The Tsunami I saw

It's been more than a decade now.

I am alive.

Seldom I feel closer to death, and back then I did not truly understand what death is. But now I do, and I remind myself of that fateful day where laziness saved my life.

It was Christmas eve of 2004, my parents and bro were watching the awards ceremony on TV. 'And Garnier presents the best actor award goes to. . .', the idiot box was shouting in all its fervor. I was with them, in front of the TV but just not there. I was sleeping in short bursts and was waking up whenever a loud announcement broke my nap.

Mom saw me snoozing, and suggested we all sleep. I dreamily went to my bed and slept off. I had lots to do the other day.

Day broke and I ran to my parent's room and broke the quietness in the house. 'beach! Beach! Marina beach! Wake up dad!', I shouted. Mom woke up startled and nudged herself to sleep when she heard my demand.

Dad opened his one eye sleekly and blabbered, 'alright. Gimme some time. Say an hour'. I shouted, 'you've had 8 hours of sleep already!'

Dad wouldn't budge. Epitome of laziness. He checked his watch and it was 8am. He reset it to 6am, showed it to me and told 'we'll go when the watch shows 8am' and slept off.

I sulkily went back to my room. My bro was sound asleep. He didn't even bother to wake up.

I felt sad that our plan to go to see the morning sun in marina beach will be spoiled. And it was spoiled.

I dozed off to sleep. Mom woke up suddenly and dragged me in front of the TV screen.

'tsunami!'

'unprecedented damage to life and property. Marina beach washed off like it was nothing!'

'earthquake rocked Jakarta, and triggered killer waves which swept off land in coastal Tamil Nadu!'

I was watching it all unfold, right in front of my eyes. I wondered why the same guy in yellow tee was getting washed off again and again. Images were shown again, videos were played in an endless loop. I didn't know what this was. Horror.

Dad sprang out of the bed to see what was happening,  and when he saw it, he simply sat on the couch. Not sat, gravity and gravitas pulled him.

Townships washed away. Entire districts swept off. Waves higher than multi storey buildings crashing on hapless creatures. It was incredible.

I realized it then. I was supposed to go to Marina beach. We were supposed to go to the beach. We should've been in the beach by now,  and I may have been the guy in the yellow tee.

I felt nothing back then. Now I do. I feel strange. I feel guilty of living whenever I remember the time and the day of that year.

I went to the beach again, alright. It was the same old one. It wasn't scarred. It took me in its arms and embraced me softly. It blew Cool air on my face and ruffled my hair. I never liked having my hair ruffled. Yet I chuckled.

You can't possibly fathom what the victims went through, I reminded myself and sat on the beach facing the glistening gray sea.