Drop Taxi...

My experience with a Drop Taxi.
I wanted to go to chennai from coimbatore
Unfortunately i could not get Train ticket nor Bus ticket.
But i have to go, next day morning i should be in chennai.
One of my cousin told me about drop taxi.
Group of people in a network wish to just drop you from one place to another mainly long distances. I never heard this before. I just wanted to try once.
I called a number, the guy is in Madurai. He got all the details he want and asked me to wait for 15 minutes. I was waiting for his call. As it was first time, i was not comfortable in this ride.
Lot of things going through my mind. What if the guy took me somewhere and ask ransom, or what if he just took my wallet and money and through me out at nowhere. A lot.
So in parallel I was still searching for buses trains even flights but my bad luck.
Got a call from the same number.
Hello sir, you will get a car in 30 minutes. Fare is 1500 rupees, all toll by you... he was reading all terms and conditions but i was not in a mood to listen all these.
The car has come. It is Swift Dzire, well maintained interior. Driver may be in his late 30s. Tanned skin, average height and with beard. Luckily not muscular so first look didn’t scare me.
We started from home. I messaged everyone I know about my travel just as a safety, what if I missed somewhere on the way or what if he planned something else.
One hour passed, we both didnt speak a single word.
Sir, can I switch on the radio? Driver asked me.
Why he is asking me... mind started going in different direction
Ya sure... I told
In few minutes the mobile rang... he picked the call.
I was keeping silent till he kept the call. I told not to speak over the phone while driving. I controlled the fear and didnt show it on my voice.
He asked Sorry for the call... I didn’t expect that sorry.
I tried to make it friendly by saying it is just for both of our safety.
Without me asking any further explanation he started telling about the call.
It was my wife sir... I met her a month back. Our life is going through mobile only. She asked if I had taken my dinner. She cooked fish curry there so she remembered me that’s why the call. Usually she wont call, she knows I ll be busy in driving. If I am free I will call her. Sometimes video chat.
I got really surprised hearing that they met each other a month back and he is still driving to different locations.
I asked why they are separate why cannot they stay together.
I have taken a loan. I cannot repay if I don’t drive continuously. And the bank guys will come to my home and ask my wife, sometimes they wont leave the place till they get money. Once my wife went to pawn broker kept the chain and got money, till that time those guys were at home. All our neighbors are doing same drop taxi. Sometimes they help by lending some money, but it is not good to seek help all the time, and they also in this sh**. This is our life.
I was silent, took more time to get into me. Different life which we never thought about. When we hear Taxi or Auto rickshaw, drivers coming to our mind is rude, demanding more money and they charge more. Obviously there are lot of good drivers.

Now I am taking you from Coimbatore to Chennai. When I got this enquiry, I became happy and accepted without asking the Money. By the way, how much they told you about the cost? he asked.
I told the money that I agreed with on the call.
He did not show happiness with the money I told.

I really hope I can see my wife this time. But it all depends on the luck and timing.

With a small pause, he started telling an incidence.

Sometime back I dropped a passenger at Chennai, I had a chance to go to my home. The moment I entered my street I got a call for a drop to Madurai. And the customer was ready to pay 1750, usually chennai to madurai is 1500, that too after long negotiations. So I left without seeing my home which was hardly few Kilometers away.

My wife made fish curry that day also... what to do this is our life. Nobody knows about our life. My relatives thought I am making lot of money that is why I am not coming home often. Even few are thinking I have a second wife. Only my family knows the struggle I am going through. I had no clue about drop taxi and the drivers life so this was completely shocked and is completely different world.
I offered him 20% more than the agreed fare but he refused to accept. They have set of rules. Once fare is fixed then Driver cannot demand more or cannot accept more. Their own ethics and Rules.
But I decided to support them by using Drop Taxi whenever I can.

Different People, Different World.

