Saviour of Mallus
Just to flex my muscles and burn a few calories , I have taken up the protracted task of cleaning my cars. An old Bajaj Classic impinged into the parking space allotted to me. I am a bit sentimental about Bajaj Classic. Dad used to take me places in the same vehicle.
Mallus & Bajaj Classic
In a while, two gentlemen came near the scooter and started admiring the same. One of them looked at my car and told the other one in a mellowed tone “MH 12 registration. Local guy! If he is trying to create an issue regarding parking, just raise your tone. These guys are docile”
He told this in vernacular assuming that I am from the neighboring planet. Fine, let me be an alien for a while. It is going to be fun. I continued cleaning the car with a straight face. The other one (supposedly the owner of the scooter) was sounding quite confident “Yes. I don’t care for these guys. If they are trying to be smart, I am going to make him feel the taste of life”
I was almost tempted to address his forefathers with all good words. But again, I have decided to remain tight lipped for a while. In a few minutes time, one gentleman left. The other one started cleaning his scooter as if he is performing a religious ceremony. He caressed the scooter as if he is making love. Afterwards he sprinkled some water and looked down in a reverential posture! is going to chant some Vedic hymns also?
It's "show" time
In a while, he almost performed a miniature surgery of his scooter. He removed the panels and started cleaning the internal organs of the scooter with a surgeon’s precision. He was wearing a dark yellow T Shirt and multi coloured Lungi. At times, he used to wipe oil and grease with his Lungi.
What happened next was something which I may not forget in this life time. All weak hearted friends, puritans and children may opt to leave this space.
I have dared to ask him “Sir, what is your name?”
He stared at me as if Lord Shiva opened his third eye.
“Why? You want to raise a complaint that I have encroached into your parking space? I am Thankappan. Flat number 102”
I was about to answer but Thangappan performed a magnanimous ritual. He started the scooter and all the internal organs of the vehicle started vibrating. In a moment’s time, Thangappan’s Lungi was pulled inside the scooter by a rotating wheel of the scooter. He tried to pull it back but the cloth got enmeshed inside the scooter in a terrible manner which left his efforts in vain.
It took a while for me to realize that he was not wearing his undergarment!
Thankappan tried to pull his T-shirt down to cover his modesty. I was scared to death with this sight and was almost frozen to death.
Thankappan started speaking in Vernacular “Is there any short cut to reach first floor?”
I have read somewhere that during the last moments of life, people will speak in their mother tongue.
This time, I became a bit sympathetic at him and responded in his mother tongue “Turn left, there is a service lift. Normally not used by people. You can reach first floor. Or, rest inside my car. I will get you something to wear”
To my surprise, he ran toward the service lift. In a moment’s time we heard two ladies screaming. We thought of following him and saw two ladies covering their face with palms and hugging each other. Seems, Thankappan incarnated in front of them and blessed them in "vishwaroopa"
Thankappan started climbing the steps. I could see him reaching first floor and getting inside a flat. Goodness heaven, door of his flat was open and hence he did not have to spend time waiting after pressing calling bell.
Again we heard some earth shattering noises from the flat. Thankappan came outside the flat and started knocking the door of the adjacent flat. He barged into a wrong flat. He waited for three minutes and was greeted by his wife. He addressed her with all the swear words in the vernacular for the delay. A few of those swear words enriched my vocabulary.
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