Courtesy MTC Bus No. 29C

Those who have not travelled or at least seen the Metropolitan Transport Corporation Bus Nos. 29C and 27D do not have the right to be called a Stella Marian. Such is the hype these two buses have among us; the seemingly “rich-spoilt” Stella Maris girls. Just announce to any random girl in the college that you take a bus to and fro Stella Maris College. If she really cares for you, she would enquire you in a fraction of second the MTC Bus No. you board. If she had failed to raise her eyebrows pathetically, I bet you gave her the convincing answer that MTC Bus No. 27D is the sole mode of public transport you rely on. Or else, her eyes would have definitely got transfixed on you for uttering the Bus No. she didn’t want to hear. She would then promptly hail, “May the Force be with you” and bow her head in front of you. You might find it a little over-reacting but that would not let you down as you are not the only 29C commuter encountering such episodes. 

Of course, 29C journeys are generally called nightmares. Fortunately, through these nightmares a few chapters of inevitable soft skills and life lessons are being taught to every 29C Stella Marian: 

You don’t require an App for testing your patience and stamina level. Wait for 29C and you’ll get that done. 

You don’t essentially be a Marathoner. Run behind a 29C that usually ‘forgets’ to halt at the Stella Maris bus stop between 1 PM and 2 PM and you yourself will go register in the next The Wipro Chennai Marathon shortly.  

You don’t necessarily be a feminist. Stand on the footboard of 29C and you will become one. 

You don’t have to be an infiltrator. Hop in 29C and you will turn out to be so. 

You don’t need to be a born quarreller. Stretch your hands and legs inside 29C and your co-passengers would help you win that title soon enough. 

You are a non-Tamilian. Travel without ticket in 29C, get caught by the ticket examiners tented at College Road and Sterling Road, try convincing them in the Tamil dialect known only to them so that they don’t penalize you and the very next day your friends would tag you ‘Avvaiyar.’

You absolutely are not an honest girl. Board an over-crowded 29C through the front door, bother securing a ticket from the bus conductor seated near the back door if you haven’t renewed your concession pass and you’ll be known as Satyavadi Harishchandra of our campus from now on.   

You haven’t found time to have a glance of the morning newspaper. Move your eyes back and forth in a 29C and you would locate a Thatha reading The Hindu. Before you cry out for his copy of the newspaper, he will call out the Headlines ‘just for you.’   

You are sweating like a pig and can’t hold your college bag any longer. Give an innocent smile towards that Paatti accommodated on the seat right above the tyres of 29C and she would at once take charge of it. 

Your assignments and take-home tests have forbidden the studious girl in you from updating yourself to the latest movie songs. Stand next to the doors of 29C and our flirty Annas would sing those themselves and help realize you there is a world out there other than academics. 

You totally assume your choice of profession after graduation will be wrong. Take a ‘happy journey’ in 29C. Slowly, you might begin to spin yarns. And, the moment you meet your friends, there are many chances of you becoming an exceptional story teller. Who knows you won’t be taking it up as a profession later on or even be the organizer of Chennai Storytelling Festival..!! 

You might think twice in a crowd now to occupy yourself with your sleek phones constantly checking your FB and Whatsapp notifications. Take your E-gadget out and the task force in 29C specialized in techniques of trespassing would dive into you and hint you even things that you forgot to update in social media.

Courtesy 29C.