TRAVEL SUCKS!!! – PART 1

“Hurry up, man. We are getting late”, screamed Boss (my friend and roomie), as I was struggling to push all my dirty clothes into the bag. After that disastrous weekend spent trying to cook food; both of us had decided to head home for some real home cooked food. If I am writing a blog on this, goes without saying that we got screwed trying to get home; anyway here’s what happened. ---Hurry---

On reaching Majestic Bus Stand, Boss learned that he needed to go to Mysore Bus Stand to catch a bus to Salem. Bidding him goodbye as he left for the other bus stand, I grabbed a bun for dinner and headed to the place where the buses to Coimbatore were usually stationed. Could find buses to every imaginable place in Tamil Nadu, but my own. What’s that saying about every bus but yours arriving on time. Cursed my Manager for the last minute leave approval. ---Frustration---

The bus finally came an hour late. Using my superior negotiation skills, I managed to convince the driver of the Coimbatore Bus to give me the only unreserved seat in the Bus (For a smooth 50 additional bucks of course). Yeah! But FATE deemed otherwise. Soon a lady with a baby tucked away in her arms came to talk to driver. I realized that there’s no way I am going to get that seat over a contender of that sort. The driver gave me a sideways glance as if says “Sorry Mate”. “Atleast a seat in the cabin” I quipped expectantly, he nodded. ---Expectation---

Then came along two college girls with beseeching looks in their eyes(pretension no doubt) . The driver melted, I cursed. “Middle aged men and ladies sentiment!” Deadly combination. I stood no chance at all. He once again gave me a sideways look which pretty much meant this: “Cut from cabin; paste on top of engine”. I then learnt that the bus door would not close. Precariously balanced on the engine I realized that there was nothing between me and the hostile road but a single bar that I clung on to with desperation. As the bus moved forward amidst the heavy rain, I knew there was no way I could sleep that night. “Do not let go of the bar. Die if you do!” my senses screamed. I held on to the bar and dear life, literally. ---Dread---

The engine heated up soon enough, and so did my butt. I thought wistfully “ Fifty bucks for this privilege. Damn! At least ‘ice-cool’ Boss would have things at his end under control.” Little did I know that what I faced was only the tip of the iceberg? Boss was about to face the thing that brought down the titanic!!! ---Hope---

Did Boss really reach Salem that night? Or even the Mysore Bus Stand? Did any of the buses reach Salem that night? For all this and more, kindly bear with me until I tell you the rest of the story in my next blog. ---Intezaar--

P.S: BTW I am suing the Government over employing too many male drivers who drool over woman. Hoping I can convince them to employ some woman instead. Any lawyers interested?