Week off to a good start

            Having feasted on sleep the whole day, I could finally appreciate wife’s concerns about heat and mosquitoes during the night. I was up before the alarm went off and Biscuit was waiting for the call. Spinning session was tolerable with alternating breeze and slaps keeping the mosquitoes at bay. Leaving behind a cup of tea brewing, Biscuit and I started off at 3 AM to lord over all we survey.

            There seemed to be some emergency with the murder of crows screaming bloody murder. Biscuit either did not get their language and it was not something important enough. So, like the Bangalore crowd which walked past the girl being manhandled by her policeman father and silent accomplice of a mother, we decided to treat it as their family matter. Something sure was afoot today as Biscuit refused to walk along Cooum (no it was not the stench, both of us have got acclimatized to it by now!). I took him to other part of the colony risking Tiggy’s (a fierce Rottweiler who guards his block even if chained and on the balcony of the first floor!) barks amidst clanking of chains. I have a fear that one day his parents would forget to chain him and he would jump out to settle scores with Biscuit. Biscuit also tried to test the alertness of the guard from outside the DRM’s residence, even though the guard had old Tamil songs blaring from his mobile to display his wakefulness. I had to intervene to avoid a diplomatic coup in the wee hours.

            Shanmugam (our milk distributor!) was hard at work apportioning the milk of his kindness and distributing the wrath of the holy cows. The policemen and the guard outside the Diva showroom were dozing secure in the thought that the mannequins were fully dressed and would not attract any untoward attention from the darker (is this the opposite of the fairer?) sex. Our share of milk had not reached when I left. I was at the gates at 4:05 AM. It’s always a nice feeling to have a few extra minutes at the start as it means I could linger over my run and not tyrannized by my watch!

            In addition to the usual quota of banana peels, the cows were in for a treat as my wife had instructed me to carry some sweet and savoury made for the festival the previous day (mind you it is not the disposal of the leftover, but, few pieces kept for them as prescribed in the books!). Shortly into the run, I guessed the reason for the crows’ commotion in the morning, a dead crow lying in the middle of the road. They surely believe in sticking together in thick and in thin!

            Going by the level of stickiness I had accumulated by the time I reached the strip tease point, today was better than my Saturday outing. Thank God for small mercies. The person sleeping on the footpath outside the Petrol bunk was swathed in a mosquito net, his canine friend was nowhere to be seen. Must be out to catch the early worm! It was pleasant for sometime while the wind evaporated the sweat off my body. I acknowledged the guards outside the swank hotels on the road. The median was looking happy with the plants (planted by Corporation employees a few weeks back) having struck root. Overflowing water on the road from the careless watering operation by the water lorry ahead was nice on the soles.

            I was at crossing Gandhi statue with the clock chiming 4:45AM. It was after a longish run that I spotted the first cow, but, she rebuffed all my overtures and not wanting to throw her the goodies, I had to look further. Luckily found another one nearby who took the offering gladly and waited to be petted on her forehead. Crossed a lot of runners on the way to Napier bridge and some of them were taking the diversion on Sivananda Salai instead of going straight to RBI. Must be Marina Runnerz day of long run today! The dogs were settling their personal scores before their gravy train arrived, much like the ribbing in a boys hostel mess line.

            The jawans were lining up as I crossed the War Memorial. Decided to come back in the reverse direction to cross the Marina Runnerz and accompany the jawans on their run. I did meet a couple of runners on the Mount road, but, the jawans were taking their time in starting.

            The mendicant friend was at a farther post from the temple and his greeting today was ‘jai Sia Ram’ with a wide grin every time I crossed him. The amputee opposite the QMC was busy discussing with another friend and did not greet me today.

            I did take a water break at AVM kalyana mantapam water spout. Today the cooler was on and water really cold. I use the water taken for cleaning before and after my drink to pour over my CPU and upper body. The guard asked if the cold water would not give me a cold. I told him the head and body are heated up like a radiator of the car and cold water would do it a world of good. I finished the run at 7:13 AM, a 3:08 hr, 32K. Now, I am ready for whatever the office wants to throw at me!