The man with the lantern - a short story

The walk was around nine furlong away and Thomas ettan wanted to get there before the 9pm movie. Hard luck, I thought. He must have had at least two servings of full plate rice with the usual delicacies which Amma made. Personally, I hated this walk trips from one house to other; perhaps they would not have done this if my Mom and her siblings stayed a bit further away from each other.

"Look out for the weeds down here" shouted ettan. He was the man with the light and our guide for the night. He appeared to have changed from a brother to the lead when amma gave him the larger-than-life lantern. He knew that he was the responsible and his stern voice now appeared to confirm this. I would have reverted with a "Yes Big-Boss" if he wasn't in charge today. Everyone seemed to obey him.

I could have travelled back by the 6pm bus with Uncle, but then I would have missed this beautiful view. The houses with lanterns far across the horizon appeared like fireflies, while the only sound other than ettan was the field-crickets. It never looked this beautiful in the broad daylight with tens of men in loincloth across the fields.

There was nothing consistent about the pathways here in Haripad. If you got lucky, you get to walk on these pavings built centuries ago by some considerate. If you are left behind the pack in this pitch dark, you could end up knee deep in clay or left in the thorns. The beautiful lady in white Saree with long hair which Akki used to be afraid of, was a different story altogether. "Nearer,My Lead, to Thee" for the moment; I thought.

Most of the days, us kids had to sleep at our uncles place since there wasn't any place at his sister's. Moreover, this ensured that he got his dinner packed in plantain leaves from Amma everyday, delivered efficiently by the kids. We loved this job and to see his face when he received the packet from ettan. "Did Sethu come your way today ?" he would ask indirectly to find whether any fresh fish was delivered today. This assured him of a fry to go with his brand.

It wasn't until Akki started with the song that ettan's mood lightened and he took the song ahead. It didn't matter that he couldn't sing. We loved our lead and his song. It was sometime after the third song and giggles that we heard the bark. It was Kichu, our favorite dog who came first running towards us. Ettan had lead us home once again.

Someday, I would be the man with the lantern.


translations/characters
ettan = big brother
Amma = Mother
Akki = Younger sister

Walk - a short story

He had begun to like this English weather. Though he missed lying in the scorching sun back home in India, there was something exotic about walking in this weather. He enjoyed strolling in the drizzle in his rather over sized Barbour and his favourite handled umbrella. Though it was the middle of the noon, it appeared more like the late evenings in Kochi.

Today he felt like visiting his old mate, Matt who sold burgers by the dock. Without the bike, it was going to take him around an hour to get there. Perhaps a quick drop at the local on the way back; he smiled at the thought of it. Nothing better to complement the weather than a warm Guinness at the old bell inn.

Though there was an air of uneasiness about the lonely pathways, he had got accustomed to this. Predictably, Jim was the first guy he came across by the docks since he started from his small apartment at the quaint stokebridge maltings; an 18th century maltings converted into flats. Jim was always around feeding the pigeons at the dock bridge on a good weather. With no pigeons out in the wet, Jim had settled in his humble shed by the river Orwell. A bit too much of the Ale on Jim, as he could see.

Time appeared to stand still when he walked through these paths; there stood Wolsey gate with a great story to tell. History stays still; he thought. Back by the calm Orwell and no sign on Matt, he headed towards the boats. Chris should be on his boat; has been a a while since he met Chris. Chris should be back from his round the Island trip now that trawling has been banned for the season. Yup. There was his boat and he could see his shadow by the mast. Chris always had a story to tell; some about his family back in London whom he dearly missed and sometimes a bit of history. Always interesting. Especially after a shot of whisky. Perhaps someday he too would travel round the world in a boat with all the time to himself like Chris.

With enough time spent he decided it was best to leave Chris on his own. For the quick walk back, he took the unpaved paths now all sludgy by the rain. At this moment, the only thoughts were the caskets of beer at Old Bell Inn.

Time Travel - a short story

This was Anand’s first visit to Tamil Nadu, rather to India. His parents had left India for the better more than two decades ago and his only images of India were the shots from National Geographic and the odd sequences from the very odd Hindi movies.

Anand had never thought about traveling by a bullock cart until now. His maternal uncle appeared to have a plan already in place, with the house cart going off to Dharmapuri for the monthly ration.

He did not know whether to say yes or no. “With more than enough reading, a travel should do me good” he thought. The 'familiar' cart appeared as a strange object to Anand with driver Chinnappa already at his place in the front. Anand joining him had made Chinnappa uncomfortable.He had his face turned towards the road while Anand got into the back of the cart.

The details of the cart intrigued Anand. Two rather large rounded wood with a touch of rubber made up the wheels. The wheels were connected to a wooden half open box. The extension from this box was placed on the necks of the two bulls which in turn were controlled by the rope Chinnappa had. Steerings.

No suspensions meant he had to sway left right with the cart. Once thorough with this sequence, he could actually look out into the open fields, which seemed to extend till the horizon. He wanted to pick up a conversation with Chinnappa, but was worried about his accent soaked tamil and moreover Chinnappa appeared engaged in driving.

