Fly On
If we're close, you would've probably heard this story, and every time I say it, I relive those moments.
So tonight, last year, I was returning from Hampi - my first solo trip.
I stayed at this little guest house on the other side of the Tungabhadra river. I boarded a bus that had to drop me off mid-way from where I had to take another bus to Hosapete.
Now, the bus was almost empty, with just me being the only woman on board. The conductor politely asked when I had to get off, and I told him the mid-way bus stop (ignore my ignorance, I don't remember the place). He looked at me like I said something wrong. He asked if I was alone and where I was going. Being a little intimidated, I was extra cautious about giving away my details; I said my friend is waiting for me at Hosapete and have a relative at Hampi. (Yes, that's exactly what I said)
He smiled and looked at a passenger. They spoke in Kannada. "She's saying she has to get down at this place" "oh, there are no buses that side, right" "poor girl, she's alone." I figured that they were trying to help me out.
You should know that the time is 7:40PM. The bus is moving through a narrow path with empty fields on both sides. There isn't a single streetlight on the road. It's just me with a bunch of strangers (men) on the bus.
My mind flashed to all the horrifying stories I've heard since childhood. I was scared. I felt vulnerable.
The driver now spoke to me. He said, "Look ma, (very fatherly) the place you are getting off at wouldn't have any connecting buses. Buses at this hour don't really stop there. It's good if you go to the main stand and take a direct bus to Hosapete. That's better."
Although I didn't know these men, my instincts said: "listen to them."
The bus passed through the mid-way stop I was talking about earlier. There was no sign of humans, nor was it well lit. You could hardly tell if that was even a bus stop. The conductor said, "see, the stop is empty; buses don't usually stop here at this time."
I faintly smiled.
The bus moved ahead. I was too tired but afraid to doze off. In 20mins, I was at this bustling bus stand. The driver pointed out to a bus and said: "that goes to Hosapete, go run." The bus was about to leave, so I smiled and ran towards the bus. I looked back at the driver and conductor and gave a wide smile.
This main bus stand was in the opposite direction of Hosapete. So you know I've to go back the same way I came, just that from the mid-way stop, the bus would take a diversion. I still had a chance to see if this bus would stop there and if these men were lying to (I don't know why, because it made no sense now) As I sat on the bus. I was recollecting every conversation I had with those men on the bus and why they were asking me to go to the main bus stand. After about 30mins the bus passed through the mid-way bus stop, and guess what, it didn't stop. I thought it's because there wouldn't be anyone to get off or board the bus, so I looked out.
What I saw still makes me think of all adverse situations and everything that could've gone wrong at that point in my life.
I saw a few men, drunk and smoking. They were singing at the top of their voices, like psychopaths. You might think I'm judgemental here, but tell me this. What do you think could've happened to me that night if I got off at that secluded mid-way bus stop and these drunk men saw me waiting for a bus all alone in the middle of the night at around 8PM? I'll leave that to you.
I'm so grateful for men like the driver and the conductor and every co-passenger who said I had to take a bus from the main bus stand. I've always thought my Grandma made up stories about guardian angels, but at that moment, I felt that they were all true. Guardian angels aren't celestial; they are amongst us. They show up at the right time, and all you need to do is believe.
Listening to Fly On by Coldplay...
I stayed at this little guest house on the other side of the Tungabhadra river. I boarded a bus that had to drop me off mid-way from where I had to take another bus to Hosapete.
Now, the bus was almost empty, with just me being the only woman on board. The conductor politely asked when I had to get off, and I told him the mid-way bus stop (ignore my ignorance, I don't remember the place). He looked at me like I said something wrong. He asked if I was alone and where I was going. Being a little intimidated, I was extra cautious about giving away my details; I said my friend is waiting for me at Hosapete and have a relative at Hampi. (Yes, that's exactly what I said)
He smiled and looked at a passenger. They spoke in Kannada. "She's saying she has to get down at this place" "oh, there are no buses that side, right" "poor girl, she's alone." I figured that they were trying to help me out.
You should know that the time is 7:40PM. The bus is moving through a narrow path with empty fields on both sides. There isn't a single streetlight on the road. It's just me with a bunch of strangers (men) on the bus.
My mind flashed to all the horrifying stories I've heard since childhood. I was scared. I felt vulnerable.
The driver now spoke to me. He said, "Look ma, (very fatherly) the place you are getting off at wouldn't have any connecting buses. Buses at this hour don't really stop there. It's good if you go to the main stand and take a direct bus to Hosapete. That's better."
Although I didn't know these men, my instincts said: "listen to them."
The bus passed through the mid-way stop I was talking about earlier. There was no sign of humans, nor was it well lit. You could hardly tell if that was even a bus stop. The conductor said, "see, the stop is empty; buses don't usually stop here at this time."
I faintly smiled.
The bus moved ahead. I was too tired but afraid to doze off. In 20mins, I was at this bustling bus stand. The driver pointed out to a bus and said: "that goes to Hosapete, go run." The bus was about to leave, so I smiled and ran towards the bus. I looked back at the driver and conductor and gave a wide smile.
This main bus stand was in the opposite direction of Hosapete. So you know I've to go back the same way I came, just that from the mid-way stop, the bus would take a diversion. I still had a chance to see if this bus would stop there and if these men were lying to (I don't know why, because it made no sense now) As I sat on the bus. I was recollecting every conversation I had with those men on the bus and why they were asking me to go to the main bus stand. After about 30mins the bus passed through the mid-way bus stop, and guess what, it didn't stop. I thought it's because there wouldn't be anyone to get off or board the bus, so I looked out.
What I saw still makes me think of all adverse situations and everything that could've gone wrong at that point in my life.
I saw a few men, drunk and smoking. They were singing at the top of their voices, like psychopaths. You might think I'm judgemental here, but tell me this. What do you think could've happened to me that night if I got off at that secluded mid-way bus stop and these drunk men saw me waiting for a bus all alone in the middle of the night at around 8PM? I'll leave that to you.
I'm so grateful for men like the driver and the conductor and every co-passenger who said I had to take a bus from the main bus stand. I've always thought my Grandma made up stories about guardian angels, but at that moment, I felt that they were all true. Guardian angels aren't celestial; they are amongst us. They show up at the right time, and all you need to do is believe.
Listening to Fly On by Coldplay...
Comments
Post a Comment