From & To Sathish #5 - Page 41

Vaanathai Pola 422

I, you and most of us are very familiar with the routine that unfolds when we pay our doctor a visit. Pay, and I stress on that word for we go as a patient than a visitor. If you are lucky ( never, impossible, unlucky) you are immediately ushered into the Doctor's presence which is at once reassuring and if the doctor is in a good mood then he or she will calm you down with a smile and a soft word. I have been blessed with Dr Tamilarasu who true to his clinic that is aptly titled " Anbu Clinic " is full of anbu and panbu.

I have always been unlucky when it comes to my visits to the doctor for I always find myself spending a lot of time in the waiting room staring at baby pictures and other informative posters on the walls around me while all those around me stare at me and whisper. ' actor, actor.' What I find very funny, remarkably eerie and racist is that almost all the babies in the posters are white, blonde and blue-eyed and look a lot like how daniel Craig was when he was a baby. Daniel Craig? Namma James Bond.

So, back to the clinic, and you are finally facing the doctor who asks you, " Enna pannudhu" and you tell him, "Body pains, feverish, cold, sore throat etc."

Hold, is it me, only me or have you all experienced that metal swivelling stool that just about manages to barely hold your butt (quarter of it) and is always gleaming cold steel. But of course, it entertains a lot of patient visitors ( impatiently patient)

The routine starts. Take slow and deep breaths while the doctor places the Stethoscope first on the chest and then on the back and listens to the beat of your heart. Then, you open your mouth wide, so the doctor can check on your intestines. ( Kidding) and say aaaaaaaaaaaa with your tongue sticking out. Blood pressure is checked

7 to 8 times out of 10 it turns out to be a mild viral infection. Common cold. If the symptoms are a bit strange and severe then a chest x-ray, blood test, urine test and maybe even sputum test is requested and in older people, an ECG is also requested.

This then is the average, garden variety scenario that most of us civilians experience in our lives and it is the same for almost all general Physicians who got their MBBS or MD and thought, ' okay, enough of studies and specialization for it is going to cost a bomb ( ATOMIC BOMB). Let's open a small clinic, prescribe paracetamol for everything ( even brain tumours) and shove syringes up people's butts and charge them a bomb.

I think we can label these doctors as Placebo doctors. Yup, they smile, grin, huff, puff and do their best to cheer you up and it mostly works for you to get better. The reassurance, belief, faith and devotion that we have for the doctor boosts our immunity system into overdrive and things get better very quickly. Crap, if only they don't prescribe heavy doses of antibiotics.

Come on Sat, the Pharma industry has to survive right. Otherwise, why the f..k would Pharmacies print prescription pads, visiting cards, hand out free stuff to a doctor and God only knows what other free stuff they dish out.

No wonder, you see so many Medical reps hovering around clinics that are smaller than ratholes, leave alone A..e holes and yet business seems to be booming.

I have to share this ( What do you mean you have to?)

Remember my Runs from yesterday. Well, I was taken to a doctor who nodded wisely and smiled sagely and then began to write the Illiad on his prescription pad.

My eyes wide open along with my gob, I stared at the doctor and wondered, ' Is he writing a prescription for me or is he busy penning his autobiography?'

He smiled and said, ' That will be 500' and I coughed up the dough and I hope I coughed up more than that ( read deadly viruses and infectious diseases) and walked out looking at the prescription that was as long as the curtain in my hall.

' All this for a bad tummy bug ' I stood cursing aloud and then decided to buy those medicines near my house, rather than the pharmacy whose name was printed loud and clear.

I stood at the counter while my own pharmacy guys ( All big fans too) were busy deciphering the prescription that I had handed to them. (Reminded me of them, I mean those Olai chuvadi guys, Nadi jothidar guys reading from palm leaves left behind by Agathiyar or Agastya.)

The oldest guy, who I have known for a very long time looked at me worriedly and said, ' Sir, just take the antibiotic and a multivitamin for a few days and you will be all right.'

' That makes two. Just two medicines that I have to buy ' I hooted like an owl and pointed to the prescription, ' what about all the other stuff?'

The wise Pharmacist smiled and said, ' Crap. You will just be wasting your money.'

' Oh, I see' and pointed to one particular line and said, ' That looks important even in words. Should I buy that?'

The wise Pharmacist smiled and said, ' Pro-biotic capsules. 500 rupees each. One every day for 6 days. That comes to 3000 and as for the rest......'

He smiled and said, ' Pro-biotic sir. Just curd rice' and I remembered my Grandma and recollected her wise words, ' Vendhiyam, buttermilk and rest.'

Enough of me already and my cheap shots at the field of medicine for there are doctors and then there are those DOCTORS.