This road from Krishnagiri to Dharmapuri would take them atleast three hours and was different to the one the motor vehicles took. Except for the sound of the wheels and the bells off the bulls, the only other sound was Chinnappa mumbling. Taking the curved roads were rather difficult for both Chinnappa and the bulls since there were no parts which could bend. A rather strange sequence happened at each curve. Chinnappa made the first bull turn, then the second, all the while himself making the oddest of sound. Could they not just make the head of the cart out of two wooden piece which could turn easier ? Anand wanted to ask.

The beautiful landscape with few people at the fields, the cool September breeze, empty kutcha roads seemed to enclose him into a different world. A world where time stood still. Strangest of feelings appeared to wrap him. There was nothing to bother him; no mobile, no TV and most specifically no Amma. He could travel forever on these roads. He took note of all the objects he saw, places got imprinted in his mind and some on the camera film.

It was the thirst that caught up with him and broke the trance. Chinnappa had the water provisions all ready and some dried fruits too. The smile across Chinnappa’s face at this moment was the key for Anand to start talking while he moved to the seat by Chinnappa.

Chinnappa has been handling carts since ages and has not seen places further than Chennai, but he appeared to be the happiest. Anand could not help thinking about the people back home hurrying around in their coats with a burger in one hand and mobile in the other. He concluded that everyone should do a bullock cart travel and perhaps meet fellows like Chinnappa atleast once in a lifetime.

Repetition of the heavily accented words, more dried fruits and the silences in between made way to Dharmapuri.

With Chinnappa gone across the street to get the provisions from the regulars, Anand felt over the top of the world alone in the cart. He tried holding the rope but let go when the bulls started to move.

Anand couldnot wait to travel back.

Home - a short story

It has been more than a year since they moved to this house. Raman still remembered the first time he came down with Ambujam to see the house just before their marriage. They had visited a lot many before this but none appeared to please them like this one. It was either the odd shapes of the rooms or the parking spaces across the street or the totally misplaced pooja room which caused them to look further, until this house.

With the wedding and the ceremonial visits to the relatives done, the last year saw them planning the house arrangements; especially Ambujam with her spare time at the new home. Though she could barely turn around freely in the smallest of kitchens, she had made the best of it by arranging everything into place – “cute little kitchen” as she called it.

Slowly the once empty house filled up with carefully planned items right from a mini aquarium to the TV. They still talk of the times when they slept on the floor which Ambujam would have mopped each day and the times when they ate sitting down on the floor before the dining table arrived.

Though the guests could not avoid noticing the common door which separated the bachelors staying on the next room, the tiny toilet and kitchen, they seldom mentioned this, taking into consideration how Ram & Ambu were happy around.

“Ambu, did you hear that the tenants have vacated from the first floor? After a long eight years of stay, they managed to buy a flat at Madiwala”. Ambujam in the midst of grinding the dosa batter wondered if it was the doctor family or the Aiyar family. ‘Should be the Aiyar family” she thought. She knew that doctor was on a financial crisis and could not afford a new flat.

The next day when their house owner came down, he asked them if they would be interested to shift down to the vacant house, on the same rent. The house down had a single bedroom with spacious hall and a large kitchen. The house owner appeared to like both of them; why shouldn’t he, they never appeared to cause any sort of trouble and cheque appeared at his door step every last day of the month without a fail, just like the predictable bill collectors. Though the bill collectors collected money instead.

They visited the vacant house out of interest and this time to have a detailed look, unlike the visits while the previous tenants were around. The house looked like the way a ‘house‘should be, with everything well defined – a spacious hall, a rather large kitchen, a bedroom with balcony and a big toilet.”Amma would definitely like this spacious place” Ambu thought. Amma would no longer need to take the rather steep steps up one floor with her ailing back pain. This appeared to be the perfect house to rent out next!

In the meanwhile, Raman was thinking about where each item from the present house could be moved. There appeared to be too many which would need to shifted down - fridge, TV, washing machine, the extra cot, the music system, the clothes dryer… but he did have a plan & place for all the items in the large house.

House owner had promised them he would definitely confirm with Raman before he signed an agreement from any other prospective tenants. This left Ram and Ambu to think deeper on the plan for some time.

The next few days saw Ambujam and Raman planning the different positions and places for the items in the vacant house. Ambujam appeared to have an insight into the minor details like where the guests would sleep and whether they would need a separate door to the only toilet and also the mailing addresses which would need to be changed.

But, as the days passed off, the interest in the new house seems to come down for both of them. The topic did come once during dinner today when they again debated over what is good in the vacant house. But, the possible trouble in settling down while adjusting to the new place, finding the best place for each item, the bathroom access via the bedroom, the yet to be decided place for the dining table etc made Ambujam decide against the vacant house. They were actually rather happy in this cramped up house and everything had a proper plan & place. “Perhaps another year at this home, before we move to a bigger home” thought Raman.

“No Sir, we would not be interested in moving this time; perhaps next time. Thanks” Ambujam heard Raman speaking over the phone.