A Tiring day, I must say!!

Yeah, Saturday was a pretty tiring day and I was totally gone when I came back home. Hence the delay in the post.

I had to go to college inspite of the fact that it was a saturday. To make things worse, I had slept only at 4 am on Fri night, wait, scratch that, make it Saturday morning. Hence woke up feeling all groggy and was still in a somnolent state as I trudged into college. I had two tests, part of the Continuous Assessment Tests (CAT) as the SVCE junta call it. And in between these two, we had a gap of about 2 hours. I had to run around to pick up a few photocopies, get records signed, meet my recommenders and a whole lot of other work. And even though I had 2 hours in the morning before the first exam, yours truly hadn't touched his books and hence had to spend the time sleeping/studying/looking around, not necessarily in that order.

First exam done and I had given a reasonably good paper. Started work on the aforementioned photocopies, records and recommendations et al.. Yeah, I had to have lunch also in the middle since I was starving. I had gotten up late and had hence missed breakfast. Another task at hand was to prepare for the second exam. Anyway, I got around to doing most of these things and gave a good paper much to my surprise.

Boarded the bus and got some much needed shuteye. Sleep is the most refreshing thing! The level by which one's concentration improves after a nap is amazing. Ok, Enough digressing. Back to where I was. Yes, I am back home and eat something and settle down on the couch to watch a football match. A friend of mine calls and says lets go to Landmark. (Btw, for the uninformed, Landmark is a huge bookstore in Chennai). But before that he said, he needed to go to the ATM for withdrawing some cash. Since he didn't have a bike at that moment, it was decided that I pick him up and we first visit the ATM and then make pur way to Landmark. Mind you, the time was 7.35 pm already. I leave asap and reach RK's place (the friend is RK, Btw) and we head towards Pondy Bazaar. This ATM was somewhere close to Maya's plaza and it was on the right hand side of the road. RK suggested that I take a right some 100 metres before and just park and wait while he goes to the ATM. This is beacuse there was no place to turn opposite the ATM. Being the wise guy that I am, I rode along slowly on the bike on the wrong side of the road looking around for a place to park. I had completely forgotten that there was a police station next to the ATM.

Well, a plainclothes cop caught me and demanded to see my license. I demanded to see his Identity Card and he produced one. Likewise, I returned the favor producing the Driver's license. He was drunk and high and was talking as if he was the head of the police force. All I could do was humor him and by this time, RK had also joined in. He demanded 110 bucks and told us to go into the station, get a challan(or whatever he called it.. don't really remember) and pay at a mobile court on monday. We were getting late as it was past 8 already and we din't know when Landmark would close. Our man then launched into a long story about he finishing B.A in 1971 (Congratulations, Mr. Head Constable) and that he had a son who was about our age pursuing Engineering in Jeppiar College. ( Well done, Mr.Son of Mr. Head Constable, you make your papa proud!!). RK found this bit funny , I must say. I wisecracked saying, "We are also like your son, can't you let us go this one," for which both Mr.Head Constable and RK launch into vociferous laughter. Anyway, we humored him and then paid him 50 bucks by which he probably would have gone to the nearest wine shop and gotten himself another "quarter". I know people, its encouraging corruption but then, it was getting late and we din't want to go through a whole bunch of paperwork.

This done, we finally made our way to Landmark and reached there by 8.28. Went in and we were done with our work in 5 mins. Both me and RK were browsing through the books section till the landmark people decided to shut up shop and switched off all the lights. Time for us to leave. By this time, we were both reasonably hungry as well. Made our way to Sweet Chariot, just across the road from Landmark at the Ispahani Center. Had something to eat, and finally I dropped RK off at about 10 pm.

Did i say finally?? Well, that was what I thought as well. Was looking forward to going home and watch the highlights of Man Utd playing Sunderland. But alas! It was not to be. My vehicle developed a flat rear tire near little mount and the time was about 10.15. I had to wheel the bike for about a kilometre and half till a petrol bunk. Unfortunately, the shop there was closed, (why blame the poor shop owner, it was saturday night, he probably would have gone off for a nice booze or a movie with his lovely wife) and I decided to call Sanjeev whose house was quite near. Sanjeev came and we decided to park the bike at his place and then come and take it the next day. As luck would have it, at about a distance of 300 metres from the petrol bunk, there was one puncture shop that was still open, mind you, the time was about 10.45 now. On removing the tube, this chap said that there are 4 punctures, one fresh one and three at places where the stickers from earlier puncture mendings was peeling off! He said that I would be better of buying a new tube. Logical, yes! Except for the fact that I would not be able to buy a tube at that unearthly hour. This man offered to buy me one from a house of some mysterious person who will not talk to customers. The deal was that both me and him go to the guy' place but I stay out of sight. Sounded maha shady to me. I refused telling him to mend the punctures and that I would have the tube changed at my convenience. Sanjeev, thanks for giving me company dude! I owe you one.

Got the bike mended at 11.30 and drove back home all tired and irritated. I wanted to post this yesterday but was just not upto it.
Phew! This has ended up being a long post, though I din't intend to make it one!
If you are still here, thanks for being patient.
Cheers,