They are not just Doctors who are practising medicine but warriors, heroes, Superhumans who put their lives, health and sometimes even the safety and well-being of their families at risk of catching infections and also dying because of that.

They are the doctors and scientists who deal with deadly viruses, bacteria and fungi on a daily basis, be it in a lab environment or out in the open and right where the patient or patients are. Dead or alive.

These scientists, doctors, nurses and other medical personnel make up the first line of defence against deadly diseases and are the first into battle before the disease spreads into a pandemic.

Dr Raja Rao was both a great doctor and a research scientist and at 70 years of age had spent nearly 50 years of his life in service to the field of medicine and much of it had been spent fighting death in all its deadliest forms. He had seen what a virus and a bacteria could do to a human being from near far and also from up close and personal through powerful electron microscopes.

Dr Sathya watched with concern as she saw her mentor, superior walk towards the man who lay on the ground. Her concern was for Dr Rao's physical well-being for even though he was super fit for a man of his age, she knew very well that he was tempting fate and playing with his health by placing himself in the front and meeting death head-on. Sometimes, she wondered if he was playing Russian roulette with the virus and bacteria and secretly feared what could possibly when his luck ran out.

Recent studies had provided some interesting facts about how human immune function changes over time and that older people have less robust immune responses, which makes them more prone to infections and reduces their responsiveness to vaccination.

But then, her boss, Dr Raja Rao was not any old man. In their own research world of cellular and molecular biology, he was affectionately called " The Man" and that moniker was even used by some of the top minds from all around the world. Yet, he remained humble, soft-spoken, approachable and also always dedicated to life and the protection of it.

His empathy to life extended even to the deadly virus and bacteria that they worked with and often said, ' they too are God's creations and if that is true then the death and havoc they create is in a way justified.'

Once he had even let slip a thought, ' how else can God keep man on a leash if not for diseases and pandemics?'

She and the others had protested feebly and he had countered, ' Children, life is the same for every living thing and the same laws apply to all of it. But, we humans have broken that sacred pact with nature and have, are and will continue to kill of everything else.'

He had looked at all of them with sad eyes, ' There will come a day when it will all be too late and little can be done to rectify the situation.'

Sathya had asked him, ' Sir, then why do you go on? why do you work so hard when all your colleagues have retired and most of them are even dead?

Dr Raja Rao had smiled and replied, ' Because it is my duty and I have sworn a sacred oath to protect and defend all life until there is life left in me.'

Dr Sathya and her two colleagues watched as their senior approached the man who appeared to be either lifeless or very near to losing it as he lay on the ground.

She waited for a few minutes and then broke a cardinal rule, his command and moved forward to join him and the moment she reached him and the moment her eyes took in the man and the state he was in, she jerked back, jumped back in fear.

Dr Raja Rao who had not sensed her close proximity for some strange and unknown reason, did so now and turned and glared at her and then his eyes relaxed visibly and he spoke through the mic and his words were heard loud and clear to all three of them.

' What causes, bleeding from the nose, ears, mouth and also leads to the discolouration of the fingertips and the tip of the nose?'

All three whispered like ghosts, ' Bubonic plague, sir.'

' Yes and otherwise called The Black Death.'

Dr Sathya added in a breathless voice, ' Sir, there is one other pathogen that causes bleeding from the ears, nose and mouth.'

Dr Raja Rao nodded and gave her a strange look said, ' Ebola.'

I wish all the forum members and the Administrators and their families A Happy Pongal. Lots of love and best wishes.

Avan, Aval, Adhu 111

Gayatri got to her feet and Inspector Sargunam did the same and both stood looking at each other. They had met, spoken and had shared thoughts in the unlikeliest of circumstances about something which meant a lot to both of them.

' Guna, can you please arrange a cab for me to go to Kodai ' she requested him and he smiled, ' Ma'am, that will be the least I can do for you. It would have given me great pleasure to drive you to Whispering Rocks myself but I am on duty and also..'

' also you feel that it would not be right for you to be interfering in your master's private matters' she finished his unfinished sentence and asked, ' Why? it is just out of respect or is it also fear?'

Inspector Sargunam searched the room for an answer and in the end played safe and replied, ' Both I guess although I have not given much thought as to the whys, do's and don'ts in matters concerning Master sir.'

She put out her hand and Guna shook it gently and then Gayatri remembering her camera, dug into her camera kit and brought out a badly damaged camera and dangling it in front of her, said, ' This is the camera with which I defended Dayanidhi while he was being attacked by those men.'

Inspector Sargunam took the camera and began to examine it and after a few moments looked up and said, ' Ma'am, there is some hair and skin stuck to the left edge of the lens and I am very sure it belongs to the one who was with the knife.I think it is usable evidence and I am sure we can use it to find out the blood group and also get DNA evidence that we can use to match with the accused when they are arrested.'

