I managed to catch the last direct bus to Chikmagalur from Bangalore. There were only 7 passengers and I was the only female. I wasn’t really concerned with the fact that I was travelling alone to a place I have never been and I did not speak the local language. I felt it is no big deal as I have travelled alone from Kottayam all the way to Mysore at the age of 16. That trip included catching a narrow gauge train to Mysore from Bangalore.
When the conductor came to give me the ticket, I asked him in English
“What time will the bus reach Chikmagalur?”
He looked at me and I knew he was thinking what kind of an idiot ask such an idiotic question.
“Around 9 pm” He mumbled
“What?” I thought may be I didn’t hear him correctly.
“You have never been to Chikmagalur before ah?”
What do I tell him? Do I tell him the truth? Then he can use that information and probably harm me! I so very badly wanted to ask the conductor for help and tell him that I don’t even know where my sister’s school is. But I was too afraid to trust a stranger. So I lied
“I have been. My akka (sister)stays there. I just wanted to know if this bus was a express bus!”
He shook his head and went back to his seat. I looked around the bus. Most of the passengers were in their 30’s and 40’s except one old man. I was glad to see the old man. I would ask him to help me when we reach Chikmagalur. He would know where Valley view school is.
I thought of my sister. Her telegram only had two lines. Start Immediately. Had an accident and am badly injured. I tried to imagine what kind of accident my sister had? I haven’t been reading news paper for a while. Was there some kind of bus accident in Chikmagalur? Is my sister alright? Is she still in the hospital? I felt terrible thinking that my sister might be all alone in a hospital. She wouldn’t know Maria’s address either and may be that is why she send a telegram to me. I wondered if Maria cared at all about us? How can anyone just walk out of her family? I was so mad at my big sister. I felt she is the most irresponsible big sister on earth. Thank God my sisters have me. What would they have done, if I too was like Maria?
I looked outside. The first thing I noticed were the green hills. The scenery was so beautiful. I imagined living in a place like this. I wanted to build a nalukettu with a beautiful inner courtyard in the center. Instead of digging a pond near the house, I will build my house near a creek, so in that way I can teach my kids how to fish with a towel.
Ammachi and Appa can have my tharavadu (ancestral home). Let them do whatever they want with my house. They can’t take my memories away. I will build a house just like Chengannur house. The only thing I wanted from Chengannur house was my grandfather’s easy chair. I will ask Appa for that chair one day. Would he give? I wasn’t sure, but I wasn’t too worried either. That chair is always kept in the veranda, if Appa doesn’t give, then I will just have to go in the night and take it. I laughed thinking about my brilliant idea. Whoever would have heard that a grand daughter stole her grand father’s easy chair from her father’s house?

When the bus reached one of the big towns on the way, all passengers got off to drink coffee. I was too afraid to get off the bus. What if the bus leaves without me? I didn’t want to be stranded in a strange place. I was thirsty and hungry. In my hurry to leave the hostel, I even forgot to take a bottle of water with me.

There were couple of sellers selling fruits and sotheykkai ( slices of cucumbers with chilli powder and salt garnish!!). I never liked to eat fruits and much as the sotheykkai was tempting, I was afraid of falling sick. I needed to be healthy to be able to take care of my sister.
Out of nowhere a little boy got in to the bus. He was carrying a small basket on his head. He came close to where I was sitting and lowered the basket to the ground. I looked inside his basket. I was so happy to see what he was selling.
Benda kadalakkai (Boiled peanuts)!!
I love boiled peanuts. In fact I always made sure I got off near the Kids kemp on MG road, so I can buy boiled peanuts from the seller near the Kerala handicrafts show room each time I went to MG road. I used to walk all the way up to brigade road eating the boiled peanuts!!
“Peanuts for 1 rs” I ordered.
“akka ellige hogtaidira? ( Sister, where are you going?)
I understood what he asked in Kannada and I replied
“Chikmagalur”
He asked me something else and I had no idea what he was talking. So I told him
“nanege kannada gotilva (I don’t speak kannada).
The boy looked at me and smiled. He had the upper two teeth missing. He must be around 5 to 6 years old. I so very badly wanted to ask him pallevideya dry clean cheyyan koduthey?, but I didn’t know how to translate that in Kannada.

