Recently, I had an opportunity to visit Huntsville, AL... For some reason, thinking about seeing those streets and places felt very happy inside me. My wife said, I was jumping like a kid. And I was really surprised to learn that I feel like that towards a place that
I really wanted to escape from, 5 years ago. It was like visiting chennai for the first time after missing it for
1 and half yrs.
Well the drive itself was fun. I was driving on I-24... I remember that scary drive sitting
in the back seat with Jaygopal from Atalanta after seeing Boys. I remember him saying “Look for the sign “ALABAMA FIREWORKS” and you have to take the next exit after that and drive straight to Huntsville. That US 72”. Well guess what, Alabama Firwork is renamed as Alabama Tennessee Firework company and they removed the banner from that exit. I also remembered Mahesh explaining how I-24
passing through TN then a small bit in GA and back to TN in his own style.
It was fun to drive around the country side. Believe it or not, I was really
happy to see the speed board reading “max speed
70mph”. Entering Huntsville was totally different feeling, there used to be a construction area just before we enter Huntsville on US 72 and it becoming I 565. Well in 5 yrs time, the construction has been completed and right after the point, we could see the whole of Huntsville city.
Then US72 got converted to I565. As I drove I saw the exit signs reading, “Exit 17 jordan lane”, “Exit 15 Sparkman dr, Bob Wallace dr, Old Madison Pike”. Took Exit 15 and went to Sparkman
dr, and entered UAH. O M G.. the feeling was unbelievable. Nothing had changed. Took a curve beside the duck pond and left into VBRH and EB parking lot.
Nothing has really changed, the university looked just the same.
Remember there used to be a smell of the plant near the place where you keep the cycle, that was still there. I still remember Manish taking me and Paddu to EB for the first to meet Swathi
and I smelled that smell for the first time. (I was disappointed to discover that swathi was a male at that time). Remember the sound of the loose metal on the stairs, the door handle sound on the second floor, when you try to open it. Well first time, I was really happy to hear those sound. I cannot explain how these silly things could make you smile. I really loved the moment.
I just breezed into the EB hallway and looked at the faculty list. It was very nice to read some
familiar names on the board Dr. Gaede, Dr. Kulik, Dr. Milenkovic, Dr. Javono, Dr. Yoo. And guess what, Dr Adami is still the chair. That gave a
confidence that, the department also couldn't have changed in these years. Took some pictures in front of each labs, esp the EB lab where 90% of Yahoo messenger communication had happened in whole of Huntsville. Met Dr. Yoo, Dr. Milenkovick, Dr. Gaede. I always known Dr. Gaede as the person with great memory. Well here is the proof, she remembered my full name and called me with that before even I introduced myself to her. I was surprised and I was
happy. While exiting the EB building, there is phone that students can use. I don't even have a count on the number of calls I made from the courtesy phone from EB.
Came out of EB, just walked around the material science building and checked my balance in ACU. They gave me an interest of $1.02 for the $25 I had when I left Huntsville.
Opposite to ACU, they built a big football ground for chargers and they have also built a parking lot opposite to UFC. Those house on the street beside Math Department building (Madison or Morton Hall .. couldn't narrow down which one was that), they are all gone. They grounded all of the house.
Drove to Quail Point, and saw the first apartment I rented (1-C). Also
visited the famous Kathi-Koothu spot. Schlotzsky's Deli, thats a name you wouldn't have heard after leaving Huntsville. The Quiznos where Bala, Mahesh and Parthan used to work. Off campus book store where we used to buy used books. Remember that Taco bell that was near NCRH, that got moved next to Off campus book store. It was interesting to see the names Suraj imports and Namaste Plaza. Vinny's got renamed to Masala and India Palace is now Sithar.
Then I drove to Tech-Hall, Met Dr. Dan Rochowiak. He dint remember my name, he never did, but he did recognize me. I saw the parking lot outside and remembered Manoj and Mahesh praising America for building Parking lots and even trees in the third floor (they thought it was the third floor but came down to the first floor, being fooled by the LED
buttons in the tech hall elevator). Remember that Mechanical department computer lab, I bet there would be quite a big community of people who would have accessed internet from there.
Next stop Sherwood Park. 6106 Karen Dave Dr - That was the first place I stayed after landing in this country. Visited 6322, 6320, took a look at the rocket and space shuttle. Saw that shortcut path on Winn Dr to Tech hall Via Boing. Drove a little distance on 256, went to the Walmart we used to go. They built a Mall opposite to that. It was nostalgic.
For some people, Huntsville is a bad memory, and some don't even want to remember that
it was part of their life ones upon a time. But for me, Huntsville did teach me a lot. It though me to live alone, thought me to be fun, thought me to be independent, thought me to drive cars and to wreck it the next day, even better it showed how scary a real life could be.
After 4 hrs of roaming in and around the city, the excitement did subside a little and my wife
was already in “Could we leave now?” mood. Well that 4hrs, I was super excited, happy, smiling and I did miss the Rocket City. Whether its waste of money or time, I don't care, I feel like its worth a trip.
