Lesson-9

Madam Rides the Bus

By Vallikkannan

Madam Rides the Bus Introduction

The lesson "Madam Rides the Bus" is about a brave eight-year-old who had a strong desire and the courage to follow through on it. She enjoyed looking at the hustle and bustle of the street, and her favourite part was seeing a bus arrive and depart. As a result, she developed a strong desire to travel by bus. She needed all sorts of information about the bus trip, as well as the bus fare, and she needed to plan it so that she could be home before her mother woke up from her afternoon nap. As a result, the storey recounts how she innocently but responsibly fulfilled her deepest desire, as well as her experiences on the bus ride. What happens to make her realise the reality of death.

Madam Rides the Bus Summary

The lesson is about an eight-year-old girl named Valli who didn't have any friends to play with and so spent her time watching what was going on in the street. Her favourite part was looking out the window at the bus that passed through her village every hour. Every time the bus passed by, she was filled with joy as she looked at the new set of passengers. She, too, eventually desired to travel by bus. Soon, the wish became a desire, and she made it her mission to fulfil it. She began listening in on conversations between her neighbours who took the bus frequently, and in the process, she would ask a few careful questions here and there to gather more information. She knew that the town was six miles away from her village and that the bus took 45 minutes to travel one way. A one-way fare was thirty pence, making a round-trip fare of sixty pence.

 As a result, she began planning and re-planning her escape during her mother's afternoon nap and returning without her mother noticing. She needed to save money, which was difficult because she had to resist the temptations of candy, peppermint, and merry-go-round. She eventually saved enough money, and one fine day, the brave eight-year-old took the bus during non-peak hours. She refused to accept assistance from the conductor or other passengers. Everyone found it amusing to see such a small girl acting like an adult all by herself. The conductor was joking, so he referred to Valli as a grown-up'madam.' Valli, who was short in stature, would stand on her seat to get a better view out the window, despite everyone's advice to sit for her own safety. Valli was irritated every time someone intruded on her business because she did not consider herself a child.

She didn't want to be friends with an elderly lady who was concerned about her because she didn't think she was socially capable. She was interested in what was going on outside, and the sight of a running cow in the middle of a road was unexpectedly amusing to her. She refused to get off the bus when they arrived in town because she was too scared to do so alone. She returned with great zeal until she came across a lifeless cow on the road. It was the same cow that had been so happy before. Valli was terrified at the thought of how a creature so full of life could transform into something horrible in an instant.

She sat silently for the remainder of the journey. When she arrived home, she found her mother and aunt discussing the endless possibilities in the world outside. Valli confirmed what her mother was saying, which surprised both of them. She then explained her reaction by saying she was casually agreeing with what her mother was saying. Her aunt then referred to Valli as a nose-poking child who acts like a grown-up lady, but only Valli understood what she meant because no one knew about her bus trip.

I.

THERE was a girl named Valliammai who was called Valli for short. She was eight years old and very curious about things. Her favourite pastime was standing in the front doorway of her house, watching what was happening in the street outside. There were no playmates of her own age on her street, and this was about all she had to do.

• Curious- eager to know or learn something

The plot revolves around an eight-year-old girl named Valliammai, or Valli for short. Valli, like any other child, is curious about new and unknown things, which leads her to spend the entire day staring at the hustle and bustle of the street. Furthermore, she has no friends to play with, so her only option is to observe what is going on outside.

But for Valli, standing at the front door was every bit as enjoyable as any of the elaborate games other children played. Watching the street gave her many new unusual experiences.The most fascinating thing of all was the bus that travelled between her village and the nearest town. It passed through her street each hour, once going to the town and once coming back. The sight of the bus, filled each time with a new set of passengers, was a source of unending joy for Valli.

Even though she couldn't play with her friends, she found that watching what was going on in the world to be just as entertaining. She learned a lot of new things during the process, and the best part was watching the bus arrive and depart from her village to a nearby town. The bus crossed the village street every hour, once on its way to town and once on its way back. Valli was filled with excitement and joy every time the bus crossed the street with a new set of passengers.

