This incident happened to me about a year back..maybe more..But I just got down to writing about it now..I have no idea why I delayed it so much so don't ask me!
So what happened is this...I was driving back from work one very overcast and can-rain-anytime evening..There was a car behind me since I left from office and both were IBMers as I'd seen them around in the canteen and some such...So they were with me all the while but of course I didn't give them too much of a thought as you normally do with colleagues you see around and don't know! So here I was, merrily driving by myself, singing along with the radio and in general just enjoying the drive back (as much as one can considering the traffic and the road itself!)..
Now, as I approached a major intersection, there was no car in front of me and as the signals were off too, I started inching my way forward..There wasn't a cop in sight but as soon as I reached the middle of the square BANG! There he was in front of my car motioning me to stop! He came out of nowhere and caught me totally unawares..I knew I was done for when he asked for my licence and then took it away with him as he made me park by the side of the road..I didn't know what to do in this situation as traffic cops are pretty rough and talk very rudely..As I parked by the side of the road, I saw a car turn around and come back and park on the opposite side..When I got out of the car, I saw it was the same lady and her friend who were getting out..I found it a bit strange but didn't really think too much about it until they hailed me and started walking alongside me..They said I wasn't wrong and that they were there to help me..I was flabbergasted! I literally pinched myself to see if I was dreaming all of this..But I wasn't and they were very much there..They introduced themselves as Satish and Padma..I told them my name too and thanked them profusely for coming to my aid..They told me I wasn't at fault and that they were witness to everything that happened..
We then approached the cop and before he could say anything, Padma started off saying, "The signal's not on and you're standing in a corner. How would she know you're the manning the square if you're not visible...." and so on and so forth..Even Satish got into it with full gusto and started talking to the cop in Marathi..I did my part too by putting in a word or two..In Marathi I might add..This got the cop all confused and with a false bravado he too got into the melee by proclaiming that I was the one who broke the rules even when he was standing right there..And that so many accidents had happened at this square that he was there for our safety only..So in the end I apologized to him (even though I wasn't at fault) and the cop in his magnanimity gave me back my licence without taking a single naya paisa from me! Can you believe that?! I'd thought when I was stopped and my licence taken that I'd now have to cough up cash to get my licence back..But nothing of that sort happened!
So then, feeling very happy with ourselves, we walked back to our cars, with me thanking both Satish and Padma for their help again and again to the point where I think they got a bit embarrassed! But they were very graceful and said they came back because they knew I'd not done anything bad and they genuinely wanted to help out..So having said our goodbyes, we drove off to our respective destinations..
I still see them around in office and I always make it a point to greet them and talk for a few minutes..It's the least I can do after they came to my rescue so selflessly..Who these days does something like this? Would you?
Friday 12 November 2010
Thursday 19 August 2010
A Rarity called an Honest Autowallah!
Yes people! I have encountered an honest autowallah in our very own Pune! Do I hear gasps of disbelief and wonderment? Well my dearies, it is the truth. Let me tell you what happened...
It so happened that I wanted to go to to my workplace from home which is a good 10 kms away by the shorter route on a day when my car had gone for some repairs. So I hail a rickshaw and tell the driver where I want to go. Usually, once the driver hears I want to go to the IBM office, a greedy and gleeful gleam lights up their eyes and I can almost see the cash being counted in their heads! They also always assume that I'll be taking the longer route and then I need to tell them (and watch their dreams of looting me getting shattered!) to take the shorter route. Now this guy is different. He starts driving and before I can tell him to take the shortcut, he beats me to it! I'm in shock now and just say, "Yes please". So there we are going on our way and as I'm about to plug in my earphones, he again asks me whether he should take Holkar Bridge, which is a traffic nightmare or the Sangamwadi Bridge which is apparently relatively easier. So I tell him to stick to Holkar as it is my regular route. He of course doesn't push it and says, "Ma'am, you should try going by the Sangamwadi Bridge as it doesn't get congested at all." So I tell him that I've heard the road is narrow in some parts and it may be difficult for a car to pass through. He replies that yes that is but if you have a small car, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. So I tell him that I'll think about it. He's talking to me very nicely and with respect. I'm still wondering about this guy. Is he for real?!
I reach office by the time my musings about whether he's a regular autowallah or not have come to a stop. I ask him the fare and he tells me it's 80 bucks! Now I'm really bowled over as usually autowallas take 90 bucks and above from me for the same journey citing traffic and the distance. I give him the money and in a daze ask him if he's read the meter properly (don't ask me why I did that! But I really didn't feel like fleecing this nice man). He confirms it and says he usually only does pick up and drops of children to and from their schools, and in between takes regular fares whenever possible. I thank him and go my way, my faith in humanity restored. But since then, I've never again come across an autowallah like him. I know they are a very rare breed and I just pray to God that they never become extinct!