Going to meet my Grand-dad - May be the last time

Blog is in Tamil.
***

Call pannapo thatha azhugarar... thooki vaari potruchu...
Intha manushanuku azha theriyuma?
Chithi sonna poiya unmai nu ninachu thatha apdi azhugarar... enna parkava athana thoorathula irunthu vanthe... udane oru flight pudichu avar munnadi poi ninnu aama thatha nu sollanumnu irunthuchu...
Savithri chithi mela avlo kovam ethuku ipdi oru poi sonnanga... avar avlo ninachu ninachu azhugrar...
Chithi ku appa va ethuna solli pesa vechudanum... ezhuppi ukkara vechudanumnu aasai...
Engappana ipdi ellam parka mudiyalainu solla vanthathu azhugaiya maari puriya vechuthu...
Intha manushan thaan ethanai parinaama matram adanjurukkar en oruthan paarvaila mattum.
Enna mathiriyo illa enna vida athigamavo avara ninachu parka niraya aalunga irukanga... yen ippo kooda yaarachum avara pathi ninachuttu irukalam...
Aana ipo azhuthathu enna ipdi parkatheengada naan innamum singam thaanu solla vanthu mudiyama veliya vanthathuthaan intha azhugai...
Chinnatha va enna paadu paduthucho intha azhugai...
antha manushi enga thatha va vida rendu madangu... thairiyamna apdi irukanum... pasamna avlo irukanum... nyayamna enga chinnatha sonna sariya irukum nu solra alavuku...
Ithae chinna aatha mela kovama irukkum enga amma kashtapattutu irunthapo avungala pathi engamma sonnathu... en munnadiye kettanga ‘ ethana thaan kadan vechuruke’.
Cha aatha yen ipdi ketkaranga intha nilaimai la... aana na manushangalayum kaasayum kaiyalrapo thaan purinjuthu aatha appo kettathu sari thaan. Aatha ella vishayathulayum ‘correct’ a irunthurukanga... periya athai a thooki vechum chinna athaiya thittiyum pesarapo aatha mattum thaan chinna athai side um yosichu parkanumnu sollirukanga, appo na college padichuttu irunthen. Management la mukkiyamana lesson, dont decide until you know both side of the coin...
Enga thatha solratha mattum ezhuthunale oru book pathathu... namma kaasu nammala pathukanum prakash... unga thatha kalyanathula kodukka vendiya kaasu innum kodukala aana naanum ketkala yenna avunga nilamai apdi... ungappan thaan mela thooki vittathu... naama niyayama irunthalum irukaravanga kitta than ketkanum illathavanga kitta ketkrathu namma perumai peethikkara mathiri...
Enakku ipovum ungappana ketkanumnu thaan irukku unga chithapan kettana kaatta vithu kodukanuma... inthappa un pangu nee vechu polachukarathu un samarthiyam nu koduthurumanum... engappan enakku koduthathu apdi thaan... samarthiyam irukaravnuku thaan kodukanum...
Naan anbazhaganaye kooptalum inthappa nu kaasa koduthuruven avungaloda neratha kodukarangala athe pothum... ithellam ketkarapo cha enna inthaal pora pokkula ithana philosophy sollitu poraar nu irukkum.
Thoori aadanum thatha kaasu nu ketkarapo 10 thadavai rehearsal paathurupom aana thatha munnadi pona paa paa nu pechu varathu... intha nu 25 paisa eduthu koduthar poi thoori aadiko nu... mind reading a illa yetherchaiya nadanthuchanu ipo varaikum therila aana appo abbada nu irunthuchu but perusagarapo avar mind read panni thaan koduthurupar nu namba thonuchu...
Uruli set eduka vanthavanga kitta avunga sollamaye ivara solrar illappa kaasu illaina edukka koodathu namakku intha eluthi vaikrathu ellam pudikathuppa... konjam neram aachu vanthavar kitta kaasu illainu purinjuka aana ivar correct a pudichurukar.
Naan tvs la nera vanthutu irunthen mapla thideernu etho yosanai tuk nu thirupeeten pinnadi vanthavar adichutar... gobi la naanga irunthapo thatha ku accident aanathu... hospital la pakathula irunthavanga admit panitu engaluku thagaval vanthuchu... naan appo 5-6 padichuttu irupen... ipo atha ninachu partha naana irunthuruntha en marumahan kitta avlo nermaiya naanthaan thappu pannenu solluvananu doubt thaan...
Ipo flight la thatha va parka vanthutu iruken... ipdi oru journey varumnu na ninachu parkave illa.
Appa ku accident aanapo ennoda passport visa renewal la maatikichu appo vanthuruntha intha mananilaila thaan vanthuttu irunthurupen...
Thatha va epdiyum pathu avar vaayala ‘vaa prakashu’ nu solla ketkanum... athu pothum...
Neengala paathu ethuna seinga... unga ella chithiyum irukanga nu periyatha sonnapo cha evlo thunichalana pen ethunalum paathukalamnu iruntha aathavaye ipdi mudiyalayenu polamba vechutiye aandava... aandavangrathu nammalala mudiyalainalum nambikai vidama iruka vaikra oru nambikai thaannu thonuchu.