He looked at her, ' ma'am, I am sorry to delay you but I have to take a written statement from you and with your sign on it. It is a rule and it will also help us to start an immediate search for the criminals with the description that you gave us earlier in the conversation.'

Gayatri smiled happily and it was a smile that left Guna wondering about the reason for it and watched as she picked out another camera from her bag and pressed a button on its side and out popped a small square and flat memory card.

She handed it to him and said, ' Inspector, not only are my eyes and memory very good but so too are my photographic skills. That memory card has all the proof that you need to make your arrests and yes, I will give you your written statement and I will come to court as a witness whenever you need me.'

Inspector Sargunam stood marvelling at Gayatri and at the memory card that she had just given him and thought, ' What a woman? Master sir, I think you are indeed in a lot of trouble.'

The chill of the November air swept through the open windows of the large cottage that served as the office and reception area of Whispering Rocks and the sun fighting a losing battle with the atmosphere that ensconced the Earth was a large red dot through the thick and darkening mist.

Ravi, Parthiban and Daksha sat in front of the fireplace that was blazing its fire, giving out more light and warmth than the red star in the sky. Ravi sniffed and taking a whiff, observed, ' Cedar, right Partha.'

Partha nodded, ' The old one near the entrance to the tea estate.'

Ravi looked at the logs singing fire and with sad eyes full of concern looked at Daksha for confirmation. ' Yes, the one planted by my the first ones of my family. and who happens to be one of the oldest around these parts.'

' Happens to be and not happened to be?' Ravi looked at her and again Daksha confirmed what he suspected, ' the lightning bolt struck one side of the tree and destroyed its sap immediately but the other half survived and is hanging in there.'

Partha smiled, ' Ravi, it is rather weird to see a half-dead and half-alive tree. Funny, for it is burnt on one side and struggling to live on the other side.'

Ravi smiled and stared at the fire, ' I know what the tree must be going through for I too have been struggling and wondering whether to live or to die.'

Avan, Aval, Adhu 112

' I know what the tree must be going through for I too have been struggling and wondering whether to live or to die.'

Partha had known Ravi from school days and Daksha had met him soon after she and Parthiban had started seeing each other. It was a long-standing joke among them that only after Ravi had approved of her, had Partha proposed to her and they had gotten married.

Ravi had denied it whenever that topic arose and that was usually after both had gotten drunk and ended up using Ravi as a counsellor to air out their petty differences. If they knew anything about Ravi after all these years of friendship, it was that he rarely wasted words and rare still were those precious moments when he shared his thoughts.

All three were in their 40's, Daksha at a few years older more so in her late 40s and if life had taught them anything about communication and sharing, then it was that single most important rule which was, ' Let a person speak what they have to speak and don't interrupt until they tell you it is over. '

Many a time, all that a friend really needs, wants from other friends is to be heard. All they want at that moment is to drain their pain and sorrow in your company and all they ache for is time and patience and the understanding that comes with both of them.

Husband and wife glanced at each other and then devoted their all to Ravi who smiled slightly and said, ' I am sorry, guys. I shouldn't have said that. It is totally inappropriate of me to burden those I love with this kind of thoughts.'

' Ravi, dei, that cedar is nothing compared to what you have experienced all these years' Partha declared in a gentle voice. Daksh joined in, ' Very true, baby' and leaning forward poured herself another glass of wine and looked at Ravi who nodded.

' Might as well Daks for I have nowhere else to go but back to Kumarapalayam.'

To their ears, the words he spoke were not just words but arrows that seemed to penetrate right into their own hearts.

Realizing that it made no sense to hold back, Partha asked Ravi how his mother was doing? and Ravi replied, ' Not to well I fear' and looked at both of them and said, ' I think I kind of vented my anger and frustration on her.'

Then he hurriedly added, ' I realized immediately that it was a mistake but she kind of had me cornered and both of you know pretty well how I respond in those situations.'

' But Ravi, she is your mum and the whole world knows how much she loves you and dotes on you.'

' I know, Partha. I know that very well and I have not shirked in my duties as a son and have always done my best to make her proud of me.'

' We know it and your mother knows it and so does this whole world. But......' she looked at him and Ravi shrugging his shoulders casually, ' One cannot hope to attain all that they pray for and crave for, Daksha.'

Parthiban nodded, ' agreed da. But, that is water under the bridge.....'

Ravi stared at him and then turned away unable to hold his friends gaze. In all of this world, if there was one person apart from Mahatma Gandhi to whom he turned to for inspiration and guidance, then it was Parthiban.

