An unanswered question!

"Evlo kudupeenga?"

"40."

"Illa ma, vela vaasi yeri pochu, petrol velai yeri pochu. 80 kudunga."

"40."

"70."

"40."

"60."

"40 than."

"Ukaarunga!"

Phew.... Finally, we embarked on our expedition to the shopping kingdom in Madras. The automan was indeed indignant on the downright flat negotiation. Our survival tactic!! Scurrying past the barren G N Chetty road, we were busy discussing the shops we planned to invade as part of our shopping spree, brushing off his rash driving and scary negotiations with bikers.

T Nagar is apparently the heaviest place on earth, teeming with people throughout the year! And with the new traffic regulations, T Nagar looks totally battered and shaken.

A few feet behind Panagal park, the automan stopped abruptly. He was still fumigating at us and when we demanded the reason for the cessation, he unwillingly uttered just two words "Auto pogaadhu!" Nevertheless, we paid him! We were marooned in the middle of the road by the vengeful automan. He must have felt ecstatic.

It took us a couple of minutes to fathom why autos cannot proceed beyond Panagal park. We resorted to a promenade amidst a fast moving crowd. Gasping for fresh air, we struggled our way through the fleeting crowd of prospective shoppers.

In just two hours, we had gone through enough so as to feel groggy. Walking past Pothy's, we were awestruck to see their heavy and jazzy decoration! Even more in awe to see people striding in and out of Pothy's, making their way effortlessly through the pouring crowd.

Considering the fact that we would be reduced to bones if we entered Pothy's at this hour of the day, we hurriedly turned to Nalli 100.

And then Sri Kumaran.

Then Rmkv.

And SKC.

And Naidu Hall (Luckily this was our last stop!)

I was almost dead!

"Woosh...That's the end of it!" We decided to go through the same rigmarole and boarded an auto. We started out at 9am and now the clock ticked 5pm.

On our way back, my sister, unflinched by the series of events we went through, asked me "I need to buy a dupatta. I forgot! Shall we come down to Nalli 100 tomorrow??"

I still haven't answered her! Ha...