The most wonderful thing happened yesterday. I met a kindred soul. Elation filled my being as recognition dawned and I smiled from ear-to-ear.

“What are you grinning for?” asked the L & M, the Lord & Master for the newbies.

“That man you were talking to,” I replied tilting my head to indicate the person whom we had just left behind, “is just like me!”

The L & M was flummoxed. 

“That man? The random stranger we stopped to ask directions?”

“Yes!” I nodded happily.

The mystery deepens, does it not? Well, let me explain.

Yesterday, the L & M and I went on a drive to a place called Murukkumpuzha. We had not sought Google’s help, instead depended on our own ingenuity to find the way to our destination. This actually meant that when the road bifurcated anywhere on the way, the L & M would choose one at random. And then we’d inevitably have to stop to ask for directions. 

It happened this way yesterday. Before I could utter a word, the L & M had entered the lane to the right for no logical reason that I could see.

“Really?! This one?!” I asked him doubtfully.

Without Google’s authority to back me up the question came out as a bleat rather than the firm one of disagreement with his choice it was meant to be. Fortunately he stopped to ask the way not too far ahead. A gray haired dapper chappie was about to enter the gates of his house when the L & M hailed him. He turned to us with a smile on his face, ready to help.

“Does this road go to Murukkumpuzha?”

“Go straight for a while longer and take the first turning to your left” the man said smartly waving his hand to the right.

That is exactly when my heart leaped with joy recognizing in him a kindred soul. I had done much the same thing once upon a time (and many other times too) when I told the cab driver to stop in front of the apartment block on the left while waving my hand frantically to the right where it actually stood. [You can read about it here]. Here was the man telling us to turn left while waving his hands to the right. Someone after my own heart. Aww…

“You mean right?” the L & M interjected, but the man did not hear him and continued giving us directions.

We thanked him and moved on, which is when the L & M found me grinning and wanted to know the reason. 

“Didn’t you notice how he said ‘left’ when he meant ‘right’?”I smiled.

All this time I had been miserable thinking I was all alone in this world, a freak of nature who did not know left from right or for that matter right from left. At last I had met one just like me. Emboldened by the discovery dare I hope more of us exist?

We, the L & M and I, reached Murukkumpuzha Ferry soon and enjoyed the scenic beauty of its surroundings before the rain forced us back inside the car and on our way home. But nothing could dim the glow of quiet happiness of having seen a hand wave right while the mouth said left.

©Shail Mohan 2015