Parthiban sensed it and decided to stay silent but Daksha did not and she whispered his name, ' Ravi' and when he turned to her, she looked at him for just a few moments and said, ' A woman.'

Ravi hurriedly downed the glass of wine and filled his glass again, gulped down that too and getting up, walked away into the mist and towards the path that gave the place its name. Whispering Rocks.

Placing a firm hand on Partha's thigh, she stayed him and said, ' No. Don't go. Let him gather his thoughts and decide what he needs to do on his own.'

Meanwhile, down below in the hospital in Madurai, Gayatri had finished writing her statement and signing it, proceeded to visit Dayanidhi who had yet to come out of the anaesthesia that had been administered during surgery. She spoke kind words to his mother and then placed in her hand, 25,000 rupees and whispered, ' Call me if you need more, ma'am.'

Dayanidhi's mother refused the money and said, ' Amma, Dharmalinga Iyaa is taking care of everything. He has even promised my son a job the moment he is ready to go back to work. That is enough for us.' Folding her hands, she thanked Gayatri, ' You saved my son's life and that is a huge debt that I can never repay in this life. Please, don't give us money and make our debt even more than it already is.'

Gayatri and Inspector Sargunam slowly walked out of the hospital for they had been told that a vehicle was waiting to take Gayatri to Kodaikanal.

A man dressed in a white uniform ran to her and said, ' Madam, ready. Please come ' and walked towards the black Mercedes Benz Suv and opening the back door, stood waiting for her to enter the vehicle.

Guna whistled and said, ' Ma'am, I guess you guessed it. Enjoy your ride and I will see you soon in Kodaikanal.'

Gayatri thanked Inspector Sargunam who nodded and said, ' All the best.' and stepping back watched as Gayatri got into the vehicle and began to thank the driver whose face filled with horror as he protested loudly, ' Ma'am, Please no thank you before iyaa.'

Vaanathai Pola 423

In the fight against infectious diseases, no nation can stand alone. It takes less than 36 hours for an outbreak to spread from a remote village to any major city in the world. From Avian Flu to Zika, to drug-resistant bacteria, the world faces a host of dangerous pathogens and potential epidemics. New diseases, like MERS-CoV and influenza H7N9, can emerge without warning and quickly spread. In our globally connected world, their effects have unprecedented reach.

A changing world means our risk is greater than ever. The ease of global travel means there are more opportunities for disease to spread; the increasing urbanization of the world means that there’s more potential for diseases to emerge and strike in densely populated areas and the disturbing but real threat of disease used as an instrument of terror requires all nations to have faster, more thorough, and more adaptive capabilities.

Dr Raja Rao stepped aside allowing Dr Sathya to move ahead and the first thing she did was to bend down and check for a pulse on the man who appeared dead and beyond saving.

Placing two fingers on Raman's neck, Sathya yelled in relief, ' He is alive and has a steady pulse' and then looking at her boss, ' How is this possible, sir and that too when his body is exhibiting all these symptoms and is also bleeding from so many places?'

Dr Raja Rao shook his head, ' I have no clue as to what is going on here. We have our man and that means that our work is done here. Carry him out and let's get out of here and return to Hyderabad.'

Taking out his phone, he called Prime Minister Modi and quickly explained the situation to him.

' Sir, you realize that everyone has to be immediately quarantined and it matters not if they belong to the Royal Family or are some Hig- level cabinet ministers.'

Prime Minister Modi sighed tiredly, ' I know the IHR rules very well, Dr Rao. It will be followed as per the guidelines. Now, all that is left for you to do is leave with Raman and start treating him and make him better. '

' I will do my best, sir. '

Prime Minister Modi sensing something amiss in Dr Rao's tone, asked tentatively, ' Is it that bad?'

' I am afraid so, sir. I think the man is too far gone to be saved, But, I will try and give it my best shot. sir.'

' I guess, that is all we can hope for in this situation. Thank you for flying out on such short notice. I wish I had the energy and drive that you have at your age, Dr Rao.'

' You are welcome, sir, and my suggestion on a course of action is to notify CDC with whom we have been working closely for more than 20 years. Nobody will dare argue or cross swords with the Americans if they are on this with us. They have more clout with the WHO and other security council members and if they take the first step, then everyone else will fall in line.'

' Okay. Thank you.'

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

The agency's main goal is the protection of public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in the US and worldwide. The CDC focuses national attention on developing and applying disease control and prevention. It especially focuses its attention on infectious disease, foodborne pathogens, environmental health, occupational safety and health, health promotion, injury prevention and educational activities designed to improve the health of United States citizens. The CDC also conducts research and provides information on non-infectious diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, and is a founding member of the International Association of National Public Health Institutes.