It so happened that I wanted to go to to my workplace from home which is a good 10 kms away by the shorter route on a day when my car had gone for some repairs. So I hail a rickshaw and tell the driver where I want to go. Usually, once the driver hears I want to go to the IBM office, a greedy and gleeful gleam lights up their eyes and I can almost see the cash being counted in their heads! They also always assume that I'll be taking the longer route and then I need to tell them (and watch their dreams of looting me getting shattered!) to take the shorter route. Now this guy is different. He starts driving and before I can tell him to take the shortcut, he beats me to it! I'm in shock now and just say, "Yes please". So there we are going on our way and as I'm about to plug in my earphones, he again asks me whether he should take Holkar Bridge, which is a traffic nightmare or the Sangamwadi Bridge which is apparently relatively easier. So I tell him to stick to Holkar as it is my regular route. He of course doesn't push it and says, "Ma'am, you should try going by the Sangamwadi Bridge as it doesn't get congested at all." So I tell him that I've heard the road is narrow in some parts and it may be difficult for a car to pass through. He replies that yes that is but if you have a small car, it shouldn't be too much of a problem. So I tell him that I'll think about it. He's talking to me very nicely and with respect. I'm still wondering about this guy. Is he for real?!
I reach office by the time my musings about whether he's a regular autowallah or not have come to a stop. I ask him the fare and he tells me it's 80 bucks! Now I'm really bowled over as usually autowallas take 90 bucks and above from me for the same journey citing traffic and the distance. I give him the money and in a daze ask him if he's read the meter properly (don't ask me why I did that! But I really didn't feel like fleecing this nice man). He confirms it and says he usually only does pick up and drops of children to and from their schools, and in between takes regular fares whenever possible. I thank him and go my way, my faith in humanity restored. But since then, I've never again come across an autowallah like him. I know they are a very rare breed and I just pray to God that they never become extinct!
Saturday 10 July 2010
Just a Day in my Monotonous Life
My gosh! It's been so long since I last wrote anything. I'm still trying to clear away the cobwebs in my head and trying to think up a suitable/comic/entertaining topic on which to express my views/opinions...
Facebook takes up too much of my time these days. I'm either farming, or taming the wilderness or commenting on people's posts, status messages, videos, photos et all. If not FB or Gtalk, then it's work (which till recently had almost killed my social life, not that I have too much of it like my brother who meets his friends every single night. Lucky dog!).
So anyway, that's what my life has become these days. Get up in the morning, get ready, travel to office (which in itself is a challenge as mentioned in an earlier post), reach office, fight to get into the lift so that it can carry me to the fourth floor, switch on my laptop which easily takes 10 minutes to boot up, check my mails, shoot off mails left, right and centre while enjoying a paid cup of coffee from a vending machine (yes I know...it's the height of cost cutting when you have to pay Rs.5.50 for a 100ml cup of crappy coffee!). Then after some more work, it's off to lunch to the cafeteria where I have to again fight for a table (it's not funny when people occupy a table gossiping after their meal is done. C'mon get up and make some space for the souls who are stranded with their food in their hands!), back to work, Facebook and Gtalk. After passing time in the virtual world I take some time out to meet real people too in office which passes some more time and then it's travelling back home (stressful!)...A walk (my only exercise) is in the offing if I reach home in time, otherwise laze around on the couch and watch TV, have dinner, watch some more TV and go to bed. The same routine follows the next day and the day after that and so on and so forth...Damn! I need to go on a vacation now, but won't be getting any leave thanks to the chicken pox which had me out of action for two full weeks! There goes my plan down the drain of visiting Rajasthan in November :-(
I know that the majority of people reading this would be going through almost the same ordeal everyday and they would be cribbing about it too. But i guess that's life (unfortunately!)...It's funny how when we are small, we dream of growing up and once we do grow up, we wish we were kids again...Sigh...
Facebook takes up too much of my time these days. I'm either farming, or taming the wilderness or commenting on people's posts, status messages, videos, photos et all. If not FB or Gtalk, then it's work (which till recently had almost killed my social life, not that I have too much of it like my brother who meets his friends every single night. Lucky dog!).
So anyway, that's what my life has become these days. Get up in the morning, get ready, travel to office (which in itself is a challenge as mentioned in an earlier post), reach office, fight to get into the lift so that it can carry me to the fourth floor, switch on my laptop which easily takes 10 minutes to boot up, check my mails, shoot off mails left, right and centre while enjoying a paid cup of coffee from a vending machine (yes I know...it's the height of cost cutting when you have to pay Rs.5.50 for a 100ml cup of crappy coffee!). Then after some more work, it's off to lunch to the cafeteria where I have to again fight for a table (it's not funny when people occupy a table gossiping after their meal is done. C'mon get up and make some space for the souls who are stranded with their food in their hands!), back to work, Facebook and Gtalk. After passing time in the virtual world I take some time out to meet real people too in office which passes some more time and then it's travelling back home (stressful!)...A walk (my only exercise) is in the offing if I reach home in time, otherwise laze around on the couch and watch TV, have dinner, watch some more TV and go to bed. The same routine follows the next day and the day after that and so on and so forth...Damn! I need to go on a vacation now, but won't be getting any leave thanks to the chicken pox which had me out of action for two full weeks! There goes my plan down the drain of visiting Rajasthan in November :-(
I know that the majority of people reading this would be going through almost the same ordeal everyday and they would be cribbing about it too. But i guess that's life (unfortunately!)...It's funny how when we are small, we dream of growing up and once we do grow up, we wish we were kids again...Sigh...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)