Day after day she watched the bus, and gradually a tiny wish crept into her head and grew there: she wanted to ride on that bus, even if just once. This wish became stronger and stronger, until it was an overwhelming desire. Valli would stare wistfully at the people who got on or off the bus when it stopped at the street corner. Their faces would kindle in her longings, dreams, and hopes. If one of her friends happened to ride the bus and tried to describe the sights of the town to her, Valli would be too jealous to listen and would shout, in English: “Proud! proud!” Neither she nor her friends really understood the meaning of the word, but they used it often as a slang expression of disapproval.

• Wistfully- longingly
• Kindle- set alight (fire), here, feelings
• A slang expression- informal words, often used within a close group

After watching the bus arrive and depart for a couple of days, she wished she could ride it just once. Soon, the wish grew stronger and became a desire, indicating that there was now a greater desire to travel by bus. She'd be mesmerised by the expressions on the faces of those who got off the bus. Her desire grew to the point where she would be jealous if any of her friends took the bus and told her about their experiences. When she heard them, she would exclaim, "Proud!, Proud!" She and her friends had no idea what the word "proud" meant, but they used it to express their disapproval.

Over many days and months Valli listened carefully to conversations between her neighbours and people who regularly used the bus, and she also asked a few discreet questions here and there. This way she picked up various small details about the bus journey. The town was six miles from her village. The fare was thirty paise one way — “which is almost nothing at all,” she heard one well-dressed man say, but to Valli, who scarcely saw that much money from one month to the next, it seemed a fortune. The trip to the town took forty-five minutes. On reaching town, if she stayed in her seat and paid another thirty paise, she could return home on the same bus. This meant that she could take the one-o’clock afternoon bus, reach the town at one forty-five, and be back home by about two forty-five…
On and on went her thoughts as she calculated and recalculated, planned and replanned.

• Discreet questions- careful questions

To fulfil her desire to travel by bus alone, she needed to be well-prepared with all kinds of information. As a result, she began to pay attention to conversations between her neighbours who were used to taking the bus and, in the process, asked a few more careful questions to gain more information. In this manner, she devised a strategy and learned that the town was six miles from the village, that the one-way fare was thirty paise, which was nothing for a well-dressed man but was too much for Valli, and that the trip duration on one side was forty-five minutes. If she paid thirty more paise, the same bus that had taken her to town would return her. Thus, if she could board the bus at one o'clock in the afternoon and arrive at one forty-five, she could return to the village by two-forty-five. She calculated that way to save that much money and time to sneak out without anyone noticing.

II.

Well, one fine spring day the afternoon bus was just on the point of leaving the village and turning into the main highway when a small voice was heard shouting: “Stop the bus! Stop the bus!” And a tiny hand was raised commandingly

The riding day arrived after much re-planning and re-calculation. The bus was on its way to the main highway when they heard a shouting voice commanding them to stop.

The bus slowed down to a crawl, and the conductor, sticking his head out the door, said, “Hurry then! Tell whoever it is to come quickly.” “It’s me,” shouted Valli. “I’m the one who has to get on.” By now the bus had come to a stop, and the conductor said, “Oh, really! You don’t say so!” “Yes, I simply have to go to town,” said Valli, still standing outside the bus, “and here’s my money.” She showed him some coins. “Okay, okay, but first you must get on the bus,” said the conductor, and he stretched out a hand to help her up. “Never mind,” she said, “I can get on by myself. You don’t have to help me.”

When the conductor heard the voice, the bus slowed down, and when he saw Valli, a small girl, he asked her to tell the one who was supposed to travel to hurry up. When Valli informed him that she was a passenger, he was taken aback by the sight of such a young girl and ordered the bus to come to a halt. The conductor couldn't believe she was about to travel alone. She then handed him her bus ticket. The conductor offered her assistance in climbing the bus, but as responsible and proud as she was, she made it clear that she did not require assistance.

