Today, 23 April 2009, the ruling party of Tamilnadu had called for a strike till 6 pm. Strike or no strike, the day dawned as usual. I had a busy schedule at my office. So I woke up at 6.30 am, half an hour earlier than usual. I felt bit hungry as I woke up. I got ready and just when I was about to start from my room, my room mate warned me, "Today is strike. We are going to struggle for food". I told him that small hotels will be opened, so he need not worry.
My office is just 2km away from my room. I usually walk the distance so that I need not wake up early in the morning for jogging. I used to have breakfast in a small mess on the way. Today I went to the mess and found that the mess was closed. Other hotels nearby were also closed. Thats when I remembered what my room mate told. I had no one to blame. Without scolding anyone, I started walking. Then I decided to save my energy and started looking for share auto. All the share auto drivers had a very good time today; packed autos as no bus on the road. No one showed interest when I waved my hand at all passing autos. I finally crossed the distance by walk. I entered my office covered in sweat, tired with hunger and a load of work to complete.
As I entered, I was greeted by my office attender. Suddenly a spark, I asked him whether he can buy breakfast for me from somewhere. He was very happy to help me and asked whether I want idly, poori, pongal or dosa. I was happy to hear the menu but told him to buy whatever that was available. He returned back half an hour later with a parcel of 6 idlies. He told me that he went from this end to other end, visited so many hotels and finally got them from a shop after standing in queue for 10 minutes (It was like a prince crossing 7 hills and 7 oceans to rescue the princess).
I opened the parcel eagerly and started eating. The idly was so sour that normally I wont eat. As sour as a 2 day old curd. But hunger does not know taste, a common saying here. When I finished my breakfast and started my work, I thought, the strike is indeed a great success.
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