#keerala

On behalf of corona, I had to go back to Kerala, to my own *Thirontharam. and after the first few months of my parole, like everyone I too wanted to get back to Mumbai. Soon as I found a reason, that “ I need to vacate my hostel rooms, or else I need to pay them to rent for nothing, My father was delighted to buy me a ticket.

It took 3 days after my quarantine to get myself vacated. And after one whole night of a Send-off party from my mallu gang at YMCA. I was ready to get back.

At Panvel, I was packed with a trolley, a big backpack, a laptop bag, and a paper roll, and a canvas from one of my juries. just say I was covered with a lot of bags. The reason that I didn’t recruit a kooli, was not that “I am a gym-going, beefy guy, but simply I didn’t know how to do that. In my defense, they don’t teach you these things at School.

I was standing near the entrance, with my load and taking some weird selfies…. Just as every time, half of the people at the platform were malayalees going back to Kerala and malayalees came to send off their families.

I noticed a guy who just walked in slowly, as I was standing near the entrance. At first glance, it was clear he was from Kerala. He was sweating so hard that the towel he carried was trying a hard job and even failed dourly.

He was in his 50’s, with only a few more hairs left near his ear, which he managed to cover his whole bald head.

He only had one old overused suitcase and a plastic cover that you get from any textile shops back in Kerala.

We were at least at a stretch of 10 to 15 steps. I pulled my eyes off him when he. Kind of noticed me, or he might have really seen me looking.

After a few scrolls down through my Instagram, I consider looking at him.

He was checking me out too. He was just staring at me. I started to feel so weird with the leering. If someone wondering what is there to feel weird that, a guy looking at a guy, well I had my experience.

It is not just girls, who get touched in-crowd a. There was once an auto driver, who tried to grab my ass and a guy from the bus when I was in doing my 10th. Those things came to my mind all at once.

He took a few steps and came near to my fortress of bags. And told me ( in Malayalam ) that please look at my bags, I will be right back.

I just wiggled my head, I didn’t know whether it was a Yes or No from my end. Well, he didn’t wait for the answer but rushed to the nearby toilet.

Station announced that the train was coming on the same platform that I was standing, which I was praying for because if not, the thought of carrying all these bags to the next one is a bane.

I slowly walked with my load to the section where the 3rd AC compartments are usually ceased. As a matter of fact, I kind of ditched that man’s bags, at where he told me to look after.

A few steps forward, I saw him running from the toilet. To his bags and to me, Even though I ditched his bags at the platform, he offered me to help me with mine.

Since It seemed like a long walk, he tried to start a talk, while I was not in the mood for one,

“Nattilevideya?? - where in Kerala … “ a customary Question from every mallu to another one

“Thiruvananthapuram, Attingal .”

“Njan Wayanad , Padikkuvaano atho joliyo ?? - a student or working “

“Student . “ - I tried to keep my answers short.

He asked me If I was getting back home, due to covid, (Like something, is not common these days.)

“Yes, you too? “ The only question I asked him, which I surely knew the answer was just a Yess.

“ No, I was in Dubai, where my family stayed in Panvel,

My son Died, my wife went back to Kerala, 2 days ago, I had a few more things to be done here.

Now, this is the last day in Mumbai, Sold everything, just need to be back with my old parents and wife.”

I who was not expecting that, with a gulp of guilt in my mouth asked him if it was an accident.

“No accident, He was like you, built up, was running a gym with his friends, in Panvel, since covid, there was no gym or anything, just stayed home, it was a heart failure, can’t. Blame anyone, he was just like that only, “ Mother just blames herself, even though, how many times, I have been telling her not to……”

I didn’t have anything to say to that man, since the train was stopping, he just gave me a handshake and placed my bag on the floor gently. And said

“My compartment is a sleeper, it’s at the front, Take care son, “ - with that, he just walked away with his suitcase and the plastic cover.

makkal selvan vijay sethupathi