I watched the little boy scooping the peanuts from his basket and putting them in a pink plastic cover. He was still wearing his school uniform. Khaki shorts and white shirt. I wondered what his story would be? Why children like him have to work, when he should be playing with his friends or doing home work? Where are his parents? Why do people have kids, if they can’t provide food for them?
He handed me a the plastic bag. I looked for change. I only had a 2 rs note change. So I gave him that, hoping he would give me 1 rs back. I only had 100 rs with me and I couldn’t afford to loose any money right now, especially because I was travelling alone to a strange place.
I watched the little boy lifting the newspaper at the bottom of the basket and checking. he shook his head. He looked at me again and spoke Kannada. I understood what he was trying to convey. He doesn’t have change and he will go and get change from someone else and bring the money to me. I watched him get off the bus holding the basket on his head. He was walking straight to the fruit shop by the side of the bus stand. When he reached the shop, the boy turned to look at me. I smiled at him, because I felt happy. He didn’t have to go all out to get change for me. If I ordered peanuts for 1 rs, then I should have ensured that I had change. He was doing me a favour.
In the next second I watched the little boy running, as fast as his legs would carry and crossing the road. It took me a few moments to realize that he was actually cheating me. I felt so stupid. How could I have trusted an urchin like him? Not enough that, I even felt sorry for him. There was no way I could get off from the bus and chase him. It was just 1 rs. I wasn’t going to risk missing my bus for 1 rs!
I hoped the little boy would be able to out run his karma.

Soon the conductor came back. I looked around for the old man. He wasn’t in the bus. He must not have been going to Chikmagalore. I started to feel worried. Who am I going to ask for help? Just as the bus was about to leave, one young man got in to the bus. He must have been in his 20’s. I heard him saying Chikmagalure and buying the ticket from the conductor. I was so relieved. The man sat right behind me.
It was getting dark. The road was almost deserted. The bus driver started to speed and I was sure this was my last day on earth. Every time there was a bend on the road, I was almost getting thrown off the seat. I held on to the seat. I noticed a plastic cover near my feet and I kicked it underneath the seat. A little while later the plastic cover was again rubbing my feet. I kicked it underneath the seat again. After a while, the plastic cover was touching my feet again and I looked down. That is when I saw the leg underneath the plastic cover. I looked behind. The passenger was sound asleep!!!. He had no idea that his legs were travelling inside a plastic cover underneath the seat. I was so mad. I stepped on his leg as hard as I can. His legs stopped the journey. But I knew I couldn’t ask him for help to find where my sister’s school was.
When the bus reached Chikmagalur, there was no power supply. All the shops were closed. I got off the bus and looked around. There was a single candle burning in the station master’s office and I walked straight to the office.
A man in his 50’s was coming out of the room and I almost bumped in to him.
“Who are you?” He yelled
“I need to go to Valley View school” I blurted out.
“At this time of the day?” He was yelling
“I am sorry, The bus from Bangalore only came now” I replied
“Are you alone?”
“Yes” I mumbled
“How could you travel alone at night? Girls like you should learn responsibility! You think it is fun? Is it an adventure? If anything happens to you, how will your parents take it? How dare you hurt your parents?”
I was too upset, I knew travelling in the night was not a smart move. But if my sister needs me, what else can I do? I don’t have a brother!
“My sister send a telegram saying she had an accident. That is why I travelled in the night”
“Where does your sister stay?”
“Valley view school”
“Valley view school? It is another 8 km away from here. How were you planning to go there in the night? Walk?” He was still yelling at me.
I didn’t respond. I looked around. There were not many people in the bus stand. In the darkness I couldn’t see where the road was. This must be my destiny. Getting yelled by strangers.
“Come with me” He yelled. He took a torch from his table and started to walk. I wasn’t sure what I should do.
“Listen, before all the auto drivers go back home, hurry up. You might not get any auto if you just stand there and dream”
There was a bakery across the bus stand and an auto was parked in front.
“You are lucky” Muttered the old man. We walked towards the auto.
The old man barked the instruction to the driver and I got inside. I hated myself for being so stupid. I was also getting worried thinking about my sister.

By the time I reached the school, there was no light anywhere. The main gate was locked and the auto couldn’t go inside.
“Can you please come with me?” I asked the driver. he switched off the engine and got off. I followed him. In the distance we could see a glow of light. That must be the hostel. We walked towards the light. When we almost reached the building the auto driver spoke
“You can run along now. My children are waiting for me at home”
“Thank you” I mumbled a heartfelt thank you and ran the rest of the distance. When I reached the hostel, I could hear the humming of the generator and children laughing. It felt so good to feel safe. I knocked the door and an old lady opened the door. My heart was beating non stop. I was so sick with worries
“Yes” She looked at me from top to bottom.
“I am Liza’s sister. Is she ok?” I asked
“Of course she is ok. Why? Why did you come at this time of the day” She looked at me surprised
Before I could answer, I saw my sister running towards me.
“Oh Nina thank you so much for coming. I missed you”
“What happened Liza?” I asked her
“I fell down while playing basket ball. I broke my hand” I looked at my sister. her left hand was in a cast. Just for a broken bone, she send me a telegram?
“You idiot, Do you have any idea what you made me go through?”
“Why did you come, if you were going to fight with me? I should have asked Maria!”
I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t sure why I am the only idiot on earth.