Kabhi toh bees ya tees bhi nahi hota..
As usual I was running late and the fear of being caught in the messed up traffic was making me go nervous. I was almost done with my packing and to save time I had asked the watchman to get an auto 10 mins before the estimated time of completion of my work. Being part of this extraordinary girls community, I had to dump a lot of 'might need' things in my bag pack (just for a weekend), which I carried on my back and went downstairs. After the yester week's crack up of my plan to meet my dearest friend, I was being too cautious by avoiding any foot dragging.
Mercedes had not yet arrived to pick the royal queen, which was making her go panic. Huh! And that goes obvious the queen is I and my Merc is the non-bargainable autos of Hyderabad. Finally after doing several follow-ups with the main security, my chauffer had arrived.
He was not too anxious to go to the traffic filled roads but I convinced him with some of my tried and tested pleading statements. With some rounds of bargains and my sindhi blood instincts, I managed to bring both of us on the same table.
All three of us; me, him and the auto; started towards the destination. On the way many random thoughts were running in my mind about plans of the following days in Mumbai. Suddenly, I realized that auto swirled to completely an alien direction. The area looked more horrifying than Ramsay Brothers horror movie. I did not want him to notice my knit brows, which would have given him that confidence boost up for his master plan. So I decided to stay calm as if I did not care and faked a call to my friend and deliberately talked loud and clear in hindi.
"I am on my way to the station. Yes, I had messaged you the auto number to your cell. Ya! GPS is also switched on. Don't worry ".
The last two words were reiteration of the movie dialogue "All is Well" to myself.
I sat confidently and tried to ignore the cryptic night and the opaque stones around me. After going for a few kilometers, there came the ray of hope and I could finally see some people in some parochial hustling market.
--"Which market are we in? "
- " Musapet"
The name of this remote but heard place made me so happy.
After few minutes he asked me in Hyderabadi Hindi if I know the place and have come there before. Since, I was now confident, my usual talkative instincts were ignited and I replied to him that it was my first visit.
He said I was the first one not to ask about the not so straight route. That was again a moral booster and after hiding my initial fear I replied to him
" Why to get scared? Tum toh township ka auto wala hain "
Now township word ignited his talkative instincts and then he started his story. Though it was tough for me to understand his Hindi, I managed after repetitive doubt clearing sessions and a few fake affirmations of understandings. I asked him some questions to which there were many answers.
" I have been working in this area since 5 years and I know each and every person of this township. I start early at 6:00 and try to reach by 9:00pm back to my house. My wife used to work but after birth of my kid she has to stay back home. (I remember his extremely cute smile when I asked him if the kid was a boy or a girl.)
I stay 10 kilometers away from township but I like working from here. There are many people from my locality who come to work. I pick up my people and charge them minimal to get the exact amount of money of fuel spent. In my area people do not earn much and for them Rs5 is too much to spend on commutation.
Mera toh ek din ka chaar sau (Rs.400) hota hain toh bas hain nahi toh kabhi kabhi toh bees (20) ya tees (30) bhi nahi hota toh bohot praablem ho jati hain...
I reach home early on weekends and play with my daughter. My wife prepares mutton and chicken biryani and I drink beer ( "beer" instead of "bɪər") .I feel pukish if I drink whisky and I do not drink more than one beer. When my daughter will grow I will send her to school and ... "
He was talking for a while but somehow I got lost in his words and was wondering the ways in which these hard working people find their own happiness. I sometimes get too finicky about my not so successful sprints and my unfulfilled dreams inspite of all the hard work, which I put in. But after talking to him it made me realize something that I can’t write but can only feel.
It may sound strange, but as my habit goes, we exchanged numbers and I told him to contact me if he needs any help for his daughter's education. After reaching the station I gave him the agreed money and some extra money for Sandhya.
He clinched the share for Sandhya in his fist and moved towards his forehead and thanked again with a huge grin "Thank You Madam"
I thanked Ramcharan and moved towards the station…
As usual I was running late and the fear of being caught in the messed up traffic was making me go nervous. I was almost done with my packing and to save time I had asked the watchman to get an auto 10 mins before the estimated time of completion of my work. Being part of this extraordinary girls community, I had to dump a lot of 'might need' things in my bag pack (just for a weekend), which I carried on my back and went downstairs. After the yester week's crack up of my plan to meet my dearest friend, I was being too cautious by avoiding any foot dragging.