For over 20 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has experienced a highly successful technical collaboration with the Government of India (GoI), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to address India’s public health priorities.

CDC provides technical assistance to strengthen public health systems to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging infectious diseases (such as COVID-19) with a focus on real time disease surveillance, laboratory systems and diagnostics, workforce development, and emergency management. Efforts include developing an Integrated Laboratory Strengthening Initiative; strengthening surveillance for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES);

Avan, Aval, Adhu 113

The afternoon sun had lost its battle against the November winter season and the thick mist that blanketed Kodai Kanal and the single eye in the sky was more like the white of an eye belonging to a cataract patient.

The sun might have lost its battle to shine through its image but not its power of light to pervade the skies and in that dull and dim light, Ravi strolled through the mists and walked through the mists of times wondering about the missing sun but existing presence through its light and compared it to the missing Madhu who still lived on through the love and emotions that she managed to evoke in him. By the mere thought of her.

Ravi took comfort and solace in the knowledge that his friends would not sit judgement on him for abruptly leaving them and Daksha's observation unanswered. That was the most beautiful thing about friendship and then he chided himself and cursed, ' Selfish fellow. You owe them an explanation in the least. It will do you good to talk about your heart and its feelings. If not with them, then who else, Ravi and when?'

As always, a quote from Gandhi, a person who he greatly admired filled his thoughts. "When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won."

' You are right, Bapu. It makes no sense to run and hide from questions that either have no answers or cannot be answered. At least for now.'

The moment he said that he felt an invisible, oppressive veil lift off his mind and body and he suddenly felt a sense of freedom and clarity that he had not had before and his first thoughts were about his mother for he knew that he had hurt her and for what, being a good and caring mother.

' I am sorry, mother. I will call you soon and explain everything. For, if I cannot open my heart to you and to the few friends I have in this world, then who else can I talk to or turn to and more importantly what does it say of me as a human being.

Unknowingly his feet had walked him towards the cedar tree that had been struck by lightning and he stood in front of the tree that was both dead and alive. Burnt black on one side and yet green and fresh on the other side.

Ravi tentatively caressed the tree and then gently hugged its trunk and whispered, ' How are you still alive, tree? How do you have the strength to carry on fighting when one side is dead?'

The winter leaves that lay dead in their dryness protested loudly as someone stepped on them and hearing their crackling protests, Ravi turned to see who it was and saw an old man, a tea estate worker standing there smoking a beedi and staring at him with great intensity.

Taking a deep pull on the stub of the beedi, he dropped it in front of him and stubbed it out with his barefoot.

' Sir, The lightning missed reaching the roots of this tree. It entered at an angle and reached earth and a few feet away from the roots of this tree. That is why this tree still stands and will stand flourishing for another hundred years.'

Ravi smiled and thanked him and was about to turn and leave when the old man asked him to wait and did a strange thing. Ravi stood out of respect for the man's request wondering why the old man was suddenly unbuttoning his shirt.

Then he saw with horror the old man's burnt body but only on one side and he looked up at the old man who smiled and lit another beedi and said, ' How am I alive? I have no clue. But, young man, I have often asked another question more important than the other one and which is why was I kept alive? '

Taking a deep and slow pull on his beedi, he looked at Ravi with confidence expecting him to encourage him to proceed with the tale but then he knew nothing at all about Ravi and so displaying a little disappointment, he continued, ' I realized that there is a reason and a purpose for all that happens in our lives. There is a reason why life hangs on grimly even though we want to give up on it. '

He paused and this time Ravi did something that was very unlike of him. He responded by asking the old man, ' and the reason is?'

The old man exhaled a huge amount of smoke that hung around the old man like a halo and appeared as if he was carrying his own atmosphere. The smoke seemed unable to join the mist which appeared to be rejecting it.'

' That is for you to find out and I think you know that already.'

The old man and Ravi stood looking at each other and then Ravi nodded his head slightly and bringing out his wallet, took out a 500 rs note and offered it to the stranger who smiled and taking it said, ' No need to worry about beedis for a few weeks, at least. Thank you, sir. I hope it works out for you.'

Ravi Kumar stood watching the man as he disappeared like a ghost among the swirling mists and for a second wondered if in fact, the man had been some kind of spirit conjured up by his own tortured soul.

Vaanathai Pola 424

People from all corners of the world know what a bomb can do and what exactly a bomb planted by terrorists can do. But, the ones who run their countries sit up and take notice and start to take precautions when these words appear in a sentence.

Bomb, Hijack, International flight, Bio-terrorism and deadly virus and Islamic fundamentalists.

Every tv channel in India that was worth their salt had been informed that the Prime Minister was making an important announcement and that it concerned national security. The same information had been delivered to all the major tv networks around the world.

