Ch 7Madam Rides the Bus

Madam Rides the Bus

Author: Vallikkannan, a well-known Tamil writer; the story is translated from Tamil and captures a child's first taste of the outside world.

Introduction

"Madam Rides the Bus" is the delightful story of an eight-year-old girl's first bus journey, taken all alone and in complete secrecy. It celebrates the curiosity, courage, careful planning and self-respect of a small-town child, and at the same time gently introduces her — and the reader — to the mystery of life and death. The conductor's teasing title for the little girl, "madam", gives the story its name.

Detailed Summary

Valliammai, called Valli for short, is an eight-year-old girl with no playmates of her own age. Her favourite pastime is standing in the front doorway of her house and watching the street outside, which is as enjoyable to her as any game. The most fascinating sight of all is the bus that travels between her village and the nearest town, passing through her street every hour. Watching the ever-new crowd of passengers slowly kindles in her a longing that becomes an overwhelming desire: she must ride that bus, even if just once.

Valli listens carefully to the conversations of neighbours and regular bus users, and asks discreet questions, gathering details without giving her secret away. She learns that the town is six miles away, the one-way fare is thirty paise, and the trip takes forty-five minutes. If she took the one o'clock afternoon bus, stayed on it and paid another thirty paise, she could be back home by about two forty-five. To save the required sixty paise, she resists every temptation: she does not buy peppermints, toys or balloons, and she even stifles her strong desire to ride the merry-go-round at the village fair, though she has the money for it.

Her plan uses her mother's daily routine. Every day after lunch, from about one to four, her mother naps. On the chosen day, Valli slips out, waves to the conductor and springs lightly onto the one o'clock bus. The amused conductor, a jolly, fun-loving man, calls her "madam" and jokingly treats her like a grand lady. Valli pays her fare with dignity, telling him not to touch her and insisting she can get on by herself.

The bus itself thrills her: it is new, gleaming white with some green stripes along the sides; inside, the overhead clock, the soft luxurious seats and the shining aluminium rails delight her. Being too short to see over the canvas blind on the window, she stands up on the seat. When an elderly man calls her a child and warns her she may fall, Valli replies haughtily that she is not a child — she has paid her thirty paise like everyone else. An elderly woman with big holes in her ear lobes, ugly earrings and the smell of betel nut tries to be friendly, but Valli finds her "absolutely repulsive" and refuses to talk, saying she can look after herself.

Outside, the scenery enchants her — the canal with palm trees, grassland, distant mountains and the blue sky on one side, and the deep ditch and green fields on the other. Suddenly a young cow runs right in the middle of the road ahead of the bus, tail held high; the more the driver honks, the more frightened the animal becomes, running faster and faster in front of the bus. Valli laughs until there are tears in her eyes.

At the town bus stand, Valli does not get off. She has only enough money for the return fare, and she is also a little afraid of the unfamiliar town. She refuses the conductor's friendly offer of a cold drink — even when he offers to treat her himself — saying firmly that she will take nothing from a stranger. On the return journey, she comes upon a heartbreaking sight: the same cow now lies dead by the roadside, struck by some fast-moving vehicle. The lovable, beautiful creature that had made her laugh now looks horrible and lifeless in a pool of blood. The sight haunts Valli; she no longer wants to look out of the window, and she learns her first sobering lesson about death.

Valli reaches home safely. Her mother is awake, talking with one of Valli's aunts, who has dropped in. Hearing her mother say that so many things happen in the world without our knowledge, Valli blurts out knowingly, "Oh yes!" — agreeing that many things happen "without our knowledge". Her sharp-tongued aunt calls her a chatterbox who talks as if she were a grown lady. Valli merely smiles to herself, hugging her wonderful secret: nobody knows that "madam" has ridden the bus.

Themes

• Childhood curiosity and the desire for freedom: Valli's longing to ride the bus represents every child's urge to explore the world beyond home.
• Planning, patience and self-denial: Valli saves sixty paise through months of careful sacrifice and plans every detail of the trip meticulously.
• Self-respect and maturity: Valli insists on being treated as an equal passenger, refuses charity from strangers, and manages her journey entirely on her own.
• The mystery of life and death: The joyful, running cow and its later death give Valli her first painful glimpse of mortality.
• Innocence and experience: The journey marks Valli's small but significant step from a sheltered child to a more knowing individual.

Character Sketches

Valli (Valliammai)

Valli is a curious, confident and remarkably mature eight-year-old. She is observant and intelligent, piecing together every detail of the bus journey from overheard conversations and discreet questions. She is disciplined and determined, saving sixty paise by resisting peppermints, toys, balloons and even the merry-go-round. She has strong self-respect — she objects to being called a child, refuses help while boarding, and will not accept a free drink from a stranger. Yet she remains a child at heart, laughing at the running cow and standing on the seat to see outside. The sight of the dead cow reveals her sensitive nature, as the joy of her adventure is shadowed by her first encounter with death.

The Bus Conductor

The conductor is a jolly, good-humoured and kind-hearted man, fond of joking. He plays along with Valli's grown-up airs, calling her "madam" and treating her with mock ceremony. Beneath the teasing lies genuine concern: he tells her to sit down for safety, watches over her at the town bus stand, and offers to buy her a cold drink. He represents the friendly warmth ordinary people can show a lone child.

Important Word Meanings