At home, I have an Indie dog named Chillumi. She actually goes by many names, and I’m pretty sure she’s often confused because her human keeps calling her different ones. Still, she happily responds to anything I call her. She is my four-legged minimalist with strong opinion about food. She refuses to eat anything other than rice with chicken. No fancy dog food, no treats, no experiments, just her classic comfort combo.

Thanks to our friends Peter and Cynthia, we found a little chicken shop in Coimbatore that sells chicken bones for dogs. It has now become part of our routine. Whenever Cynthia travels to Coimbatore, she never forgets to call and check if Chilumi needs her supply. When she starts from Coimbatore, I also begin my short drive so we can meet halfway at Bethany Hospital. Sometimes, we even share a quick evening tea before parting ways.

Today was one of those days. I took a quick shower, got ready for the mini mission, and asked my brother if he wanted to tag along. He said his legs were hurting, which I ignored the first time, but for some reason, I asked again. This time, he agreed. Usually, I prefer going alone but something told me to take him along.

Everything was fine until I stopped at Anaikatti, right on the Tamil Nadu–Kerala border, to buy a bucket. My brother didn’t want the frozen chicken to drip water inside the car, so the bucket was his idea. I got the bucket and as I was waiting for the change, a familiar discomfort started to stir in my stomach. At first, I thought I could manage, after all, I have survived worse cramps during my monthly cycles. But within minutes, the situation escalated from a hint to a full declaration.

I asked my brother to drive, explaining the urgency. He took his own sweet time switching seats, even joked about “drifting into Bethany” to make it dramatic. Meanwhile, I was silently calculating how many seconds it would take to reach the hospital. I was also reminded of a similar incident when my brother had been in a similar situation and I had made fun of him. I guess that’s karma in action.

Finally, we arrived at Bethany Hospital. I dashed in, confident that my rescue was seconds away, only to discover the universe had one last twist planned: no water anywhere! The hospital was undergoing plumbing work, and all water connections were temporarily shut off. Perfect timing, right?

Just as I was about to take my mobile to call Ruth, (doctor by profession, who also manages and oversees the hospital), I heard her voice calling my name. Talk about perfect timing. She appeared out of nowhere, like a guardian angel. I blurted out my situation (in the most dignified way possible) and without a moment’s hesitation, she whisked me away to the maternity ward, where thankfully, there was still running water. She even sent someone to fetch a bucket for me, absolute angel behaviour.

When I stepped out, I told Ruth that I would forever be grateful for her timely rescue. I also told her that if there was ever a single moment in my life that made me truly glad to have met her, it has to be today. Silently, I thanked all my stars for bringing her into my life. Later, she mentioned that the hospital had been struggling with water issues and had just installed a new borewell. I silently sent a little prayer to the universe, “May Bethany Hospital never run out of water again!”

After the whole adventure, we didn’t end up having our evening tea. After hearing my story, everyone seemed to feel a hint of the same discomfort and wanted to rush home. We parted ways, and I drove back with a smile on my face, still laughing at how this little trip had turned into such a memorable story.

As for Chillumi, she was waiting back home, tail wagging, completely unaware that her humble chicken bones had triggered one of the most memorable adventures of my week. Because sometimes, life doesn’t need grand plans to create stories. It gives you stories you don’t plan to tell and yet, they make you laugh every single time you remember them.