It was a normal Sunday at home in May 2008. Myself and my brother started pestering my father to buy a car for us. My papa was as adamant as ever and he put his first question, "Who will drive it?"Being a recognized & licensed driver of India, I told "Myself" cheerfully, only to get a direct snub on my nose, "Who will board the car if u drive."Couldn't control my laughter, but pretended as if the snub didn't go well with me, in the sense I stopped talking to him that day. The most powerful weapon which my father uses against me, if we differ in opinion and he is on the correct side of the game. I followed it or at least tried to, that day.
Second thought was "Its a luxury. I don't need it" for which myself and my bro said in chorus "We need it."
The next was "You stay in B'lore and come only in weekends. I stay in Tiruttani and come in weekends. Why do we need one?". I promptly responded, "To drive out in weekends.". I know any of us cannot withstand my father for more than 5-10 mins. Results will be very catastrophic :) So I gave the final blow..."Appa, pesikitte iruntha entha prayojanamum illa...neenga vaangareengala illa naan vaangattuma" (Father, there is no use of talking like this...Are you buying or shall I?)
By now, my father had come to a decision that we both were adamant. So he played safe, saying "I will buy it, but in your name. You are the lucky one in our home...".Surya dasha and sukra bukthi, when it converges on a person, in a favorable manner, will bless him with a vehicle as gift...this was a ruling in an astrology book, I trust most. When this speech came, it was running for me...hence the car in my name....Astrology favored me you know :)
Being very clever, my father finally played his trump card. "No alto, it will be too small to accommodate four of us. Budget max is Rs XXXXXXX. If you find a car like that tell me, we will go for it"...Terrible blow, that no car existed for that budget. Then only I realized one thing, when we were talking, my father was looking to the Automobile section of sunday's paper. He had stood by his own decision :( Although he was courteous, that he gave one week time to my bro to find a car within that budget, much to the expectation that we will not find one.
Very next day, there was a loud mouthed announcement in Vijay "Jodi number 1" that the winner will get a Spark car, and add also said "Kannadikkara car", it will blink when its near to smart girls :) Though I was damn sure that it will not blink its eyes and I have to, being the registered owner :) (hope my father doesn't see this blog), I was happy to see the On-road price tallying with what my father told. So we booked and brought one, much to the dissatisfaction of my father, although it was in my name :) It was May 31, 2008, when it was delivered to us, number was TN10U-8922. Dazzling Silver-grey beauty it was.
The first trip I made was to Arani - Periyapalayam, since my aunt wanted to purchase some saries. It was exactly 50 kms. The next was to the village Podurpet, where my father was working that time. The house he had rented was exactly 100 kms from our residence in Valasaravakkam. I remember feeling sleepy after driving half-way. Then my longer trip was to Thanjavur, driving 320 kms for the Pongal 2009. I was totally lost when reaching Tindivanam, barely 90 kms from my house. I felt sleepy, that my father was ready to rent a lodge and stay midway if I couldn't drive through out single handedly. But Pongal 2011, I drove 450 kms through Nagapattinam, to meet our relative who was just married and yet, didnt feel tired.....Experience helps :)
Through out its tenure with us, it has withstood heavy rash driving from my side and some accidents too. One awesome incident was my brother hitting it in a median around 11.30 at night when our relative lady was hospitalized. It gave me an unique chance, that I stopped him from handling the car :) He is too angry with me I know, but this is a pleasure :)
The most useful day was when I had to take my ailing grandma from Thanjavur to chennai. When I was able to reach Thanjavur in whopping 4.30 hours, at a constant 120kmph through out the Trichy highway, without wobbling, the next day I could reach Chennai in around 5.30 hours. All without any discomfort to her, sitting in back seat. Till today, it has maintained its class in speed, mileage and driving comfort.
Three years went and it was handy in lot many ways...visiting hell lot of temples, very convenient trips to thanjavur and where not ? When my grandpa was ailing and was in his terminal months, many times he used this car, rather than his own Toyota Qualis and Tata Sumo, considering the comfort to enter and exit. It had become one member in our family to say. But as days went, he became weak. There were regular noises from the idler / belt, which didnt go well with us. Finally my father told, "Lets sell this!". Had expected this for almost a month, so i had already made my mind to part-ways with my "Chellam", to say in Prakashraj's style. I have disposed it off too :) It had a ready-taker which made me even more happy.
Thanks for everything buddy and wish you, that you have a better driver and curator than me :) and a long life too :) Hope to see you somewhere in a signal, on opposite lane; just like Madhavan - Reema sen in Minnale.....
"Poo pol Poo pol en nenjai koidhaval" - Chevy Spark.
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