The situation concerning the Hijacking of Qantas A380 plane was already doing the rounds when Prime Minister Modi went live and his words reached almost all corners of the globe.

By the time he had finished with his speech, almost 50 per cent of flight bookings to India were cancelled. Planes taking off from airports all over the world to fly out to India were suspended temporarily and some indefinitely postponed. Some airways even went as far as cancelling all their flights to Asia and any airport within 1000 miles of India.

Every single passenger from the hijacked flight was informed of the situation concerning a deadly virus that was threatening to turn into a global outbreak and all of them heartily agreed to have themselves tested and quarantined for observation for a few days.

The camera lens of Milind zoomed in and he whispered to Mallika Kapur, ' They are bringing down a body. You are right, M. If this indeed is a planned attack then it is our sacred duty to inform the world about it for the people have a right to know what kind of threats and dangers exist around them.'

He zoomed in the maximum and said, ' They are placing that stretcher in that small plane that arrived half an hour ago and all six people in their spacesuits are getting in.'

CNN's Asian region anchor Mallika Kapur clapped her hands excitedly and said, ' Let's go live, Milind. I am as ready as I will be.'

Milind stared at the screen of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and asked in a confused voice, ' Boss, check your phone and see if you are connected' and then raised his Phone, ' I have no connection.'

Mallika Kapur began to curse horribly as she switched from English to Hindi topped it with some Punjabi and said loudly, ' Oh F..k. No connection in my phone too' and looked at Milind and asked in a helpless voice, ' What's happening? Why have we lost our networks?'

Then both of them heard the unmistakable noises that heavy army boots make on the tarmac and the next moment they were surrounded by a team of elite Indian Commandos who pointed their guns and the leader asked, ' Who are you and what are you doing in a restricted area?'

Both Mallika and Milind who were part of Asia's CNN reporting team looked at him and then all of them turned as they saw a small jet plane's engines roar to life and start to move on the runway of Chennai's Airport and moments later lift up into the air and begin its journey towards Hyderabad.

Dr Sathya as always was worried about her boss Dr Raja Rao who sat in the last row and after having specifically requested to be left alone. She watched him with concerned eyes and a worrying heart and wondered how her superior was coping with the new assignment and a subject who was exhibiting symptoms of the most dangerous diseases known to man.

She whispered a silent prayer for the man called Raman and closed her eyes tiredly.

In the solace and quiet of the last row, Dr Raja Rao slowly pulled out his phone and typed in a message.

' I have collected Raman and en route to Hyderabad. Instructions needed.'

A few seconds later the reply came, ' situation in Chennai still unclear and we are not sure if the pathogen has spread. Prepare for the next move. Cultivate the pathogens and use the subject freely to experiment. He is of no use now. All the best. Will keep you informed.'

Dr Raja Rao typed in his reply, ' Okay, Alpha.'

Alpha, the head of " Sons of Gaia" shook his head in frustration, ' a valuable opportunity lost because of this meddlesome Raman. Now that he is out of the way, we can move to the next plan.'

He typed in a message, ' Infect as many as possible from the Royal family.'

In the darkness of their hiding, Azhagan whispered to Buddha, ' let's get a move on with our work here.'

He pointed to towards the quarantine area and Buddha let loose a soft growl, ' Poor Raman, he put his life on the line to save all of them and they are back facing a new threat.'

' Not if I can help it and now while you and I are here. Come, my friend lets try sniffing out the other rats that still linger here.'

Nobody even noticed the black German shepherd dog and its commando handler as they approached the quarantine area and nobody even sensed the air begin to slowly vibrate as both Azhagan and Buddha threw their mighty senses all around them and let it travel in ripples.

Azhagan who was now in the guise of Lieutenant Palaniappan, Bomb squad, walked into the quarantine area with Buddha who was now Raja, a huge black German Shepherd.

Azhagan spoke to Buddha in his head, ' Close, very close' and both their eyes went towards an elderly doctor who was opening a small test kit and Azhagan nodded.

Buddha was wearing an army scarf and an ID Tag hung brightly around its neck and this only brought cheer and joy to all the people in the quarantine area as he padded through them and approached the senior doctor who was opening a small blue case that seemed to whisper in vapoury mists and twists.

The moment Buddha neared the doctor, he knew that they had found the next threat and he sat down and began to bark loudly.

Everybody turned to see what was going on and why the huge dog was barking so loudly and then they all heard Azhagan's machine gun make an unmistakable noise as he turned the safety off and pointing it towards the doctor and say, ' Please, don't move. Please, doctor, don't make any sudden moves, I beg of you or I will be forced to shoot. This is my first and last warning.'