The conductor was a jolly sort, fond of joking. “Oh, please don’t be angry with me, my fine madam,” he said. “Here, have a seat right up there in front. Everybody move aside please — make way for madam.” It was the slack time of day, and there were only six or seven passengers on the bus. They were all looking at Valli and laughing with the conductor. Valli was overcome with shyness. Avoiding everyone’s eyes, she walked quickly to an empty seat and sat down

• Slack time-a time when there is not much work

When little Valli refused to accept any assistance, the conductor sarcastically told her not to be angry with him because he was only trying to help. He addressed her as'madam' and escorted her to her seat, telling other passengers to make room for the'madam.' Because it was late afternoon, not many people were out and about, so everyone's attention was focused on Valli. Together with the conductor, they all adored her. Valli became shy as everyone laughed, so she hurried to her seat.

“May we start now, madam?” the conductor asked, smiling. Then he blew his whistle twice, and the bus moved forward with a roar. It was a new bus, its outside painted a gleaming white with some green stripes along the sides. Inside, the overhead bars shone like silver. Directly in front of Valli, above the windshield, there was a beautiful clock. The seats were soft and luxurious.

Again, in a sarcastic tone, the conductor seeks'madam's approval before embarking on the journey, and then blows his whistle twice to signal the driver to begin the bus. The bus was brand new, as evidenced by the gleaming overhead silver bars. The seats were extremely comfortable, and there was a clock directly in front of Valli. The outside was painted a brilliant white with green stripes down the sides.

Valli devoured everything with her eyes. But when she started to look outside, she found her view cut off by a canvas blind that covered the lower part of her window. So she stood up on the seat and peered over the blind.

• Devoured- read quickly and eagerly (here)
• Canvas- a coarse fabric
• Blind- a partition

She quickly looked around the bus and turned towards the window to get a better view of the outside, but she couldn't get a full view because she was too short and the window blinds were obstructing her view. As a result, she decided to stand up so that she could look properly.

The bus was now going along the bank of a canal. The road was very narrow. On one side there was the canal and, beyond it, palm trees, grassland, distant mountains, and the blue, blue sky. On the other side was a deep ditch and then acres and acres of green fields — green, green, green, as far as the eye could see.

The bus was travelling on a very narrow road. On one side, there was a canal, and beyond it, there were trees, distant mountains, and a large blue sky. On the other hand, there was plenty of greenery all around.

Oh, it was all so wonderful! Suddenly she was startled by a voice. “Listen, child,” said the voice, “you shouldn’t stand like that. Sit down.” Sitting down, she looked to see who had spoken. It was an elderly man who had honestly been concerned for her, but she was annoyed by his attention.

Valli was having a great time when she was abruptly asked to sit down. She noticed an old man showing concern for her as she sat down to see who told her so. Valli became irritated because he was still in no mood for anyone's help or advice.

“There’s nobody here who’s a child,” she said haughtily. “I’ve paid my thirty paise like everyone else.” The conductor chimed in. “Oh, sir, but this is a very grown-up madam. Do you think a mere girl could pay her own fare and travel to the city all alone?” Valli shot an angry glance at the conductor and said, “I am not a madam. Please remember that. And you’ve not yet given me my ticket.” “I’ll remember,” the conductor said, mimicking her tone. Everyone laughed, and gradually Valli too joined in the laughter. The conductor punched a ticket and handed it to her. “Just sit back and make yourself comfortable. Why should you stand when you’ve paid for a seat?” “Because I want to,” she answered, standing up again.

• Haughtily- proudly

Valli was too proud to accept anyone's assistance and thus informed the old man that she was not a child. She claimed that she was just like everyone else on the bus and that she could take care of herself. She, like everyone else, had paid the full fare. The conductor remarked that she is a "grown up madam" because a child could never afford to pay for a bus ticket. Valli irritably instructed the conductor not to address her as madam and reminded him that she had not yet received the ticket. The conductor then responded by imitating her tone, which caused everyone to laugh. Valli, too, burst out laughing. "Just sit back and make yourself comfortable," the conductor said as he handed her the ticket. "Why should you stand if you've already paid for a seat?" Valli responded proudly, saying she'd do whatever she wanted

“But if you stand on the seat, you may fall and hurt yourself when the bus makes a sharp turn or hits a bump. That’s why we want you to sit down, child.” “I’m not a child, I tell you,” she said irritably. “I’m eight years old.” “Of course, of course. How stupid of me! Eight years — my!” The bus stopped, some new passengers got on, and the conductor got busy for a time. Afraid of losing her seat, Valli finally sat down. An elderly woman came and sat beside her. “Are you all alone, dear?” she asked Valli as the bus started again. Valli found the woman absolutely repulsive — such big holes she had in her ear lobes, and such ugly earrings in them! And she could smell the betel nut the woman was chewing and see the betel juice that was threatening to spill over her lips at any moment. Ugh! — who could be sociable with such a person?

