It was a voluntary escapism.,as I took a flight to my second home Malaysia on 23/12/2009
It was a beautiful Wednesday morning.Unusually, the bumpy ride from Madurai to Tiruchi,turned out to be a joy drive.
We reached Tiruchi at 7.15 a.m, well in advance to the reporting time.After clearing the immigration formalities by answering few frivolous questions put forth by , the scrutinising officer “,when did you last came to India and through which port?”.The passport was in in his hands,with all the evidences in black and white. I wondered , why do they ask such irrelevant questions. I meekly ,keeping my face like a dumb idiot , answered.Satisfied , with my feigned ignorance, he affixed the stamp.
The flight was on time. Air Asia took off at 9.45 a.m. It was a simple flight with no frails and coquettishness..It gave the basic service. Food was served at cost. Beverages and snacks were also sold . The price was abnormally high. But ,as our flight was crowded with tourists who had brought with them young children, could not but buy the items at the cost quoted. If they gave a thought to the price, then their young ones would create a pandemonium in the flight. Air Asiaa would have scored on this sale.
Reaching Kualalumpur at 3.45 p.m, we got the immigration clearance in no time. We made our way to Concord Inn, near KLIA. Had a quick shower, and vegetarian Malay dinner. Waking up next day, early in the morning, we had a luxurious hot bath and a complimentary breakfast buffet. Then we rushed to Putra Jaya ,to the immigration office ,to get our second home visa extended for another 10 years.We submitted the application, but we had to furnish three more formalities to procure the approval.
Driving towards Teluk Intan, our home town in Malaysia ,we experienced the heat and rain at the same time. We got home for lunch.Made a quick preparation, as I have to do all my chores here ,unlike in India, where there are trained personals to take care of the house and cooking. After lunch , dozed off in my couch. There was no sign of any life around me. The phone did not ring, the clock did not chime, the buses did not hoot, there was no clatter of utensils, no loud mouthed aides around. It was silence, silence all the way.
I rose from my siesta. I took the receiver of the telephone. It was perfectly dumb. The clocks have stopped working,and there was neither buses in my road here.,nor domestic helpers to create a mess most times, or exact harmony at less times. It was only both of us , the husband and wife staring at each other,
Truly, Teluk Intan is my second home, far different from the first,Madurai, which hosted me ,still nestles me with love and affectionThe second one has given me a partial shelter, in my fifties, nurtures and protects me from the taunts and trials of my livlihood.It makes me more relevant , more appropriate and most meaningful.
Meenas Poems 