His gun still pointed at the doctor, he whispered into the mic on his left shoulder, ' Brigadier sir, we have a critical situation here in the quarantine area. Please come immediately.'

By this time, a dozen commandos had arrived and one of the asked Azhagan, ' Lieutenant Palaniappan sir, what's going on? Why is Raja barking at that doctor?'

Avan, Aval, Adhu 114

‘A low tide never came that wasn’t followed by a high tide’ is a line from a Gaelic love song.

Ravi stood among the swirling mists, like a small tree among the real brown and green giants. A tree with just two branches for limbs and two legs for roots. He stood with his arms wide open and embraced the magic that was called Kodai Kanal.

He recollected a quote he had read in some book in which the author had stated, " “There is a strange comfort in knowing that no matter what happens today, the Sun will rise again tomorrow.”

He whispered to the trees, ' The sun will return. It will light up your trunk and branches and drive away the cold.'

As if on cue and as if the sun had been lying in waiting in hiding behind the mists on earth and the thick clouds on-air, opened its single eye and blazed a thin reddish stream of rays towards him and the tree and Ravi could do nothing but accept the blessing.

He stood with his eyes closed, face raised and arms open and his lips moved as they spoke, ' I surrender to your will. I confess that I am indeed lost. I agree with all the accusations you will lay before me. But, I also agree that it is time for me to change and move on.'

Ravi opened his eyes wide and his body began to tremble as the full realization of what his lips had just whispered slammed into him and he frantically looked all around him in the gathering darkness of the mists just to make sure nobody had heard him. That Madhurima had not heard him.

Ravi stood for a full ten minutes as the past and present collided inside him. Tracks that had been running in parallel and travelling past each other had somehow met somewhere and were now running on the same single track of his soul and his life.

Finally, tucking his hands into the side pockets of his riding jacket, Ravi walked towards his friends, Partha and Daksha.

Unbeknownst to him, another life, another journey, another track was making its way towards him and soon, they would meet.

The crunching and crackling noises the dry leaves on the ground made as his feet walked on them, filled Ravi with a feeling of melancholy and the same noises announced his return and both Partha and Daksha looked up and welcomed him with a smile.

Then he did something totally unlike him and that came as an unexpected shock. But then there are good shocks and bad shocks.

Ravi fell to his knees before them and with a shy smile playing on his lips, stared at the ground and said, ' I am sorry guys.Please forgive this oddball of a friend of yours and promise me that you will never let me go. Never, ever.'

Parthiban would never forget that fateful day from their 10th std when Ravi had carried him from the fields to the jeep that stood nearly half a km away and had displayed a sort of superhuman strength and yet, here he stood like a small boy kneeling in front of his teachers and asking them for help.

It brought tears to his eyes and then he saw Daksha lean forward and throw her arms around Ravi and whisper, ' Promise, Ravi. We will not let go of you even if you let go of us.'

Partha smiled for he knew that his wife spoke from that mother's part of her and the one that ached for a child that her womb had not been blessed with in this life.

Daksha was not only a few years older than him, she was nearly five years older than Ravi and had always treated him like a kid brother and only with her was Ravi always on his best and pleasant behaviour.

Partha wiped his tears and told Ravi, ' Master sir, Ravi sir, Your happiness, your safety, your peace is my happiness and my peace brother.'

Opening his arms, he said, ' Now come and hug me as hard as my wife hugged you and Ravi went into his arms and the world was suddenly bright and beautiful.

A few moments passed and he mumbled to his wife, ' Ducks, let's have a real drink and not this classy and rich P.ss of a wine. Please pour me a bucket of brandy for today is a good day and a great day to celebrate.'

Avan, Aval, Adhu 115

It could be any beautiful situation, you snuggling in bed under covers with your loved one, you are seated on a sofa with your young child lying on your chest and both of you are reading from a book, sharing a drink with souls that are both family, friends and loved ones. The world seems different. Time feels and flows different and life itself feels different.

Emotion. Calm, peaceful and happy emotions and that too in a world full of commotion.

Our daily lives are a bit of commotion for some and a lot for others. You are constantly pushed to that side. Pulled to this side. Raised up and then dropped suddenly. Not just physically but mentally too. For most, returning home after work is like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert. For many, sharing a cup of coffee or downing a drink with a friend before parting ways to head home is what makes work and time bearable.

Ravi took a sip from his glass and raising it, stared at its sparkling contents for a few moments and his eyes flicked to Daksha who smiled and nodded.

Partha looked at both of them, ' Excuse me. I know two is company and three is a crowd. But that is only for lovers and not for friends. So, stop talking with your eyes, please?'

Daksha's laughter sounded like the gurgling of a small but busy stream and she said, ' Here are two of the finest specimens of the male species and yet one does not talk and yet talks and the other talks but does not make too much sense.'

