Pilgrim's Progress

It is not everyday that one gets the opportunity to do yeoman's service unto others. So when my chance came along, I didnt want to pass it up.

A relative wanted me to drive 3 elderly maamis to a certain temple for them to, in turn, do yeoman's service unto others by way of charity. I agreed with cheerful enthusiasm.

When the maamis arrived, their initial enthusiasm regarding their temple visit and my initial eagerness to drive them were both dampened a little due to mutual fear and nervousness.
"How can this child drive anything except a tricycle?" said L maami. Admiring the maami's honesty and almost complete lack of tact, I proceeded to whet my appetite and theirs for the journey with tales of my exploits on the road. "Appidiya? Appo daily naan R__ hall ku bhajans ku poven. Yenna daily kondu udariya?" said M maami. "Kandipa mudinjiduna udaren maami" i replied with lying tact, shooting L maami a "thats how its done!" look. Sadly, L maami did not notice as she was busy trading poornam recipes with the cook.

As the maamis filed into the car complaining about everything in general and nothing in particular, P maami said "These days i am unable to sit still for long periods...." "Dont worry maami, the car will be moving" I said and quickly revved the engine while maami figured out how to respond to the statement.
Once on the road, things got a little better as the maamis became their usual chatty selves and gossiped, laughed and remarked about everything from Sandhyavandanam to technological advantages that favored the daughter-in-law.

Now, I was following the maamis instructions on how to get to the temple. However, it soon became apparent to me that we were lost. "Perhaps we shouldve taken that exit..." I murmured. This remark, in turn, caused what can mildly be described as extreme panic. "Are we lost?" asked L maami in a shrill voice. "Your directions are not correct, maami." "Then let us use this!" screamed M maami, fishing out a map of Aruba from somewhere in the backseat. Marvelling at M maami''s "Any map will do" logic, I decided to get off the highway before P maami bit completely through her lower lip.

After a few misses punctuated with the maamis' helpful remarks ("We have seen that crane before!") we finally managed to backtrack. Realizing that we had not wandered far from the correct the road, I made a few quick calculations and we were soon on the road that would take us straight to the temple. We were in time for the darshan, and the maamis were in time to complete the itinerary they had in mind.
The return journey was uneventful and peaceful.

Later that night, M maami's son called me up and said,. "Amma said she had a very exciting and enjoyable journey with you to the temple."

I'm glad you did, maami.