• Repulsive- causing strong dislike

They tried to persuade her that they were genuinely worried about her and that if she continued to stand, she would injure herself. She stated once more that she was eight years old and thus not a child. The conductor did not pass up the opportunity to have a good laugh as well. When the bus came to a stop and more passengers boarded, she quickly sat down to save her seat when an elderly woman sat next to her. The lady stared at Valli before asking if she was alone. Valli developed a strong dislike for the lady with large holes in her earlobes. She didn't like her earrings either, and from the way she was chewing betel nut, she was the last person Valli wanted to socialise with.

“Yes, I’m travelling alone,” she answered curtly. “And I’ve got a ticket too.” “Yes, she’s on her way to town,” said the conductor. “With a thirty-paise ticket.” “Oh, why don’t you mind your own business,” said Valli. But she laughed all the same, and the conductor laughed too. But the old woman went on with her drivel. “Is it proper for such a young person to travel alone? Do you know exactly where you’re going in town? What’s the street? What’s the house number?” “You needn’t bother about me. I can take care of myself,” Valli said, turning her face towards the window and staring out.

• Curtly- rudely brief or abrupt
• Drivel- silly nonsense

Despite being irritated by the elderly lady, Valli responded by saying that, yes, she was travelling alone, and with her own ticket. Clearly, the conductor took every opportunity to tease Valli and have a good laugh. Valli joined him in his laughter, while the old lady continued to interrupt by asking abrupt questions out of concern. She was concerned about Valli's safety and whether she would be able to reach her destination safely on her own. Valli reassured her that she could travel alone and began looking out the window to avoid further conversation.

III.

Her first journey — what careful, painstaking, elaborate plans she had had to make for it! She had thriftily saved whatever stray coins came her way, resisting every temptation to buy peppermints, toys, balloons, and the like, and finally she had saved a total of sixty paise. How difficult it had been, particularly that day at the village fair, but she had resolutely stifled a strong desire to ride the merry go-round, even though she had the money.

• Thriftily- spend money carefully
• Resolutely stifled- suppressed/ controlled with determination

Without a doubt, she had put in countless hours of planning and saving for her first bus trip. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for her. She resisted every temptation at the village fair, including peppermints, toys, balloons, and the merry-go-round. She was able to save sixty pence after putting in so much effort.

After she had enough money saved, her next problem was how to slip out of the house without her mother’s knowledge. But she managed this without too much difficulty. Every day after lunch her mother would nap from about one to four or so. Valli always used these hours for her ‘excursions’ as she stood looking from the doorway of her house or sometimes even ventured out into the village; today, these same hours could be used for her first excursion outside the village.

• Ventured out- went cautiously, courageously

When the financial issue was resolved, the next challenge was to sneak out without being noticed. Valli's mother usually slept from one to four o'clock in the afternoon. Valli used to benefit from this and would go on village excursions. It could be used for an outing outside of the village this time.

The bus rolled on now cutting across a bare landscape, now rushing through a tiny hamlet or past an odd wayside shop. Sometimes the bus seemed on the point of gobbling up another vehicle that was coming towards them or a pedestrian crossing the road. But lo! somehow it passed on smoothly, leaving all obstacles safely behind. Trees came running towards them but then stopped as the bus reached them and simply stood there helpless for a moment by the side of the road before rushing away in the other direction.

• Hamlet: a small settlement with a few houses.
• Gobbling up: to swallow or eat hastily

The bus had now arrived in an area devoid of trees. It was a desolate landscape with a few shrubs strewn about. It passed through a small settlement and a roadside shop. Valli thought the bus would swallow the oncoming vehicles and pedestrians as it travelled at high speeds, but it passed safely, overcoming all obstacles. When the bus was moving, it appeared as if trees were rushing towards it and stopping as soon as it reached them. The trees appeared to be running away from the bus as it passed through them.

