The Story of A Cell Phone - II.......... AGAIN?

If you haven't read Part 1, go read now. CLICK HERE

Time: 7 p.m
Place: Sardar Patel Road
Event: Revisiting Disaster (?)


"Get two packets of Thaayar Dosa Maavu". I feel a chill down my spine as the events of that fateful day unfolded in my mind as I heard the words. I jerk out of it and came to my senses. I look at the time. Seven. The exact same time as then. And the chill in me increased even more when I feel I have the urge to get some library books. The tiny bit of my mind which spoke sense is the only thing that keeps me sane. I am handed a thousand rupee note to get the change. I stare at it in terror. I cannot be trusted. I could lose it the moment it touches my hand. Yet, I keep it inside my purse. The little part of my mind called sense was driving me, maddening the paranoid part.  I choose to wear a pants with the deepest and strongest pockets. I wouldn't do mistakes again. Or so I thought. I am asked to take my cellphone. Another spare one, which I haven't lost...... yet. I foresee disaster




 I put that and the purse deep inside the pockets and place my hands on them. I Will Not Lose It Again. I move out. I walk towards the main road thinking of nothing but my cell phone. A little child, no more than three, stared so very omen-ishly at me. My paranoid self freaked. Half of me wants to go back. But half of me wants to go on for the want of novels and for the simple fact that I will be thrown out of the house if I go back and tell my parents the reason I hadn't gotten it. I move on. I see the traffic signal timer counting down - 10....9..... 8..... My ultimate impatience momentarily destroys the paranoid part in me as I begin to run. The idea of waiting for hundred whole seconds if I miss this signal provoked the lazy and impatient self to take over. I run across the road. As I come to a halt on the other side of the road,  I feel the paranoid part extinguishing every other self I had in milliseconds. I am too terrified even to check my pocket for the cell phone. But when I do so, the electric surge of relief I experience as I feel the plastic and the metal is ultimate and inexplicable. My old paranoia returns. I could still lose the cell phone. I look up a the skies. It is overcast. The events happening are shockingly similar.


For the sake of containing my paranoia I decide to change the order of events. I decide to get the Maavu first and the books next. (I know :P How brainy :P ) As I walk towards the store, I see the same people I saw. The very same shopkeepers. Paranoia. Paranoia. I barely hear my sane self screaming:- Oh What The Hell? All the shopkeepers should have changed now then? Just Get On With It.!  Yet, I remain paranoid. I see everyone with suspicion. I enter the store. I get the maavu and leave. So far so good. I could still lose the cell phone. 
I enter the library. And, there, totally unexpectedly, stood a teacher bending over the Agatha Christie section. My paranoia wears out just a bit to allow this question in mind - "This person can read books?!". It so happens that the books I want are near where she is. And I have absolutely no intention of running into that person. I scurry into another corner and wait. The library guy stares at me suspiciously. :| Don't worry old guy, I have no intention of stealing your precious Sidney Sheldon. The teacher leaves. I get my books and leave. Thankfully, now,   things have speeded up a bit and the paranoia is wearing out as I check my pocket for the cell phone and its still there. I reach home. Before I do anything I take out the cell phone and the money and put them safely in the cupboard. I relax. Wait. Its Over? I actually made it? Woohooo. I still have my dabba cell phone.

Few seconds later, I find myself being blasted for buying a Rava Dosa Maavu instead of plain Maavu. :|