Social Distancing is not New to Me

My social distancing.
Everywhere you could hear social distancing, stay home, stay safe against COVID19.
I have been staying home for last 10 months.
I kept myself distanced from people, yes social distancing.
This is not to protect from invisible Virus but from visible things. Yes people.
I am going through the toughest phase of my life. I am getting treatment for my Cancer.
My world is shrunken to My parents, My family. That is all.
Few relatives are in touch who are good at heart.
I want to be in positive environment, so avoiding people. It is my own feeling that new people might feel sad knowing my story and it might affect me and my strength.
I promised my Hubby and on my kids that i will pass this period with full of my strength and confidence.
So i don’t want to risk and meet people, i mean who doesn’t know about my condition.
Social distancing teach us many things. You can either go to infinity or to null. You say it is spiritual but i call it as knowing yourself.
Knowing you have few people for you but they really stand for you, you get double the energy to kick out any bad things effortlessly.
Positive attitude, positive energy from others and your own strength will enable you to come out of any tough phase of your life. I am lucky enough to have wonderful family supporting me.

Social distancing is a temporary phase. Soon, i will start meeting people with my old energy and Josh.
And so the whole world.

My story on Lockdown - COVID 19

Lockdown - COVID 19

Like anywhere in the world, my place also under curfew. We cannot go out at particular time every day.
Country is doing great and taking every possible step to control the spread.

We are working from home. I have two Kids at Home. Daughter is at her 8th age and Son is at 4th age.

As guessed, it is difficult to manage kids and office work that too during lock down.

Initially, I expected that I will get good time to spend with Kids. Planned a lot with kids.

Few days passed with great time pass, learned lot about Kids interests, small small thing that I never noticed before.

I started cooking special items for them, brought lot of books and activities for them.

Played UNO cards.

Watched movies/TV.

Helped them to write stories / Learning new things.

Allowed them to play with their friends whenever they can.

Son had Fever, gone very high. He started shivering, i was almost down seeing him, that too me alone. This is not the first time, so I knew what to do, but still the moment made me sad.
Two full night could not sleep as his fever came late evening and he will have very high fever, had to give sponge bath.

After 3 days, he became normal.

Made my daughter to teach my son. They both enjoyed.

These are usual days of any family.

However, there is something in my mind all the time. So many 'what if'. What if I am tested positive, where Kids will go? Who will take care of them? What will be condition of Hospital. My son is always clinging on me. He always come and kiss, pinch me, do something or the other but always in touch. I have no idea what his mind is going through without mother for 9 months and only with Father and Sister.

So I thought of giving the best time. So I started trying something different.

Asked my daughter to earn and spend by doing some work at home. She earned almost $5. She was so proud of that money.

Taught them to play video games WII, they both enjoyed. Some small physical movements.

We used to do Yoga for 15 minutes, Son is very young to understand what it is but still he try to imitate us.

Started telling what is COVID19, how symptoms like, what are the treatments. Also told you both might need to stay separate if I am tested positive. I will never forget my Son's reaction, he is not ready to accept staying without me. Midnight he got up and asked if he can join me in the Hospital ;), me totally broken.

Taught some devotional songs to my daugther. Taught mother tongue to read and write.

Made my daugther to teach my son.

My wife, on the other side, tried her best to make sure daugther is fully engaged. Daily she used to give some assignments / activities. Mom is always lovable and caring.

We are trying to pass the time as much but with useful things.

We are so lucky to have neighbors and friends, they are always in contact with us. Any help, they are ready.

As like thousands of people, we also hope for the best to overcome this current situation.

My Strong Lady

My Strong Lady

When things are not going as expected, either you feel down or get opportunity to identify the strength to overcome.
My Wife proved how much strong she is.

This is the toughest phase in our life so far. The Pain she is going through cannot be explained even cannot be imagined.
When we came to know about her condition, our future had gone dark. I had somehow regained the conscious and acted strong in front of her. But She broke down.

But she immediately realized when she saw our kids and bounced back strongly, was ready to go through any tough treatment.

Worst thing is initial few weeks even Doctor could not diagnose what it is. Later with Biopsy, surgery and further tests they found it is rare type Cancer - Leiomyosarcoma.

I tried to find out what it is. Doctor did not give any Hope for our future. She was clueless what things are going around her. But she decided to have full trust on me and give her best.

She did.

The words cannot explain what she was going through.
One surgery then recover, started Chemotherapy. Usually Human body can withstand for 6 but she had gone for 8 cycles.

Chemo by Chemo her body had deteriorated rapidly. Seeing her physical appearance and her physical ability, people around her were not with high hope. But she believed in her. Report came positive after every test. She brought back happiness in all our faces.

She wanted to live happy family for long. She does not want to imagine the life without kids or without me.

With the Hopes and positive attitude, she is back. The only reason she is back with complete energy is herself.


She is my STRONG LADY. She is my inspiration. She is my kid's role model. My daughter's future aim is to be like her Mom.