the Return Journey

Sitting inside the Indigo Airlines flight, I kept wondering on how much I was missing by staying away from Chennai. My mind , not within my control due to my brooding had for some reason started roaming throughout the city without my permission.

The roads seemed to say – ‘ Hey Nik. Next time you get lost in Pune remember to appreciate our sound road design. Crowded and dirty though we may be, we dont get you lost ‘

The Policemen seemed to say ‘ You always hated our presence. But when you are roaming at mid -night there with no one to protect you remember that here we were always there. Stopping you when you over-sped, checking if you were drunk, asking you where you were roaming. It’s irritating for you but essential because we want all of you to reach home safe .’

The Traffic Signals seemed to say ‘ Hey ! When you remember the police guy try not to forget me too. You barely see me useful in Pune. Half the time, I am just a blinking yellow gadget. True I slow you guys down. But I do my work efficiently sometimes even past mid night. Next time you see me at work, try appreciating me too ‘.

‘ Hey ! Are you alright ? The plane is about to take off and you are smiling in a strange manner !! ‘

I had to forcefully push my mind to come back to reality. The Pilot’s voice is heard ‘ Cabin crew . Be seated. We are Taking off. Confirm status’

The plane engine roared with its full capacity. Strangely, my mind had managed to drown the engine sound with the honking sound present at many signals in Chennai. I knew where my mind was zooming to. I knew those streets. I walked past roads with trees on both sides of the road.
My house is located at one of the most beautiful locations in Chennai. Trees, birds, preace. I call those roads – ‘Green Roads’ or ‘ Tree-Road’. So when I have to pick someone up, they just tell me – Pick me from the Tree Road’ instead of saying ‘Third Avenue’.

My mind drops me in front of my house. It rings the doorbell and waits. Waits till my mom opens the door , smiles at me and then hugs me tight. I think only women can break bones out of love. She laughs, cries and asks if I am staying behind. I say ‘No . Just a temporary visit.’. I can see the sadness and happiness in her heart at the same time. She rushes to make my favourite sweets. My sister jumps up and down. She immediately launches another one of her college stories and another one of her crushes. I start thinking ‘ I thought all this was routine. Yet it pains me to realise I am missing this routine in my life.’ It is this routine that makes us humans do the things we do.

I hear my co-passengers commenting ‘Will the take off be safe with this much vibrations ?’. ‘Relax ! This is how it is ! ‘. I am smiling at a distance. Too many times this journey made in the last two years. ‘ I am new to this. Please do not smile at me for being afraid of the take – off’

I knew he was not going to accept my response of not smiling at his anxiety, Instead I said ‘ Its not the take -off you have to be worried about in Chennai. It’s the air turbulence after the take off that scares everyone . ‘ The third passenger looked irritated that I ended up scaring the guy even more.

The plane finally takes off. I plead my mind to take me back to my house. I wish to be those film heroes who can afford to miss their planes. Instead my mind takes me to the queue in the Numgambakkam railway station where I was standing to take the ticket to Airport station. It was a huge queue and probably if it was 20 more people longer ( mind you there were 40 people in each of the three counters), I would have been late for catching the train. I have a big bag that I was dragging with me instead of hanging it over my shoulders since it was pretty heavy.

The queue progresses slowly and finally my turn comes. I state ‘ One ticket to Airport’ and the Railway official queries
‘ One way or with Return Ticket ? ‘

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