After some shopping in Pondy bazaar,we walked towards the lane where our car was parked.As we approached the lane, my husband suddenly shouted,"Oh my God", and stared ahead in bewilderment.I anxiously looked in that direction and to my dismay, our car had been locked by the traffic police for wrong parking!( It was neither a 'no parking' zone nor was there any new signboard suggesting it but then the rules are changed everyday by the traffic police and we have to abide by them.)The front tyre of the car had been clamped and a white slip placed under the wiper, with a contact mobile number of the traffic police written on it.
We were agitated.Anything concerning the police naturally brings jitters and calming myself,I consoled my disconcerted husband saying that he should be happy that the vehicle was at least left in its place and not towed away to the police station. A bit satisfied,he nervously dialled the number on the slip.I waited with bated breadth, very sure that he would be the recipient of the choicest abuses by the traffic policeman.He listened to the voice on the other side and repeatedly thanked him. He seemed a bit relieved since the policeman had told him that he was nearby and would arrive shortly.Gratified, I stood on the pavement, observing the people and traffic around AND my dear husband.He was as usual very restless, walking up and down the road, and getting irritated with me for nagging him to move to the side or else some speeding vehicle would knock him over.Passers by were looking at us with sympathy.One look at the car,then at us, and then a sympathetic nod. Feeling embarrassed, I moved further away, feigning any connection with the man or the car!
Tension mounting, I was observing my husband's restless actions.Walking up and down the road, he was craning his head now and then to see if any police van was coming towards us. Since half an hour had passed, he dialled the mobile number a couple of times. He paid no heed to my warning that the haughty policeman at the other end would definitely abuse him for repeatedly disturbing him.Anyhow, the calls were not answered.
Impatient and tense, he removed his spectacles, wiped it with his handkerchief, wore it back, took out the mobile from his shirt pocket and checked God knows what, almost dropping it in the process, since his eyes were only on the passing vehicles.As he was sweating profusely thanks to the humid Chennai weather, he again dug into his pocket and wiped his face,only to realize it was the piece of paper with the mobile number with which he was wiping and not his hanky! Conscious that I was watching his nervous action when I could not control my laughter,he gave me a dirty look which meant "shut up, you will not understand my tension".
At last the police van arrived and my husband excitedly ran towards it,and in the process tripped over a piece of brick.Anticipating arguments, I stood rooted in my place, sharpening my ears to hear whatever was being spoken. What an anti-climax ! The policeman was extremely polite and overcourteous and apologized for arriving late !Probably my pathetic looking husband's respectable demenour and politeness subdued him.Tensions slackened and both parties were apologizing to each other while discussing parking problems in the City.The fine was paid and the car was released and we drove back home, the policeman waving us good bye.
We were agitated.Anything concerning the police naturally brings jitters and calming myself,I consoled my disconcerted husband saying that he should be happy that the vehicle was at least left in its place and not towed away to the police station. A bit satisfied,he nervously dialled the number on the slip.I waited with bated breadth, very sure that he would be the recipient of the choicest abuses by the traffic policeman.He listened to the voice on the other side and repeatedly thanked him. He seemed a bit relieved since the policeman had told him that he was nearby and would arrive shortly.Gratified, I stood on the pavement, observing the people and traffic around AND my dear husband.He was as usual very restless, walking up and down the road, and getting irritated with me for nagging him to move to the side or else some speeding vehicle would knock him over.Passers by were looking at us with sympathy.One look at the car,then at us, and then a sympathetic nod. Feeling embarrassed, I moved further away, feigning any connection with the man or the car!
Tension mounting, I was observing my husband's restless actions.Walking up and down the road, he was craning his head now and then to see if any police van was coming towards us. Since half an hour had passed, he dialled the mobile number a couple of times. He paid no heed to my warning that the haughty policeman at the other end would definitely abuse him for repeatedly disturbing him.Anyhow, the calls were not answered.
Impatient and tense, he removed his spectacles, wiped it with his handkerchief, wore it back, took out the mobile from his shirt pocket and checked God knows what, almost dropping it in the process, since his eyes were only on the passing vehicles.As he was sweating profusely thanks to the humid Chennai weather, he again dug into his pocket and wiped his face,only to realize it was the piece of paper with the mobile number with which he was wiping and not his hanky! Conscious that I was watching his nervous action when I could not control my laughter,he gave me a dirty look which meant "shut up, you will not understand my tension".
At last the police van arrived and my husband excitedly ran towards it,and in the process tripped over a piece of brick.Anticipating arguments, I stood rooted in my place, sharpening my ears to hear whatever was being spoken. What an anti-climax ! The policeman was extremely polite and overcourteous and apologized for arriving late !Probably my pathetic looking husband's respectable demenour and politeness subdued him.Tensions slackened and both parties were apologizing to each other while discussing parking problems in the City.The fine was paid and the car was released and we drove back home, the policeman waving us good bye.
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