HEMA BUYS BANANA FRUIT

The expedition to Nagercoil behind her, Hema had gone on with her life in the usual fashion.  Ramu was not exactly amused by her escapade. He could not pardon her for her failure to look after Manish. Ramu, however, did not have the time to argue it out with Hema as he had been terribly busy with a few shipments where even day’s delay would have meant loss in millions.

It was a shock to Hema when the maid had casually announced on a Saturday that she would be unavailable on the following Sunday and Monday as she had to take her mother to the hospital. The culinary expertise of Hema had always been a matter of concern for Ramu. The family of four had been surviving solely on the food prepared by the maid. Hema was aware of the personal views of Ramu on her capabilities.

Hema decided that it was the right moment for asserting herself. She said she was going to do all the cooking at home in the absence of the maid. She had worked out a menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the two days. It was to be Puttu – Rice Cake – for breakfast with steamed Banana (ripe) –Ethakay – as side dish on Saturday.

Hema ventured out on that Friday to withdraw cash from her bank to purchase daily necessities for her self imposed assignment as the Chef.  Unfortunately her car had a flat tyre. She left the car in garage and took a bus to Palayam. Manish accompanied her. She withdrew Rs.3000.00 from the Bank. The purchases were made from the adjacent Connemara Market. The jute bag was overflowing. She thought it would be a good idea to keep the purse with cash– around Rs.2400.00 – deep inside the jute bag to outwit the pickpockets who frequent the buses in the city.

City buses are always crowded. It was half an hour’s ride to her place from Palayam. It meant half an hour of torture as she had to stand holding the Jute Bag and Manish with one hand and hold on to the iron bar tight as the bus went on its way. Hema did not realize  she had boarded an inter-state bus. She pleaded with a passenger who was lucky enough to manage a seat to hold her bag. The passenger had agreed with reluctance.

The conductor called out ‘Arasummoodu’. It shook Hema out of the reverie. She managed to get down from the bus with Manish even as the bell alerted the driver to proceed.  As the bus sped on it dawned on Hema that she had left the jute bag in the bus. She had to retrieve it.

Hema hired an autoricksha to go after the bus. She urged the driver to drive fast and catch up with the bus. Hema to her horror understood at last that it was futile to try to overtake the bus in an autoricksha after the chase went on for fifteen minutes. She asked the driver to turn back and take them to her house. The chase had cost her Rs.150.00.

At home, Ramu listened patiently to the misadventure. The next day Ramu with Hema called at the lost and found counter of the transport corporation. He was not hopeful that they would get back what had been lost. It was a pleasant surprise when they saw the jute bag at the counter. Another surprise was in store. The cash was intact. The person with whom Hema had entrusted the bag had handed it over to the conductor as he had alighted. He had stated that the lady who had entrusted it with him did not retrieve it.