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Madam Rides the Bus
Introduction to Valli
- • The protagonist is an eight-year-old girl named Valliammai, known as Valli.
- • She is a curious child who has no playmates her own age on her street.
- • Her favorite pastime is standing in the front doorway of her house and watching the happenings on the street.
- • She finds watching the street as enjoyable as any game.
The Fascination and the Plan
- • Valli is most fascinated by the bus that travels between her village and the nearest town, passing her street every hour.
- • Seeing the bus filled with new passengers each time gives her unending joy, eventually sparking a strong desire to ride it.
- • She carefully gathers details about the journey by listening to neighbors and asking discreet questions.
- • Key Details Gathered: The town is six miles away, the fare is thirty paise one way, and the trip takes forty-five minutes.
- • She calculates that if she takes the 1:00 PM bus, she can reach town by 1:45 PM and return home by about 2:45 PM, utilizing the time her mother takes a nap.
- • She saves money with great difficulty, resisting temptations like peppermints, toys, and a merry-go-round ride at the village fair to collect sixty paise for the round trip.
The Journey Begins
- • On a spring afternoon, Valli stops the bus and confidently boards it alone.
- • The conductor is a jolly man who jokes with her, calling her "madam" because of her haughty and independent behavior.
- • The bus is new and luxurious, with soft seats, a beautiful clock, and silver overhead bars.
- • Since a canvas blind obstructs her view, Valli stands on her seat to look outside, observing the canal, palm trees, mountains, and green fields.
Interactions on the Bus
- • An elderly man tells her to sit down for safety, which annoys Valli; she asserts she is not a child but an adult who paid her fare.
- • The conductor joins in the fun, mocking her tone.
- • An elderly woman with large ear holes and ugly earrings sits next to her. She is chewing betel nut, and Valli finds her repulsive.
- • Valli answers the woman's intrusive questions curtly, stating she is traveling alone with a ticket.
The Incident with the Cow
- • During the ride, a young cow runs wildly in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus.
- • The more the driver honks, the more frightened the animal becomes, galloping faster in front of the vehicle.
- • Valli finds this scene extremely funny and laughs until she has tears in her eyes.
Arrival at Town and Return
- • The bus crosses a railroad track and enters the busy town with bright shops and crowds, leaving Valli awestruck.
- • When the bus stops, Valli refuses to get off. She pays another thirty paise for the return trip.
- • The conductor offers to buy her a drink, but she firmly refuses, showing her maturity and self-control.
- • On the return journey, she sees the same cow lying dead by the roadside, struck by a vehicle.
- • The sight fills her with horror and sadness; the "lovable, beautiful creature" is now lifeless and bloody.
- • Haunted by the memory, she loses her enthusiasm and sits glued to her seat for the rest of the trip.
Conclusion
- • Valli returns to her village at 3:40 PM. The conductor jokes that she should join them again whenever she wants.
- • She enters her house to find her mother awake and talking to a "chatterbox" aunt.
- • Her mother remarks that many things happen in the world without their knowledge.
- • Valli agrees, smiling to herself, acknowledging her secret adventure.
- • The aunt considers Valli a "chit of a girl" for interrupting, unaware of the significant journey Valli has just undertaken.
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