After a very happy vacation in India, Maddy reached Los Angeles airport. He was allowed inside after the formalities at the immigration desk. The first thing that he did was to catch a Blue Van to Pasadena.
He reached Pasadena at around 1:30 PM local time. He was fully exhausted and was at the height of drowsiness. He managed to sleep at around 6.30 PM all days, till that weekend. He dropped his plan of driving to Malibu Venki temple, that weekend.
He was very eager to watch Dasavadharam. He booked ticket for him and his friend (college friend @ Irvine) on June 13. He had to drive around 40 miles to his friends residence. The theatre is mid way 20 miles. So it was a 60 mile drive one way.
June 13 came and he left his place to pick up his friend. Boy, it was a new city and he knew nothing about the city. Took the driving directions from mapquest and started driving. The freeways were heavily crowded. He reached his friend's residence by 5:10 PM. Alas, the movie tickets were for 5:00 PM show.
They started their journey towards Norwalk (city where the theatre was there). They reached the theatre at around 6 PM. Then went to the person who was giving them the real tickets on the production of the iTicket. He gave them the tickets for the 7 PM show and asked them to recommend their friends for watching the movie.
It was towards the end of the movie that Maddy got a call from his office. It was around 10 PM. There was a message and then his phone was powered down just after hearing the message. Maddy wanted to disseminate the message to his other team member so that his other team member can help out.
He was helpless as all his contacts were in his mobile. He ran to a public telephone, put some quaters and tried reaching his company's help line. Lines were bad. He went to the pizza show which was about to be closed for the day. He requested the people to allow him make a call. He insisted paying money for it. Alas, the people had only a local phone. He hunted for open shops in vain. Saw a starbucks shop. There was a lady inside the closed shop, doing all the packing. She signed negative from inside without even trying to understand what he said.
He went and asked help from the people who where outside the theatre. One gentleman was generous enough to lend his mobile. He tried his company's helpline in vain again. Earlier, the message from his company informed him that they need his help by 11 PM. Maddy was supposed to drop his friend at his residence and return to his home (60 miles). It was around 10:40 PM. He changed his plan and started driving towards his home. He reached his come at around 11:10 PM.
He was locked out. He did not have his key. He rushed to his neighbour, disturbed his neighbour and informed his team member about the situation. His neighbour told to keep the mobile and return it the next morning. When he reached his home again, he found his roommate inside. He took his friend inside the home. He completed his work at around 2 AM. It was decided to drop his friend home the next morning.
The next morning at around 7 AM, they started their journey. They were travelling on 605 S freeway. It happened. Maddy felt his car dragging right from the carpool. He tried controlling it and saw his car spinning towards right away from the carpool. The car hit the curb in the right and started flipping twice outside the roads. It came to a rest suddenly hitting a tree. Bang!!!
Everything happened within few moments. Maddy and his friend were inside the car. It was dusty. Air bag were out. All windows were damaged. They were afraid that the car would burst/catch fire. People came down to rescue. They have to break open the front glass to take them out.
"People in America are really kind and helpful." Someone called up 911.
Maddy climbed up 10 feet from his car and was shocked to see the condition of the car (which was a new 2008 Nissan Maxima). The engines and other components have flown all directions. Had there been somebody in the rear, they must have been crushed on the spot. The car was like a torn paper. His friend was lucky to have only scratches. Maddy was feeling okay. When he came out of the car, he was feeling pain in his left shoulder. Man, they are very lucky to be alive after that crash.
Cops arrived promptly. Took the statement. They called up for the ambulance. Maddy and his friend were taken to the Whittier Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital's Emergency Department. They were tied hard against the stretchers. Boy, Sunday morning at around 9 AM, when most people expect to get up late from their bed, Maddy was in the hospital's room.
X-Rays were taken. He was having enormous pain (he told, it could not be explained by words). In the mean time, he informed his neighbours and his family at India. His mother was worried. She called up Maddy's neighbours at Pasadena and asked for their help. Maddy's entire family kept calling him every 10 minutes. Maddy was also communicating with his neighbours over phone.
At around 11:30 PM, he and his friend were discharged. Maddy was wearing a sling to restrict motions of his left shoulder. He and his friend were hungry. They had a pancake in the hospital's pantry. Maddy saw his neighbours in next 15 minutes. Sabeer, Mahesh, and Rakesh had come all to take him back to Pasadena.
They were very generous enough to drop Maddy's friend at Irvine and take Maddy back to Pasadena. Mahesh brought dosa, Sabeer was driving, and Rakesh was guiding him the way. Maddy was feeling that they were sent by God Himself at that moment. Maddy personally felt that he would be always grateful to all those who gave him the new life.
At Pasadena, he was bed rested for 4 days. He did not know, if it was day or night. He was dosing all time. Rakesh was the person who took care at home. There is no obligation for Rakesh to do anything to a person who is nowhere related to him, other than his work. But he did help Maddy. Lakshmi, Damodar, Meera, Venkat, Subham, Raj, and Mahesh helped him by giving food and made him feel confident. Never will he forget these people's gesture of kindness. God Bless!
Now, after around 3 weeks, Maddy has a bump in his left shoulder. He is praying God to make the bump disappear. Man, shoulder separation is painful. He started reading "Thiruvaasakam". And devoted lot of time worshipping Siva, which had helped him recover quickly with a very small bump (which he assumes will vanish with time). Still he has 10-20% recovery left. He has started feeling light now.
It was June 30. He got to know about his salary hike. Was a surprise to him admist lot of painful events. July 1 began, now he wants to sing the song - "June ponaal July Katre". For people who do not understand Tamil, the line means - "If June goes away, you get July". It is a song sung by a man who has lost his love. But the song is very soothing for people who is recovering from any loss.
It is sure that he will be pre-occupied with Siva's thoughts. But, "June Ponaal July Katre" is a song that is trying to give him a change now. We never know, how various songs suit various different situations, which we have never anticipated. Had the people who have worked behind the song known this, it is sure that they will be happy.