Suddenly Valli clapped her hands with glee. A young cow, tail high in the air, was running very fast, right in the middle of the road, right in front of the bus. The bus slowed to a crawl, and the driver sounded his horn loudly again and again. But the more he honked, the more frightened the animal became and the faster it galloped — always right in front of the bus.

• Glee- happiness and joy

Valli was excited and overjoyed. Suddenly, a cow appeared in the middle of the road, directly in front of the bus. The bus slowed down to let her pass and honked several times. Unfortunately, it grew more terrified and dashed in front of the bus. As the driver blew more horns, the cow became enraged and continued to run faster and faster.

Somehow this was very funny to Valli. She laughed and laughed until there were tears in her eyes. “Hey, lady, haven’t you laughed enough?” called, the conductor. “Better save some for tomorrow.” At last the cow moved off the road. And soon the bus came to a railroad crossing. A speck of a train could be seen in the distance, growing bigger and bigger as it drew near. Then it rushed past the crossing gate with a tremendous roar and rattle, shaking the bus. Then the bus went on and passed the train station. From there it traversed a busy, well-laid-out shopping street and, turning, entered a wider thoroughfare. Such big, bright-looking shops! What glittering displays of clothes and other merchandise! Such big crowds! Struck dumb with wonder, Valli gaped at everything.

• Thoroughfare- a busy public road
• Merchandise- things  for sale
• Railroad crossing- an intersection where a railway line crosses a road or path

Valli found the cow incident to be extremely amusing and burst out laughing so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. The conductor teased her once more, telling her that it was enough for the day and that she should save some laughter for the next day. The cow wandered off the road on its own, and the bus came to a halt at a level crossing, where the train was visible as a tiny dot. The train grew in size as it approached. The train passed through with a huge roar, shaking the entire road and the bus with it. The bus began to move and soon arrived at a narrow street. It reached a wider road after making a turn. On the road, there were large, brightly lit shops with merchandise for sale. Valli was drawn to all of the lights and decorations. She took a close look at everything.

Then the bus stopped and everyone got off except Valli.  “Hey, lady,” said the conductor, “aren’t you ready to get off? This is as far as your thirty paise takes you.” “No,” Valli said, “I’m going back on this same bus.” She took another thirty paise from her pocket and handed the coins to the conductor. “Why, is something the matter?” “No, nothing’s the matter. I just felt like having a bus ride, that’s all.” “Don’t you want to have a look at the sights, now that you’re here?” “All by myself? Oh, I’d be much too afraid.” Greatly amused by the girl’s way of speaking, the conductor said, “But you weren’t afraid to come in the bus.” “Nothing to be afraid of about that,” she answered.

When the bus arrived at its destination, everyone except Valli disembarked. The conductor informed her that this was the final stop, and she immediately took another thirty paise from her pocket to purchase a ticket back to the village. She stated that she only intended to take the bus, and when he asked her to walk nearby, she stated that she was too afraid. While remaining calm throughout the journey, the conductor responded by saying that if she wasn't afraid to travel alone in the bus without anyone's assistance, why was she afraid to roam around town? Valli responded confidently that there was nothing to be concerned about in terms of the bus ride.

“Well, then, why not go to that stall over there and have something to drink? Nothing to be afraid of about that either.” “Oh, no, I couldn’t do that.” “Well, then, let me bring you a cold drink.” “No, I don’t have enough money. Just give me my ticket, that’s all.” “It’ll be my treat and not cost you anything.” “No, no,” she said firmly, “please, no.” The conductor shrugged, and they waited until it was time for the bus to begin the return journey. Again there weren’t many passengers.

The conductor asked if she wanted to get a drink at a nearby stall or if he could bring her a drink if she was afraid to get off the bus, but Valli said she didn't have enough money. The conductor insisted that it was his treat, but Valli refused, and the two of them waited for a new set of passengers to board. There were fewer passengers this time as well.

IV.

Won’t your mother be looking for you?” the conductor asked when he gave the girl her ticket. “No, no one will be looking for me,” she said.

