I was at the Computerised Railway Reservation Counter at Besant Nagar at 0630hrs. I was expecting to be the only person around but was greeted by 8 other people. The counter did not open till 0800hrs and I had Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies to pass my time with. Short stories are indeed so much fun.

The previous night Cheeru had double-checked with his travel agent who had told him that the chances of getting a 2nd AC Tatkaal ticket were more remote than getting a sleeper berth. That's because there are only 6 seats for the same.

Well. There was definitely something about my time being good. I got my 2nd AC ticket. I was definitely leaving Chennai on Friday afternoon.

We loaded my girl into the Cargo service. I wanted to travel light. So I took the extra trouble of packaging everything into cartons which would be cargoed. Pondy and Kaus helped me in packing her up. We wrapped her up like a young bride in all the jute bags I had. I wouldn't tolerate a scratch on her. She was too precious to be harmed.

I couldn't watch her getting loaded into the truck because Gandhi was leaving tonight. The idiots had not even brought a ramp. But Pondy was there to look after her. So she was safe.

Cheeru, Dil, Jai and myself headed to the Station to bid Gandhi Goodbye. He was off to New Delhi - closer home to his Dad. Never seen him happier ! He got luckier. Somebody wished to exchange his ticket with him, wanting to sit in Gandhi's coach. It turned out that the other ticket was a Class upgrade and Gandhi would spend the rest of his journey in 2nd AC comfort !

The rendezvous was Freez Zone, near Music Academy on TTK Road. Gandhi had shown us the spot. In fact he had raved like crazy about it. So there we were. Robbie, Dil, Cheeru, Jai, Shom, Maddy and myself. Blissfully eating Kulfis. In lovely Chennai.

Later that night. These chaps - my roomies of New#39 - Robbie, Maddy, Dil and Cheeru gifted me a Lord Ganesha idol - playing the flute. I also got a pack of Cigars. It was certainly not the most brilliant combination but it brought out the tears in my eyes.. These guys knew me too well.