1.My First 'Foreign' Trip

 My First 'Foreign' Trip 🌍

I was born in Mankombu, a village in the.Kuttanad taluk of Alappuzha district, and I studied there until S.S.L.C. Up tothe ninth grade, the farthest I had ever ventured from home was with my fatherto see the Mullakkal Chirappu festival in Alappuzha or to watch Kathakaliin Ambalappuzha or Nedumudi. My father was always by my side; I had never left Mankombu on my own.

This was the time when a road was built in our area for the very first time. Before then, we children had only ever travelled in small and large boats—occasionally a line boat or a small one for a wedding. Bus travel was an entirely new experience.

The Alappuzha-Changanassery road, which profoundly changed the face of Kuttanad, runs right through the taluk. This road significantly reduced the distance between Changanassery and Alappuzha and was inaugurated in 1957. It was constructed by digging soil from the paddy fields, and because it passes through the middle of the fields, it remains one of the few roads in Kerala that has no twists or turns. It appears this may also have been the first inauguration by E.M.S. Namboodiripad, the Chief Minister of the first democratically elected Communist ministry.

We children would somehow manage to save the meager bus fare of two annas (12 paise) and travel from Mankombu to Nedumudi, the nearest bus point. Sometimes, we only had enough money for a one-way ticket, so we'd walk back home. Initially, riding the bus felt as exciting as going to the cinema.

And so, I got the opportunity for a long journey.

My elder brother had passed his B.A. Honours and joined St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry, as an English teacher. I needed to go to his workplace urgentlyto deliver an important document. This was my first long bus trip, following the route from Mankombu to Changanassery, then Changanassery to Thiruvalla, and finally, Thiruvalla to Kozhencherry. Since my father was away on duty, I had to go alone. Someone had explained the route in detail, right down to the KSRTC bus stand in Thiruvalla and the S.C. junction.

However, one major concern weighed on my mind: Should I buy a half ticket or a full ticket? My mother had told me to ask the conductor if a half ticket would be sufficient. I was a bit tall, my mustache was just beginning to sprout, and I was still wearing half-trousers instead of a dhothi. I was right on the age line between a half and a full fare, so I decided to try my luck.

I boarded the buses from Mankombu to Changanasseryand from Changanassery to Thiruvalla without any major problems and successfully got a half ticket. But when I asked for one on the Thiruvalla-Kozhencherry private bus, the conductor hesitated.

Then, an old man sitting behind me chimed in with a sarcastic comment: "Wasn't this guy's betrothal yesterday? A half-ticket for a young man who's about to tie the knot?"

I instantly broke into a sweat. It was my first experience of being publicly teased like that. In any case, I walked into Kozhencherry town, reached St. Thomas College, met my elder brother, and handed him the document. I happily ate my first meal at the St. Thomas College canteen—meat included—and then returned home.

Even today, that old man's sarcastic comment still rings in my ears