This morning as I walked into office, I was greeted with giggles and '“Hello Madam's"' and outright laughter. For a second, I didn’t get it. Madam? Then it struck me!!

Hahahahahahaha. My boss was referring to “the incident” on Friday. The incident was that I inaugurated a match in Uyyalikuppam! No, that’s not a name I made up. It’s somewhere on the East Coast Road. Well, I think it’s along the ECR, about 45 minutes from Kalpakkam.

Can't be sure of the location though 'cos jeep rides always make me unusually sleepy.

And yes, I inaugurated a kabbadi match there of all things!! I was in deep sleep when I was rudely shaken awake. The jeep had stopped. We had arrived at our destination.

“Go R, get up soon. You have to inaugurate a kabbadi match!!”

“Huh?,” I asked groggily.

“Hurry up, hurry up.”

I first thought it was one of V’s fast ones. He does have this rather weird sense of humour. Nice weird, but weird nonetheless. I tried to remove his face from my range of vision by closing my eyes once more.

Then, woke up with a start. They were announcing me as the chief guest.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhh…. !!!!

So!That’s how I came to inaugurate a Kabbadi match in Uyyalikuppam. I shook hands with two never ending lines of big, burly men and said “best of luck” to each of them in turn.

The photographs will show that my hair is totally messy. Also, I’d put on my 'Alice in Wonderland' headband to keep the hair out of my face while I slept. Also, there’s a blue hairband tied across my hand.

I was so embarrassed and I guess it showed. Oh dear! If I’d had SOME inkling, I’d have carried it out with panache…as though I were in the habit of inaugurating matches in remote fishing villages every single day of my life.

Later, as I was walking back to the jeep after shooting a few photographs, we were waylaid by excited kids, who for some strange reason thought I was Indira Gandhi of all people!!!!!! HahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…. Rather sad, but more funny, I’d say.

So that was the end of an otherwise unexciting week. No wait!! I didn’t write about how I was marooned in the flood, did I??

On Monday, I got stuck in the traffic on 100 feet road. Moved about 100 metres in about two hours. On my side of the road was traffic; on the other was water, higher than my windows. It literally was like choosing between the devil and the deep sea.

I chose the deep sea. Mainly cos there was a hotel on the other side and a hotel meant a loo. I know it would sound like I am exaggerating but if you’ve ever been stuck in a traffic jam when your bladder is about to give way, you’ll know it’s not funny. I really could have cried.

The fact that I could hear and see the water sloshing around on the opposite side didn’t even give me the option of forgetting about my bladder. So I did the only thing I could do. Prayed that God would help my bladders stay intact till I took the U-turn, another 100 metres off, make my way to the hotel and from thence to the loo.

Finally did it! For those two seconds when I saw the water rushing at me, I stopped breathing. But the moral of the story was even if you stop breathing; keep your foot on the accelerator.

So finally I was in the car park and in a daze walked to the loo. And yes, I did what people generally do in loos, walked into the coffee room, plonked down and had a whole pot of coffee.

Also managed to ring up my dad and tell him of my escapade and he sent my driver to fish me out. I mean I didn’t ask him to, but my dad was convinced that I had suffered greatly and I didn’t ask him not to cos I really didn’t feel like driving back through all that water. Also, if the engine gave way at some point, I’d have someone to help me push the car.

That was the Monday adventure. Tuesday I went to TOI ….but I’ll save that for another day.