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!