Mercedes had not yet arrived to pick the royal queen, which was making her go panic. Huh! And that goes obvious the queen is I and my Merc is the non-bargainable autos of Hyderabad. Finally after doing several follow-ups with the main security, my chauffer had arrived.
He was not too anxious to go to the traffic filled roads but I convinced him with some of my tried and tested pleading statements. With some rounds of bargains and my sindhi blood instincts, I managed to bring both of us on the same table.
All three of us; me, him and the auto; started towards the destination. On the way many random thoughts were running in my mind about plans of the following days in Mumbai. Suddenly, I realized that auto swirled to completely an alien direction. The area looked more horrifying than Ramsay Brothers horror movie. I did not want him to notice my knit brows, which would have given him that confidence boost up for his master plan. So I decided to stay calm as if I did not care and faked a call to my friend and deliberately talked loud and clear in hindi.
"I am on my way to the station. Yes, I had messaged you the auto number to your cell. Ya! GPS is also switched on. Don't worry ".
The last two words were reiteration of the movie dialogue "All is Well" to myself.
I sat confidently and tried to ignore the cryptic night and the opaque stones around me. After going for a few kilometers, there came the ray of hope and I could finally see some people in some parochial hustling market.
--"Which market are we in? "
- " Musapet"
The name of this remote but heard place made me so happy.
After few minutes he asked me in Hyderabadi Hindi if I know the place and have come there before. Since, I was now confident, my usual talkative instincts were ignited and I replied to him that it was my first visit.
He said I was the first one not to ask about the not so straight route. That was again a moral booster and after hiding my initial fear I replied to him
" Why to get scared? Tum toh township ka auto wala hain "
Now township word ignited his talkative instincts and then he started his story. Though it was tough for me to understand his Hindi, I managed after repetitive doubt clearing sessions and a few fake affirmations of understandings. I asked him some questions to which there were many answers.
" I have been working in this area since 5 years and I know each and every person of this township. I start early at 6:00 and try to reach by 9:00pm back to my house. My wife used to work but after birth of my kid she has to stay back home. (I remember his extremely cute smile when I asked him if the kid was a boy or a girl.)
I stay 10 kilometers away from township but I like working from here. There are many people from my locality who come to work. I pick up my people and charge them minimal to get the exact amount of money of fuel spent. In my area people do not earn much and for them Rs5 is too much to spend on commutation.
Mera toh ek din ka chaar sau (Rs.400) hota hain toh bas hain nahi toh kabhi kabhi toh bees (20) ya tees (30) bhi nahi hota toh bohot praablem ho jati hain...
I reach home early on weekends and play with my daughter. My wife prepares mutton and chicken biryani and I drink beer ( "beer" instead of "bɪər") .I feel pukish if I drink whisky and I do not drink more than one beer. When my daughter will grow I will send her to school and ... "
He was talking for a while but somehow I got lost in his words and was wondering the ways in which these hard working people find their own happiness. I sometimes get too finicky about my not so successful sprints and my unfulfilled dreams inspite of all the hard work, which I put in. But after talking to him it made me realize something that I can’t write but can only feel.
It may sound strange, but as my habit goes, we exchanged numbers and I told him to contact me if he needs any help for his daughter's education. After reaching the station I gave him the agreed money and some extra money for Sandhya.
He clinched the share for Sandhya in his fist and moved towards his forehead and thanked again with a huge grin "Thank You Madam"
I thanked Ramcharan and moved towards the station…
Oh.. Tu bhi sindhi aaien! Mukhe ta khabar hi kon hUi :-P. Nice post btw.
ReplyDeletehmm toh aisa hua tha
ReplyDeleteAmit : Thanks! even I did not notice "ni" at the end of your surname :)
ReplyDeleteSuruchi di : yeh hua tha mere saath.. :0
Nice..Keep writing..:)
ReplyDeleteI loved the way u've added that 'Giti humour' in this narration... Very cool
ReplyDeleteThanks Sumit. I hope I am able to.. :)
ReplyDeleteSurbhi : "Giti humour" ko hi tu hi samajh and appreciate kar sakti hain :)
Short and an interesting read ! [ But still, be careful of autos after dark ! :) ]
ReplyDeleteThanks Aditya. :)
ReplyDeleteGiti badi ho gayi lagta hai :):)
ReplyDelete