed myself and trained myself over the years to come running when my name is called.'

Madhu looked at Azhagan whose eyes were boring into Kutty and asked tentatively, ' Why should you do that? What was the necessity for you to come running when your name is called and who was it that called your name?'

Kutty's eyes filled with tears and he said in a shaky voice, ' My mother. I always wanted to be there when my mother called me and never wanted to disappoint her by not going to her. Poor thing, she only called me when it was absolutely necessary. '

Unable to understand him clearly and wanting to make sure if she had him right, Madhu asked Kutty, ' What about the others in your house? Your father and your grandparents? Surely they were around and could go and help out your mother instead of leaving it to you.'

Kutty shook his head, ' No, madam. Only me and my mother.'

Her eyes clouded with confusion, Madhu asked Kutty what he did when he went off to school and his mother called for him. ' Surely, you did not hear her voice calling to you over that distance.'

' No madam. That was not a problem for I never went to school and neither did my mother.'

' But, Kutty, you speak so well and your English is very Good. So how did you manage that?'

Kutty smiled bravely and said, ' Now only madam. I have been learning only for the past four years. I am nearly 13 years old but only now I am in 3rd std.'

Madhu shook her head confusedly, ' Why Kutty? Were your Grandparents very poor? But that shouldn't have mattered for surely there were Government schools where education was free and even food was served under the mid-day meal scheme.'

' Very true madam. My Thatha studied up to 6th std and my Paati finished her 10th std but stopped because she was pregnant.'

' Unbelievable' Madhu cursed angrily, ' Your Grandparents had basic education but refused their daughter and their grandson even that. Why, Kutty? What was the reason for not sending your mother to school? Surely there must be some reason for doing that.'

Kutty nodded and then he slowly bent his head and whispered, ' Yes madam. There was a reason for not sending my mother to school.'

Something tingled at Madhu's heart and she felt a strange kind of vibration surrounding her. Then she watched with fascination as the world seemed to stop and slowly recede away from her leaving the three of them alone in their conversation.

She asked Kutty again, ' Why didn't your mother go to school? '

' Because she was born blind and then she soon became lame because of Polio.'

' Where is she now, Kutty? Why is it that you are here working in the hotel? Where is your father?'

' My mother died when I was five years old and my father brought me to this hotel where he was working as a room attendant. I have been working here since then ' and using his fingers, he counted and said in a muted tone,' nearly eight years.'

Each word of his seemed to echo again and again and it was as if the whole world was spinning on its own axis and around them. She dragged her eyes from Kutty and looked at Azhagan whose eyes were transfixed on the little boy and wondered why he was glowing in a strange way.

Then feeling something delicate touch her hand, Madhu opened her already opened eyes and saw that it was Kutty who was holding her and she heard him say,' Madam, you must be really tired, for you were sleeping standing up and with eyes wide open.'

Madhurima smiled and then looked at Azhagan and asked, ' Did you see anything or feel anything strange, Spartan?'

' No, ma'am. I did not. '

Madhu blinked her eyes several times and said, ' I am not sure what I saw or felt but it was all so real. It was as if I was transported to a different dimension and to a different world.'

Then she looked at him and shaking her head, smiled, ' Weird, for a moment there, you looked as if you were glowing with a strange orange-colored aura.'

Azhagan smiled and said in a polite voice, ' Glowing and auras. Now, that is indeed weird Ma'am. I am sorry but you have me at a loss for I don't know what to say here.'

Madhurima exhaled loudly and mumbled, ' Weird indeed, Spartan ' and then she looked at Kutty, ' Little one, come, let us go to our room and we will talk more. But before that, let me tell you that you are not alone and that we are here for you.'

Kutty smiled like a cherub and thanked her and then he slowly turned and stared at Azhagan and letting go of Madhu's hand ran to him and hugged his legs tightly.

Azhagan stood staring at him and then slowly sank down and resting on one knee, looked at Kutty and said something, ' You are not alone. You were never alone. There is always someone watching over everyone. But now, I am here and I will watch over you.'

Kutty, the little boy smiled and said, ' Her name was Thamarai.'

Azhagan smiled and said, ' My mother's name is Avini, and little one, it is not was but is, for your mother lives on in every cell in your body, and all around you, praying for you and still trying to watch over you. Even in death.'

The boy who went into the dark and came back with light.

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