Christmas Eve to remember

What a day it was! And I mean it when I say it was a full day. I can never think of Christmas Eve ever being so much fun, and adventurous, and tiring. We reported to work at 11 am the previous day, and finally reached home at 9 amu00a0-- just a couple of hours more at work and we would have completed the full cycle of 24 hours.
u00a0
It was the last issue of our Christmas special, so our hands were full. We had to find out where the parties were on, the season's special offers, and so forth and so on. We also had a general body meeting with the radio folks we share the building with, and to which we were over an hour late. The meeting began with us being lambasted for the delay.

That was not all. I missed eating the hot chicken biryani, as I had to leave for a press conference just the moment lunch was being served, and I could smell the aroma fanning out all over the place while I heard my tummy growling. So off I went to cover that press conference, which began 45 minutes late. The speaker, with utter disregard for my hunger, went on and on for another 45 minutes. I was thinking, God, when will this get over?

Two-and-a-half-hours had passed when I reached office again. Traffic in this city is unbelievable. Work kept piling up and continued like this till about 3 am, with lots of proofing keeping our hands full. My two colleagues and I wanted this issue to be perfect. It was to be the best when compared to other newspapers' Christmas specials.u00a0

About 4 am, we finally put the edition to bed. Relieved, we remembered our hunger again. I faintly remember trying to pull out of memory all available options for places open at 4 am that would serve dosas and idlis. None came to mind, except for the railway station. Then began our final adventure of the day. We waited 15 minutes, but not an auto in sight. On to the bus stand, for whcih we walked 20 minutes. Now we had to find a bus to the main stand, Majestic. Another 15 minutes, but no sight of that bus. Finally we took a bus heading to another, faraway bus stand to try our luck there. Fifteen minutes on, we reached.

Now, can you afford to be fussy at five in the morning over what bus to take? Yes we can, we decided, and yes, we were. Bus after bus came our way but we stood on, not taking any. The reason was, we needed three seats to be together and were adamant on this. Another 15 minutes passed, and finally one bus did fit our requirement. It was 5.30 or almost six when we reached, and we were walking towards an eatery at last. But we were choosy again. We ate at one place outside the station, and then headed inside to eat again at another joint, but unfortunately for us, that restaurant was shut. A disappointment, as it served one of the best dosas in the city. Very well! Tired and sleepy we hailed an auto and headed to our homes.

A day to remember it will be. Why should Christmas Eve always be quite and solemn? It was one heck of a day for us, and will be etched in my memory forever.