There's a story behind every speed breaker

The majority of last week (it definitely seems so given all the running around and doubling up as handyman) was spent trundling along the ECR with the photographer and his comic assistants. As is tradition the coordination was a mess. But again as is tradition, it all worked out fine :-) But about the mess - a road block on wild curve 1km right before the toll booth. Lines of lilac (ugh!) busses squatted a long way back into the road. People meandered. Heads craned out. Khaki clad conductors with wet armpits snagging change bag huddled under the sun.

A conductor said 'chinna' accident and that the villagers were creating a commotion. So we reversed with 'Vaseegara' squealing intermittently. The stretch that connects Old Mahabalipuram road to the ECR is utterly gorgeous!!! A family of the shade green nestling by murky blue waters with shrimp nets and polka dotted with fishermen wading neck deep in its waters. As you turn into Old Mahabalipuram road one garish engineering college follows another. We swing past Kelambakkam junction into Kovalam and the roadblock way back is forgotten with a phew!

A day later we were back making our way by the sea. If cops with speed guns didn't suffice as warning, several thuds did. A day back two school girls were rammed as they were crossing the road. Sisters. One died. The other in hospital. 7 speed breakers commemorate a break too late, lil girls in school uniforms. And has now effectively cursed those who go a tad bit faster than real slow with a sore back.

mad but wiser optimist (fingers knotted)

It's odd to be a stranger overnight. A shell empty of the hermit crab. Scuttled away, saline water swishes in and ebbs out and nudged further ashore. There's beauty in empty shells lying face down in transient sand.