Apologies

Hello People (i.e if there are still people who come to this blog for updates)

Pressing family commitments (interpret it whatever way you want to, I don't care :) )and Depressing professional commitments has made me put Appan and his would be Vallikannu on the backburner.Yeah, the only progress I have made so far on the story front is give my heroine a name. Not an easy job you know considering the number of options that I had, so, it took me a while to decide between Muthukaruppi,Kannathal and Valli Kannu. Anyway, I promise the next part will definitely be worth your precious time. For the uninitiated, this blog is read by some really important people (Dr's.,consultants, future novelists, budding entrepreneurs, traveling linguists and Engineers). So please give me 10 days to sort out some really unimportant things in my life before I start with some really important happenings in Appan's life.

Thanks and Regards
Kumar Alagappan

Mere sapno ki rani kab aayegi thu- A prologue

Appan scribbled “Nothing Happened” signed his name on the log book and walked out of the control room. The job of a maintenance engineer at Neyveli Lignite Corporation was seemingly simple when all the German boilers and English steam turbines were at peace with their Indian operating conditions. It was close to 10 pm as Appan walked towards the cycle stand. He was singing “May-ray sappu nokki raani kabbu aa-yay-gee thoo” as best as any Tamilian could. Burman’s latest hit from Aradhana made the entire nation (even the non-hindi speakers) join in chorus when it played on the radio.

Just as Appan was about to get on his Hercules, he saw his favourite security guard, Govindsamy, motioning him to come to his desk.

Guard: “Saar, please sign against your name and collect your mail.”

Appan (in a surprised tone): “Can’t be possible. Is my name written on the cover? ”

The only people who ever wrote letters to Appan was his cousin Chandru and his mother. To his knowledge he has never mentioned his office address to either of them. They usually mailed their letters to his house address.

Guard (looking at the cover): “Yes. If your name starts with A and ends with N, with a couple of Ps and an A thrown in between, then I am indeed fortunate to be among the 30 percent of literates to grace our country.”

Appan (signing his name with an irritated look on his face): “Thanks, nice to know that I am working with people who can read”

Appan snatched the letter away from the guards hands and flipped the cover to look at the “from” address. Appan saw his fathers name written on it. Appan couldn’t remember the last time his dad wrote him a letter.

Guard: “ Has there been a death in…. ”

Appan shot a nasty look at the guard which made him shut his mouth before he could complete his sentence. Appan opened the letter to see 2 lines of his dads handwriting, which over the years had regressed to doctor-esque proportions. Appan, after deciphering his dads letter, crumpled it and threw it into the dustbin adjacent to the guard’s table and furiously cycled away home.

The guard walked towards the dustbin, looked over his shoulders, before bending down to shamelessly pick up the crumpled letter.

It read:

--------------------------Annamalaiar Thunai-------------------------------------
23rd July, 1970

Appan,
Your engagement with Kathiresan Chettiar’s daughter has been fixed on the 12th of August. Your mother would like you to reach home on the 10th of August. Plan your trip accordingly.

Jai Hind,
Retd. Col. AL. Nagappan

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was a faint smile on the guards face as he deposited the letter back to the dustbin. Mohammad Rafi started singing “Mere sapno ki rani kab aayegi thu” in his magical voice on the guards pocket transistor.

(to be continued)