Parthiban pouted his lips like a child and frowned and this was something that never failed to evoke a smile from Ravi who pouring himself another peg said, ' Dei, I looked at this fine brandy and looked at Ducks who confirmed my thoughts?'

Partha catching on, slapped the cushion next to him loudly and exclaimed, ' The brandy, I mean the Cognac. Yes, sir, some of my wife's relations who run vineyards in Southern France visited us during summer and they brought along a few bottles of this exquisite Cognac as a gift.'

Daksha smiled, ' Exactly baby. You said it, he did not.'

Parthiban pouting again declared, ' My lady, you will have to excuse me for unlike Ravi here, I like using the senses that God has empowered me with.'

Daksha's laughter was not less of a gurgling stream and more like a roaring river as she laughed, parried and countered with a deft plunge of words, ' Ravi, you know your friend very well. So, I bet you will be familiar with some of his silences, especially when he is immersed in his football and basketball games.'

Daksha began to act out the situation that concerned both her and Parthiban.

' Our man here will be watching a game and I will ask him a thousand times as to what he wants for dinner and he will just nod and each nod is different. For example, if the game has just started, he will nod and grunt at the same time. If the same game enters extra time or worse if it has to be decided by penalty kicks, then he not only becomes deaf but mute and blind to me.'

Daksha's face became red as she recollected a particular incident, ' One day after asking him a dozen times what he wanted for dinner, I finished mine and went to sleep while the poor baby, sat drinking and eventually finished the game at about 2.30 am in the morning and went searching for dinner and ....'

Parthiban's face reflected his embarrassment as he said, ' This evil woman left me nothing. I tried to make a sandwich but we had run out of eggs and bread and so finally, I ate an apple and went to sleep.'

Ravi and Daksha burst out laughing and soon Parthiban joined them and he spread his hands, ' What else could a diehard fan like me have done? It was Liverpool vs Arsenal and that too a cliffhanger of a game.'

It could be a small and silly incident. It could be a real rib-tickling incident and yet they take on a glow when shared with loved ones and that too when you are among friends.

A middle-aged man walked in and placing a tray of chicken cutlets retreated quietly. Ravi looked at his friends and Daksha again answered his silent question, ' Oh, Gopal wanted a break. But he will be back in a few days. This man is just filling in until Gopal's return. But, he is okay too. He is from Himachal Pradesh and he and his wife and a few other family members work in the tea estate. Nice and no-nonsense people.'

Ravi sat in silence watching the cedar burn, crackle and then realizing that he had wandered away, looked at his friends and apologized, ' I am sorry guys. I am not myself right now and I fear I am a bit more unusual than my usually unusual self.'

Partha slapped the cushion again and roared, ' Trust Ravi to use both prose and poetry and that too so beautifully.'

Daksha raised her glass in acknowledgement and said, ' Hence, the title master sir my dear hubby.'

Ravi raised his glass and said, ' A toast to the two of you. I am because of you.'

Parthiban and Daksha joined their glasses along with his and the tinkling noises were one and sounded the same.

Daksha leaning back, put out her hand and reaching behind the sofa brought out an old box guitar and placing it next to Ravi, ' Not right away but when and if you are willing and ready, Master.'

Ravi smiled, ' sure ducks. Anything for you both.'

Then both of them watched in surprise as Parthiban picked up the guitar and strummed gently on its strings and immediately the cottage was filled with a new glow of music.

He looked at both of them and gently leaning towards Daksha placed a soft kiss on her cheek and said, ' This is a song for all three of us. This is a theme for all of us who are friends and who are in love.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvvJ7MYaK8o

When you're down and troubled

And you need some lovin' care

And nothin', nothin' is goin' right

Close your eyes and think of me

And soon I will be there

To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name

And you know, wherever I am

I'll come runnin'

To see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there

You've got a friend

If the sky above you

Grows dark and full of clouds

And that old north wind begins to blow

Keep your head together

And call my name out loud

Soon you'll hear me knockin' at your door

You just call out my name

And you know, wherever I am

I'll come runnin', runnin', yeah, yeah

To see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there, yes, I will

Now, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend

When people can be so cold?

They'll hurt you, yes, and desert you

And take your soul if you let them

Oh, but don't you let them

You just call out my name

And you know, wherever I am

I'll come runnin', runnin', yeah, yeah

To see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I'll be there, yes, I will

You've got a friend

You've got a friend

Ain't it good to know you've got a friend

Ain't it good to know, ain't it good to know

Ain't it good to know

You've got a friend

Oh, yeah, now, you've got a friend

Yeah baby, you've got a friend

Oh, yeah, you've got a friend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6PXWqoIyGs