Black Magic??.

I have all the reasons to believe that some one was doing black magic on me (or may be still doing). Wiki defines black magic as 

Black magic or dark magic is a form of sorcery that draws on malevolent powers. It may be used for dark purposes or malevolent acts that deliberately cause harm in some way. It is alternatively spelt with a 'k' (magick). This term is also known as the dark arts of magic and dark side magic.

You can find more about it here.  

So here is what happened. I had Five Punctures (all on my bike's BIG FAT back wheel) in less than four days, followed by two more in as many weeks that followed. Each and every picture was similar; a small nail was the destructor.

  Day 1(Wednesday) Morning: I was in a hurry to go office for an Important meeting, I had to go to Tippasandra for a small work(drop cheque) and then head to office, I reached ATM at 9am, dropped the cheque and was heading office, and that was the time for first puncture (after almost an year). I have this Rescue membership(24 hrs break down assistance), to which I thought, I will give a call, only to realize that the membership had expired, I had paid 365 bucks for the membership for one year and had used it only once. Luckily I found a mechanic just yards away, Got the bike fixed and went to office in time,

  Day 2(Thursday) Morning: I wanted to go to office early as I had to leave office early that day. I went to basement parking of my apartment to find a flat tyre on my bike, by then (luckily) I had renewed my Rescue membership for another one year. I called them up; the mechanic arrived in about 15 minutes and fixed the bike. Previous day the mechanic who did my first puncture had told me to change the tube next time it goes flat. So this time I changed the Tube and hoped the things to be fine. I reached office 1 hour later than expected time.

  Day 2(Thursday) Evening: I was at home with my Friend, and we decided to go out for dinner, to a place close to my Apartment. On the way I got a call from my friend and I had to reach BTM and it was urgent. I was low on fuel; I went to Shell petrol bunk on Old madras road and took off to BTM, 500 meters into the ride, Boom!, it was time for Third puncture, and at a time when I was in a hurry. To my luck, I found an Auto guy who agreed to take me to BTM and drop me back to old madras road and best part is he did not demand any extra money; He just put the meter! and that too at around 10:30PM. On the Way I called up my friend and the Rescue guy and asked them to co-ordinate and get the bike fixed, I was back in an hour’s time and by them the bike was fixed.

Day 3(Friday): All was fine. And I thought three punctures in two days was too much to be happening to anyone.

Day 4(Saturday) Morning: I had to go to my new house site for some documents signing and I came to basement of my apartment to find a flat tyre again. By then I was wondering (yeah, you all can think what all I could have been wondering about). It was time to call the Rescue guys again, called them, got it fixed, went to site, finished my work and went to office for some urgent issue (yeah, urgent issues are always on a Saturday!). I finished the stuff around 4 and went to BDA complex for a small snack. I came back all tired to go home and Boom! Time for fifth Puncture. In one whole previous year, I did not use the Rescue card for any emergency as much as I did in last three days. Phew.

I decided then that I will write about it, but only after this thing (If I have to call it Black Magic) stops.

This was about three weeks back, after that I had two more punctures and totally 5 punctures on my new tube and the new tube is due for a change in another 2 or three punctures.

I have waited enough for this crazy ride to stop, but it has not, so I am going ahead and posting this, May be everything will be normal after this. 

Ragi Muddhe with Chicken Curry

Saturday morning, I woke up early (as always) at 6:53AM, My maid, she always comes early on week-ends!
After a dull morning, I messaged Satish, Pooh and San, if they want to join me for Rotti oota(North Karnatak Cuisine lunch) at one of my favorite places in Bangalore, Amruta Restaurant. After two hour's of waiting, no one replied back :(. So I decided I will go alone this time.

As I reach to the my bike in the basement, I realized for some reason, I did not feel like taking the bike out that day, I decided I will use public transport instead. I walked upto the C V Raman Nagar bus stop and to my surprise I find the Rupee one Volvo bus again!. WOW, Awesome. It looked as if bus was waiting for me, I  just got into and it started to move!

As the bus neared the Lido mall, My phone rang and it was Satish, he said he and Pooh will be joining for lunch, Yipeeeee! :), I was not alone anymore for my favorite lunch.

After about an hour of ride, I finally reached the place, waited patiently for Pooh and Satish to turn up, they finally did, and we had a nice lunch.

We started walking back to the bus stand, when all of a sudden, we started talking about favorite dishes etc and then I happened to say Ragi muddhe and chicken curry happens to be my favorite dish and Pooh was quick enough to say that her mom prepares awesome muddhe and chiken curry, and she also prmoised me that she and her mom will cook my favorite combo meal some day.

Some time late in the day, I was chatting with Pooh on gamil chat, and she asked me if I was free on Sunday(the next day), when I asked what for?, she told me that we all are going to have Ragi muddhe the very next day!. I was so happy. You made my Day! Pooh. After that it was all about waiting for lunch time on Sunday.

