Getaway

I was very tired that evening. The washing of clothes gave my back a lot of pain and my shoulders a bit of strain. The dinner was heavy. I gulped in 6 chapattis with a dry brinjal-capsicum dish. By 11 pm I left my chair near the laptop and fell on my mattress.  

I was in deep sleep when something started to move. I tried opening my eyes and I could see the figure right above me. It was waving as if chanting some spell on me. My legs had grown cold because of the ceiling fan. I remembered switching off the fan before going to sleep but now it was running in full speed. The figure drew closer to my face and I could hardly move an inch.I felt it almost caressing my throat as my breathing morphed into panting like a sudden gear-shift. 

As I tried to reach the figure with my arms suddenly the image became clearer. And with a sudden gasp I regained my senses and recognized the terror. They were clothes hanging from the metal-strip on the door. I checked my mobile for the time. It was 2:53 AM.

It was around 5:30 in the evening. After negotiating the rate 15 of us, all boarded the boat enthusiastically. The anchored boat jerked as we adjusted ourselves on our wooden seats. I was seated near the bow. The rudder boy started the motor attached to the stern at the signal of the coxswain who stood on the opposite end in front of me.After navigating through a narrow passage between rows of rocks we suddenly realized the vast endlessness of the sea. All of us screamed and hooted as the boat motored along and this was all in merry spirits. But soon things were about to change. 

A strong wave dashed against the port-side and only a swift reaction from the experienced coxswain prevented the boat from toppling over. With the help of a long staff he steered the boat and saved us from falling into the unknown depths. The boat swayed left and right at the mercy of the sea. We rode a wave and then plunged into the trough and the cycle repeated. I was starting to panic and the life-jacket which I was wearing seemed just like some normal apparel to me now.

My care-free group members who had still not worn the life-jackets suddenly understood its necessity and we passed them a few which were lying in front portion of the boat. The coxswain asked us to move a row back for stability. A simple act of standing on the boat in the middle of a rough sea looked a very dangerous act now. Having shifted back things seemed to improve a bit. But another plunge into the trough drew out loud screams from us and this time the merry spirits had been replaced with the spirits of worry and impending doom. It felt we were riding a raging bull and could be thrown over any time.

The coxswain and the rudder boy seemed unperturbed. It was like a walk in the park from them. I was very scared and am never comfortable in the waters. The rocky shore-line almost 50 feet right of us seemed would be the resting place of a wrecked boat. The coxswain talked in Kannada with one of the senior group member. They discussed if we should return and finally decided to proceed as our destination, Kudle beach wasn’t very far. In-fact the ride from Kudle to Om beach had been a very pleasant one. We felt like we were boating on placid waters of a quaint lake.

But on our way back, the sea was raging probably aggravated by the full-moon and we were in a spot of bother. The office outing had turned into a big adventure of man trying to survive against the wrath of nature. The brave coxswain, our only hope stood tall and calm steering the boat against the powerful waves as our eyes longed for the shore. The swaying subsided as we turned towards Kudle beach and the waters appeared calmer that side. 

We were greeted by sheer relief after reaching the shore as the adrenaline-pump receded. The short trip had been one hell of a ride. Having survived the nerve-wracking boat-trip we felt like we had successfully managed a great escape. It was one of the most memorable events of the outing and I am glad that we can laugh about it now. 

P.S: Such was the scenario then that none of us were able to take any photos on that short trip from Om to Kudle beach despite carrying smart phones and cameras.

For the book-lovers the image would have given a fair bit of idea about the novels. To be self-critical I am still a beginner in reading who is still finding his way into the amazing world of novels. Coming back to nostalgia and romance, the term “Romance” does not always imply a typical boy-girl love-story but depicts the aesthetic and the rich emotional experience the stories create.

 I have a weakness for nostalgia and at times can’t stop myself from indulging in it.

As per Wikipedia, “The term nostalgia describes sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.”

The perfect nostalgia driven novel has to be “Norwegian Wood” by the legendary Haruki Murakami. This man’s writing is simply surreal and transcends you into the Murakami world where the real and fantasy merge seamlessly. Although Norwegian Wood contains almost zero   surreal elements, a feature of Murakami, the nostalgia and the love-story it speaks about is something which is disturbing in a unique way and manages to pull you in the dark and deep emotions of the protagonists Toru, Naoko and Midori. When Toru starts recalling his college days he starts understanding the real emotions Naoko had for him and how Midori saves him from losing himself. It’s a must-read for all the book lovers who want to taste the brilliance of Haruki Murakami.

Another beautiful story which makes you look into your childhood days is Khalid Hosseini’s masterpiece, “The Kite Runner”.  The friendship of Amir and Hassan is stuff of legends. Even the father-son relationship between Amir and Baba is portrayed very well. The pure emotions which Hosseini can generate are spell-binding and you can feel for war-torn Afghanistan in all of his novels. All his stories showcase that one can find hope even in the most difficult circumstances, and the power of love overpowers all boundaries and divisions. One choice can change the entire course of life.

The Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk has this amazing ability to weave politics, humane emotions and love-story in the gloomy ambience of “Snow”.  The snow covered Kars; a desolate far-away place disconnected from modern civilization puts Ka, the main protagonist oscillating between his childhood Turkey and the present day(as per the novel’s timeline) Istanbul which has undergone a massive change.  In the degrading state of Kars, Ka has the only chance of finding pieces of his childhood dreams and his hearts’ longings. I am yet to complete this book and it has kept me wanting for more.

What touches or influences you when you read fiction? It’s a very interesting area to explore. The magic of art lies in touching your innermost seat of emotions and is worth thinking about.