182. Another Cousin Reminiscences

In the last blog, my brother and myself were heading to this cousins’ place only😊!! 

He is a year older than me and was born on the same day as my friend, Dukku!  And for some time period, his house too was in the neighbourhood of Dukku!!  He shifted to Hyderabad around 2000 and I too followed him to Hyderabad, about a year later😊!!   There are some incidents that have stayed in my memory concerning him and his wife, that I am sharing below😊!!

In 1997, his wife was admitted to a hospital for delivery.  I was at home that day and had not gone to office. Don’t remember the reason why😊!  In the morning, I got a call from him stating that I need to come to hospital as his wife needed blood for the surgery.  At that time, I was staying in Naraina Vihar.  The bus stop was on Ring Road and about a 10-minute walk from my home.  The hospital was also on Ring Road and about half an hour bus-ride from the Naraina Ring Road stop.  I walked to the bus stop, caught the bus and arrived at the hospital.  He was standing outside the hospital itself.  He told me that the blood is not required now and the doctor said everything is fine.

So, I came back home, after catching the bus back and another 10-minute walk from the bus stop.  As soon as I reached home, my mother informed me that I need to go to the hospital again to give blood. I told her that my cousin had told me that it is not required.  She said, she had got a call from him just a few minutes back and I need to go again.  So, again, after the 10-minute walk to Ring Road and catching a bus, I reached the hospital.  My cousin confirmed that the doctor had indeed asked for the blood to be donated.  I donated the blood and came back.  If I had waited at the hospital, the first time, for about half an hour, I would have saved the 2^nd trip😊!!

Once during Hyderabad rains, there was a function that my cousin’s wife was attending with her relatives/friends, near their house.  They had a Maruti Alto that time.  Due to the rains, the roads were filled with water and potholes.  Coincidentally, I was also present at their house that time.  I was driving a Wagon-R that time.   The ground clearance of Wagon-R was much higher than Alto.  So, I was called upon to ferry her and her relatives/friends to bring them back home from the function venue.  I did 2 trips with about a total of 14-15 people😊.  When I protested to my cousin’s wife that the vehicle was a 5-seater, she said it is only for a 5-minute drive and nothing will happen to my car😊.   Incidentally, when my cousin purchased his next car, it was a Wagon-R😊!!

We used to go out for outings to places near Hyderabad regularly, with family.  Once we had gone to Sanghi temple which was on a highway.  My cousin and his wife, and me and my wife had gone there in my car, which was Honda City.  During the return, my cousin’s wife asked me if she can drive the car for some distance.  She knew driving and was sometimes driving their car.   I asked my cousin if I can let her drive as I wanted his confirmation that she can drive properly😊.  My cousin told me that it was my car and I have to decide and he cannot help me😊!!  Since they both were elder to me, I couldn’t say no and gave the car to her to drive. 

She started driving on the highway.  Since it was early morning, the roads were somewhat empty.  I was sitting on the passenger seat, next to the driving seat and my cousin and my wife were sitting behind.  While she was driving, my cousin and myself, both were giving instructions to his wife as to how to drive.  Look, there is a cycle, there is a scooter coming from behind, be on the left side of the road, look at the back mirror… and so on.  She calmly listened to us for some time and then with a sudden brake, she stopped the car on the middle of the main road😊!  She switched off the car, got out of the car and told me to drive the car myself.  She said she did not want to drive the car😊.  Luckily, there was no traffic behind and we were safe.  My cousin and me looked sheepishly at each other and I drove back😊!!

Cheers till next time!

Today’s Observation

The fellow whose problems are all behind him is probably a school bus driver! 😊