Sunday afternoon 1PM, Pooh and Satish landed at my place with Ragi muddhe and Chicken Curry. We all enjoyed the lunch.

What a lunch I had that day. Thanks to Pooh and her mom, I got to eat one of my favorite combo meal, Home cooked Ragi muddhe(Ragi Balls) with chicken curry. It was yummy.
Now, I need more of it, and more often :). And best part is I know who to ask for :)

My little story about the Re.1 Volvo Travel in Bangalore

Finally I get down to blog, Lets see if I will be able to and for how long.

A small story, but it made my day after a very bad second half yesterday and a bad start to the morning today because of some phone call with someone.

My bike was giving me lot of issues and today morning I decided I will drop it off at a service station, I went to the service station told him all the problems abt the bike and then I thought I will take an auto to office, but first I thought I will wait for bus for 5 minutes, instead of paying lots for the auto. waited for 7 minutes, no Bus and stopped an Auto.

Me: C V Raman nagar ge barthira?

[will you come to C V Raman nagar?]

Auto Guy; C V Raman Nagar nalli elli sir?

[Where in C V Raman Nagar?]

I am saying to myself now, if I say Bagmane tech park, I knew he would ask, no actually demand lots from me. after a three seconds halt and thought, I told him.

Me: Sir, Bagmane tech park sir.

Auto Guy: 50 rupees sir.

What the **, 50 bucks to travel from tippasandra to office(max 2 KM). I got wild.

Me: Agalla, 20 rupees kodthini,

Some argument began, went on for a minute or so, I was not in a great mood, either, before I lost my temper, I was delighted to see a Vayu Vajra(Volvo) and it was promotional day and they were asking for just Re.1 to travel anywhere. I got that smile on my face,

Auto Guy: Ok, aythu, Final yestu kodthira,

[Ok, fine how much will you give me]

Me: One rupee, I showed him the one buck coin in my hand.

His face was worth looking at, before he could say anything more, I told.

Me: Nodi, nimma rear view mirror nodi

{just see at your rear view mirror]

I walked off from that place with some satisfaction towards a brighter day,

hopped on to the bus, was surprised to find a place to sit, Its One buck and its not crowded, I could not believe, took the ticket and sat down for a small Volvo ride.

At the next stop there was interesting thing waiting to happen,

 The bus stopped and some more ppl got in, there was this ajji(Grandma) starring at the bus and not feeling great about it.

Driver: Ba Ajji, elli hogabeku?

[Come inside, where you want to go?]

Ajji: C V Raman nagar, ninna bus bedappa, 15 rupees kelthiya ninu.

[C V Raman Nagar, No thanks, you charge 15 rupees]

Driver: Ninu ba ajji, bari ondhu rupayee kodu.

[Come, its Ok, You just give me one rupee]

 Oh Man, The sweetness, the child face on ajji was evident, she was so happy and came and sat in the bus. It was moment worth capturing.

Conductor: Kodu, 15 rupees kodu,

[Give 15 bucks]

Ajji: hun?, le, one rupee ashte, driver heliddhu.

[Hun? Driver told me its just one rupee]

Conductor: kuthkondre, 15 rupee, ninthkondre mathra, one rupee.

[If you sit, 15 bucks, stand, one rupee only]

She was stunned for a moment and then whole bus went to laughter, Now, how often do you get to see this in a public transport,

What followed was quite a laughter moment, Conductor in great mood. ppl on bus in a great mood. Ajji exchanging some jokes with others on the bus abt the driver, conductor and the bus, then laughter was seen outside the bus too, at the C V R Junction with a traffic police.

Traffic police to the Driver, Enappa, bari ondhu rupee,

{so, only one rupee hun?]

Driver: Howdu sir, Nevu banni, nimma pulsar gintha chennagide.

[Yeah, You too come in, its better than your Pulsar!]

Both laugh! And then after another 2 minutes ride, Most of the bus was empty, 90% ppl got off at Bagmane Tech Park.

 Person1: I fell so nice, I saved 39 bucks on fuel today, instead of 40 rupees that I spend one way, every day, this is much better. 20 bucks (the normal fair for Volvo for the distance he travels) isn't bad at all. This is good alternative to bike ride, I am not at all tired today, and may be I will be better productive at office today.

 

Then I said to myself, May be the one rupee thing/idea of the transport minister just has become a Super hit. May be, May be not, lets hope for the best.

 

What a day, 12th September, 2008. It made me finally write, I wrote once before, not officially on a blog, Whatever I wrote, it will be in here soon, and it was abt my trip to US, Which I wanted to share with all, Now I feel like writing, no matter who reads it, and how many reads them.

 

Sweet ajji, you made my day, and changed something today!.

I will cherish this day.

P.S: Grammar mistakes will surely improve, I am learning! Finally!