Today is a Strike Day in Trivandrum! A hartal! A bunt!
Everyone is on full alert. Babu is beside himself this morning - he is afraid there will be violence in the streets and I might become a high profile casualty. He says it wouldn't take much to set these people off. A veritable tinderbox!
There are no auto-rickshaws available this morning at all, as all are striking against the high price of daily necessities. Babu has asked his pastor to drive me to work this morning on the back of his motorcycle. The pastor doesn't have a full time job doing anything other than pastoring to his pentecostal brethren - who are not very numerous (under 10) - in Babu's downstairs sitting room, so he is more than happy to help out in a crisis.
While I wait for him to arrive I take a few pictures of the house and the garden. Above you see the gates to the courtyard where Babu drives in and keeps his car. The top balcony is screened in against the sun and for privacy. Several of us do morning exercises there. The upstairs room to the R was my former bedroom and the same one downstairs is now my present bedroom complete with A/C.
The view of the garden is a bit sad and I am resolved to do something about this. Watch this space.
The pastor arrives, unloads his wife and two small sons and I hop on the back. The ride to the office is truly a treat!
Thank goodness we are immersed in the primary documents. I am able to pore over the Memorandum of Association of the charity and lift out of it the material we need - the original intention of the founder. This is helpful in keeping their focus on what they need to concentrate on for the meeting to be a success.
Although some are a bit mistrustful of me initially, by the end of the chat we are all on the same side. Thankfully they like my style, and Sr. Mercy asks me to be sure to come to the convent tomorrow morning at 9 am. The meeting is not to be held till 11 am, but we need time to go over the points again and build up their courage. I am to meet the sister provincial (her superior) who is coming over from Tamil Nadu for the day to check up on the case's progress.
We still haven't finished the translation of the 10 page Rules and Regulations, but we have done enough for Sr. Mercy to be thoroughly steeped in the legalese of the situation. The meeting will be held in Malayalam so I won't be invited to attend. Anyway that will be tomorrow!
I get home at 5 pm, managing to get an auto rickshaw back in the normal seeming streets. Shoba's brother Sam has arrived from Kuwait, ostensibly to check up on his sister and enjoy the end of the holidays in our company.
After a shower and a cup of tea, the 5 of us - Shoba, Sam, Alexis, Babu and I - set off in the car to check out the Sri Mulam Club in Trivandrum and see if we can get tickets for their New Year's bash. There has been much talk about "What shall we do?" Luck is with us as Babu is a member. On the whole, given our various inclinations, we felt that in a club, we would participate in something a little less commercial and soulless than a hotel bash.
The Sri Mulam Club consists of a pair of lovely colonial style buildings set in a large courtyard with mature trees and slightly down at heel walled gardens. Very atmospheric with the faerie lights strung up for the festive season!
When we leave the Club it transpires that Sam is very uncomfortable at Babu's house, in student type accommodation and without A/C, so we drive him around till he finds himself a hotel. There is an atmosphere about the group - some tension, things not said… Thank goodness for Alexis, he and I have plenty to talk about so we sail over the top.
Back home and dinner washed down with two vodka and soda waters (strange combo) courtesy of Sam's duty free from Kuwait. Babu does not drink so there is none ever in the house but he seems not to mind others drinking. In this extreme heat I really don't crave alcohol.
It's now quite late and I crash out - these days are long!
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