BAIL, JAIL, FEAR AND THE FANTA

Saranya Evangelin, (my elder sister,) not sibling but certainly more than that to me!

“I will be having morning duty in the next week.” She said while talking to me over the phone, “Shall we meet then?” she asked.

“When?” I asked her with an inexplicable anticipation.

“Any day!”

“Where?”

“In Beach railway station?” She suggested.

“Beach is the most comfortable place for me. But for you?” I asked.

“Yeah! For me too!” She continued, “That is where I get another bus to go home usually.”

“Okay then fix the date akka.” I pleaded

She paused for a while and said, “--- okay? “

“Okay Akka.” I replied.

We talked nearly for half an hour and hung up.

07-10-2014

Bangalore high court, listening to the bail plea of Ms J Jayalalitha and her co-culprits. It was the bail or jail situation for J Jayalalitha and her gang. At the same time, the whole Tamilnadu was waiting for the verdict.

She called me around 12:00 in the noon.

“Where are you Vinoth?”

“In the college, in the class.”

“Where are you Akka?” I asked.

“I am in the hospital.”

“You went?”

“Yeah! The duty will get over at 3:30 in the evening as usual.”

“Got any information regarding that bail?”

“My mom told that they didn’t conclude the argument.” She said.

“I will call you in the evening akka. If there is no violence we shall meet according to the plan. Otherwise please rush to the home.” I said and hung up.

The class got over around 1:30 pm. I moved to the canteen along with my classmates for having lunch.

We had lunch.

“What are you thinking Vinoth?” asked my friend Megha.

“Nothing Megha.” I replied.

She started chit chatting with my other friends about movies and so on. Meanwhile my mind was wobbling between past and the future.

-----

Our first meeting was held on September 17 2010 in SNPT college Near Puzhal jail. Both of us went as resource persons to conduct seminars to the students regarding personality development. Second one was held in Loyola College on June 30 2012. Third meeting was on her birthday 29^th August 2012 the day I called her “akka” for the first time. Earlier she was ma’am to me. Finally the fourth was on March 1 2014 our hostel day.

“It will be our fifth rendezvous (meeting) if she comes today.” I said to myself.

“The public prosecutor agreed to give her condition bail.” Said one of my classmates.

I sent her a message to call me after her work is over. She called me but I couldn’t attend.

I called her back.

“Where are you now?” she asked.

“I am in the college. Waiting for your word.”

“Any news?” she asked.

“I thought of asking the same.” I replied.

“I didn’t go out yet. So I don’t know what is happening outside.” She said.

“Okay akka make sure that there is no violence so that we can decide further.”

“Okay Vinoth I will call you again.” She said and hung up.

She called me again.

“Can you leave the college little later? Should you go home soon?” she called and asked.

“Why akka?”

“I will go to church and come.”

“Should we meet today?” I asked.

“Whatever happens let it happen.” She mustered the courage first and continued, “We will meet for sure. Come around 4:45 pm.”

I was bit scared though I was quite happy.

“If the court issues her bail they will use their power and will indulge in violence. If it doesn’t they will protest and go on rampage.” I said to myself.

I reached the Beach railway station and called her.

“Where are you akka?”

“Entering in to the station.”

“I am here near the fourth platform.”

“Where?” while walking, “Okay I found.” She said.

We met and shook hands by saying hi to each other.

“How long you are waiting?” she asked.

“I just came now.”

“Don’t tell lie.”

“Nope! Truly saying, just now only I came and called you. Here is the train.” I pointed the train.

“We go and sit somewhere.” She said and guided me to the bench.
“What do you eat?”

“I ate akka.”

“Don’t tell lie.”

“No! I drank.”

“What?”

“Tea, coffee and,”

“Both?”

“Yeah.” I said. Actually I drank neither of the two.

We were chit-chatting about fifteen minutes.

My father called.

“She was denied bail so come home quickly.”

“I am with Saranya akka in Beach railway station. I will come soon.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“Bail canceled!”

“I saw them celebrating while coming!” she said.

“I also heard as if she had got the bail, but my father says like this. It must be true akka.” I said and called my friend Mahesh to confirm.

“They gave and canceled the bail.” He said and hung up.

“Akka better you leave.” I said to her after explaining the situation.

“Why? Your train is 5:30 right? I will go.”

“5:40 direct train. I will catch this 5:20 siding and get down somewhere in the middle to get another train. But you have to take bus so please leave. If they are stopped then…”

All of a sudden a menacing horn sound came from the train and scared us.

“Amma!” She softly uttered out of fear. I also did the same.

“Akka, leave. You have to go by bus.”

“Nothing will happen I leave after you get in to the train which comes at 5:40.”

“Understand.” I stressed.

“No! You will get down in the middle if you go by this train. We will wait.”

“Okay akka, I am not getting down in the middle and call my father to pick me up in Avadi. Is it okay for you?”

“Don’t tell lie. You won’t.” she said.

“Believe me I do what I say.” I justified my second prevarication.

“Let me buy something for you. You eat while traveling.”

“No need.”

“Be here and don’t go anywhere.” She said and went to get me something.

She came back with a cover and a bottle.

“Do you take Fanta?” she asked and putting the snacks in my bag.

“Yeah akka.” I nodded.

“Drink it before the chilliness goes.”

“We shall go akka. We have only three minutes.”

“Both of us mobiles show the same time! Not even a minute difference!” she said and guided me to the fifth platform where the train was standing.

Neither of us wanted to leave the place for we had met for the first time personally. I wanted to spend more time with her since the following day was nonworking day for her.

But at that time, nothing was in our hands. She left me in the train and said

“Go inside and sit.”

“I will go akka.”

“Go.”

“I’ll go.” I said while reclining on the wall.

“Bye Vinoth. Send me message when you reach. Ask your father to come to pick up you while getting down in Avadi and don’t get down anywhere in the middle.”

“Okay akka.” I nodded, “bye. Call me when you get the bus.” I replied.

She called me after five minutes and told that she had got the bus and also asked me whether I was sitting or not. I told her that I was sitting. Obviously it was my third prevarication.

“The train is still here akka.”

“Why? The three minutes were not out to that train?” She teased.

I snickered, “It will depart.”

I hung up the call and called my brother. He said that he was in Villivakkam. I asked him to stay there for joining him.

I was very happy for the rejection of the bail plea. My mind was appreciating the special court justice Mr. John Michael T Cunha for his historic verdict and refusing 500 crore. Simultaneously it felt pity and got angry on those virulent cadres who are foolishly supporting the criminals like Jayalalitha.

I got down in Villivakkam and joined my brother. Fortunately my second prevarication became fact.

I opened my bag and took the snacks out.

“What is this? When did you buy?” my brother asked.

“Saranya akka bought for me.”

“Did you meet her?”

“Yeah! It should have been a happy meeting but this bail issue made little worse.”

We started with Samosas then proceeded to Unibic biscuits and Britannia cakes. Finally I opened the Fanta bottle.

“Has she reached home?” he asked.

“No she is traveling still.” I said and started drinking.

Along with orange, salt, sugar and water; the Fanta contained some fear at that time.