Memories of the Kuwait War~Chapter 8~ We get permission!!

Picture courtesy:Google

Something moved near my leg and I woke up pushing it aside. It was my brother, who was sleeping beside me, that rolled over and was now lying across my feet. “Move to the side”, I said while pushing him away, unimpressed with having my sleep disturbed. As I turned around and dropped my head back on the pillow, I suddenly realized that it was the day after the ‘supposed-to-be’ poison gas attack. I sat back up, eyes wide open and looked at the clock. It was the next morning, somewhere around 6. Looking around, I saw most of the kids asleep, except my sister, and all of the adults awake. They had smiles on their faces and we’re talking to each other. “There was no gas? Are we safe now?”, I asked. “No, we are safe”, beamed my father. That was such a relief!! We crossed that scary night. 

Everybody returned to their flats and we went on about the day. Another couple of days went by, and finally, we got the news that our trip was approved. Acha came in and excitedly broke the news to Amma. Thampi pappa (my mother’s older brother-in-law, in case you forgot) was with him. “We have to board the bus from Salmiya, early in the morning, day after tomorrow”, he briefed us. “We need to buy some more eatables for the journey, like biscuits, bread, juice, milk, etc. Also some paracetamol, Dettol, cotton, etc. Were almost running out of what we have”, reminded Amma. As Thampi pappa was there too, we all went to the Jamaiya in his car, and came back with all the essentials. 

As we got down from the car parked on the side of the road, my sister ran playfully towards our building, with my brother and me behind her. As if the existing drama wasn’t enough, she tripped over a pipe that was sticking out of the sandy ‘pavement’, and fell flat on her face, her chin perfectly lodging on a soft-drink bottle cap that was lying face up. The crinkled, sharp edge poked right into her flesh leaving a large piece hanging down from her the tip of her face. She was screaming out in pain, her tears mixing with the blood and sand on her open wound.

Acha and Thampi pappa hurriedly took her to the clinic while Amma was ordered to go up with the two of us. “There is no way all of us are parading around, there is so much chaos already” was Thampi pappa’s statement in frustration. Amma didn’t listen, she quickly handed me the keys and jumped into the car with them, “Go up, lock the door and sit inside till we come.” I nodded, being in charge, and responsibly took my brother upstairs. We quietly waited for them to return. We were both very sad to see our baby sister bleed and cry so much.

Around an hour later, they were back. As soon as the doorbell rang and Acha called out, we ran to open the door. My sister looked like a miniature version of Supandi, with a long chin, only that the extended bit was in white. She had 4 stitches, Amma said, and had to be taken for dressing every day. Poor little kid, she looked such a sad sight. “Both of you pack your things and be ready to go, don’t get into any mischief, we have a trip to make!”, sternly reminded Thampi Pappa, before he prepared to leave. (Picture me and my brother in this scene with big innocent eyes that meant to say, we are nice well behaved kids anyway!)

We had some gold with us. One of my mom’s friends told her that there are chances we can get looted, and we have to carry out valuables wisely. She was also telling Amma how she ‘stitched’ her bangles in the inside of her son’s jeans pockets. That night, I saw the most creative side of my parents. You won’t believe the different places they chose to hide the gold. Even Sherlock Holmes wouldn’t be able to crack this case of the hidden jewellery. 😁 

The next morning Thampi Pappa came and took my father and sister to the clinic for her Supandi dressing, and came back with some last minute supplies. We were supposed to leave for Salmiya that evening. The plan was to rest at a friend’s house, which was close to where the trip was to commence. Everything went as planned and we reached the house by late evening, before sundown. I remember taking a nap after an early dinner that night, and then waking up when it was still dark to go to where the buses were.

What I saw in an open ground was a whole lot of buses, bigger and longer than my school bus, with so many people all around. We had our bus number and list and we’re to find all the members on that list. We started loading the luggage into the compartment under the bus, and climbed in to choose the best seats. Slowly everybody had come and some ‘boss person’ did the head count and checking. Since my father was the leader, he confirmed that everyone on the list was there, all the luggage was loaded, and everyone was seated and ready. It was finally time to leave...to leave Kuwait, with our lives, memories and whatever we could carry in our 4-5 suitcases.

~priya~