Concerned about Valli, the conductor inquired whether her mother would be looking for her as she was alone. Valli immediately responded that no one was waiting for her.

The bus started, and again there were the same wonderful sights. Valli wasn’t bored in the slightest and greeted everything with the same excitement she’d felt the first time. But suddenly she saw a young cow lying dead by the roadside, just where it had been struck by some fast-moving vehicle. “Isn’t that the same cow that ran in front of the bus on our trip to town?” she asked the conductor. The conductor nodded, and she was overcome with sadness. What had been a lovable, beautiful creature just a little while ago had now suddenly lost its charm and its life and looked so horrible, so frightening as it lay there, legs spreadeagled, a fixed stare in its lifeless eyes, blood all over…

• Spreadeagled- spread out

The journey back began, and Valli was just as excited as she had been the first time. She was looking at everything with zeal when she came across a dead cow by the roadside. It was probably hit by a fast-moving vehicle. Valli confirmed with the conductor that the cow they had seen earlier was the same. Her demeanour shifted from happy to sad. She was perplexed as to how a lovable and playful creature could suddenly transform into a horrible and lifeless one.

The bus moved on. The memory of the dead cow haunted her, dampening her enthusiasm. She no longer wanted to look out the window. She sat thus, glued to her seat, until the bus reached her village at three forty. She stood up and stretched herself. Then she turned to the conductor and said, “Well, sir, 1 hope to see you again.” “Okay, madam,” he answered her, smiling. “Whenever you feel like a bus ride, come and join us. And don’t forget to bring your fare.” She laughed and jumped down from the bus. Then away she went, running straight for home.

• Haunted- returned repeatedly to her mind; was impossible to forget

Valli's enthusiasm was sapped by the sight of the dead cow, and she stopped looking out the window. She sat in silence on her seat until she arrived home around three-forty. While deboarding, she expressed her desire to see the conductor again, to which the conductor replied sarcastically, telling her not to forget her fare the next time she planned to travel. Valli returned home.

When she entered her house she found her mother awake and talking to one of Valli’s aunts, the one from South Street. This aunt was a real chatterbox, never closing her mouth once she started talking. “And where have you been?” said her aunt when Valli came in. She spoke very casually, not expecting a reply. So Valli just smiled, and her mother and aunt went on with their conversation.

When Valli returned home, she discovered her mother awake from her afternoon nap. Her mother was conversing with one of her aunts who lived on South Street. The aunt talked so much that Valli referred to her as a "real chatterbox." It took a lot of effort to get her to stop talking. She even asked Valli a question and then resumed talking without giving her enough time to respond. Valli also took advantage of the situation by avoiding any discussion about where she had been.

“Yes, you’re right,” her mother said. “So many things in our midst and in the world outside. How can we possibly know about everything? And even when we do know about something, we often can’t understand it completely, can we?” “Oh, yes!” breathed Valli. “What?” asked her mother. “What’s that you say?” “Oh,” said Valli, “I was just agreeing with what you said about things happening without our knowledge.” “Just a chit of a girl, she is,” said her aunt, “and yet look how she pokes her nose into our conversation, just as though she were a grown lady.” Valli smiled to herself. She didn’t want them to understand her smile. But, then, there wasn’t much chance of that, was there?

Pokes her nose- takes an interest in something that doesn’t concern her

While her mother and aunt were conversing, her mother was overheard discussing the endless possibilities in the world that one was unaware of, and even if one was aware, it was another thing to comprehend. Valli confirmed what her mother was saying, which surprised both of them. She then explained her reaction by saying she was casually agreeing with what her mother was saying. Her aunt then referred to Valli as a nose-poking child who pretended to be a grown-up lady, but only Valli understood what she meant because, after all, no one knew about her bus trip.

About the Author

Vallikannan is the pen name of R.S. Krishnaswamy, a well-known writer. He was born on November 12, 1920, in a village near Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, and died on November 9, 2006. He was a well-known Tamil author, journalist, critic, and translator. He began writing at a young age and had 25 books published by the time he was thirty. In his lifetime, he wrote 75 books. He wrote novels, poetry collections, plays, and essays, among other things. In 1978, he received the Sahitya Akademi award for his critical works on contemporary Tamil poetry.