A Traffic Friday

A Friday afternoon seemed just another day; little did I know fate was in mood for humour.

Now I am not a big fan of government policies, activities and those officials. I have lived and experienced confrontation with the government employees; be it for passport, driving licence, NOC, rashan cards, pan, tax & car hijacking. Most departments mentioned takes weeks and months to get your work done. But..there is one department which operates on the Nazi blitz Krieg way. They stop, pick up the car, and they are off, not even bothered to look around if there is some one yelling, ' Hey its my car!! I'm coming!' . Having said that let me return to this Friday.

The previous day: Mom, ‘Buy vegetables and 2L milk from Reliance fresh tomorrow..and don’t forget potatoes. You can buy any vegetables you wish’.

Myself, ‘Yes yes ok.’

          Friday: I pressed the button with a capital G marked on it and tried recollecting how much money I had. Placed a hand over the pocket and remembered the Rs 1k I had withdrawn a day before. Hmm.. more than sufficient.

I got inside the bottle green car and turned the ignition. The fuel was dangling close to the E mark so I exited the building premises and turned towards the petrol pump, the other way. Handed a guy in a BP uniform a 500 bill and he filled in 7.92L of unleaded petrol. I drove past my home and reached Reliance Fresh Mart. I found an unmarked spot and parked the vehicle behind another car. The lone driver inside the front car looked on. Took me 15mins, give or take, and I exited with 3 heavy bags of groceries. I walked to the parked spot just to be welcomed and overwhelmed by an empty spot. Just then I had a mental image of how and what must have happened. A man sitting nearby said, ‘Yep, they took it to the station, probably pounded under the Borivali flyover’. I didn’t say a word and called a rick home. Dumped the grocery bags home and left for the bus stop.

          Catching the bus in a hurry only took me halfway and the bus turned the other way. Absent minded and pissed off, I walked the rest. A vacant towing van lay parked and I patted it.At the Borivali Traffic Police station, I was told, ‘Perhaps it’s probably at Kandivali Station’. So another bus ride later I reached the destination. The car simply lay on the side of the road, I took the key out but soon spotted a yellow block clamped to a tyre. Ehhh..

I paid the official Rs 300 for their trouble, Rs 100 for the offence + Rs200 towing charge. I wanted to throw the money in front of him but all I could do was take out the cash and drop it in front of the counter. He picked it up. Outside another guy used a key and freed the impounded vehicle. Driving back home I sang a song and a guy riding pillion outside, peeked inside.

A Daily Contrast

I was a standee in a public bus, hanging on to the handle just behind the row of the women’s seats. It was not by choice, but rather due to people behind, who pushed ahead. The bus stopped at a traffic signal; at the turn towards Dindoshi bus depot. I happened to glance out through a window and then something seemed strange and I glanced back. Below the fly-over and besides the corner a mother and her child lay. The utensils lying around suggested they have been there long. The mother was probably still in her late teens and the child was an infant but able to walk around. She lay on the ground. To be accurate she lay on the tar road just besides the foot path. The mother had placed an arm over her face, to blind out the light probably. She lay still. The infant moved onto her mother’s chest, lifted the sari and helped herself to feed. This picture was quiet disturbing but the strange thing that caught my attention was that the mother had still not moved.

All these events transpired and the bus hadn’t moved yet. A dog showed up before them. To my relief the mother lifted her arm and shooed it away. I thought I saw some of the women near the window breathe a sigh of relief. Just then I saw a man, in his forties, running across the road. I almost wished he was somebody from the government or an organisation rushing over to them to take them away somewhere better. He ran past them with indifference and the bus moved on.

I got down from the bus and was walking towards home. The memory of the day’s events was slowly fading now. A yellow bus halted behind me. I turned around and saw a little girl get down from the bus. She was wearing a chequered blue school uniform, a bag on her shoulders and a water bottle around her neck. She ran past me with arms wide spread and hugged her mother, who had bent down to grab her. My thoughts ran back to that corner under the fly-over and I did not like it. I asked myself why I am thinking about them. What good would it do to me or to them? Would I have got down from the bus and spared them a few coins? Would it truly help their misery? for how long? Maybe indifference is indeed bliss.

A Small Effort

        I will not emphasize the importance of being an environmentalist these days. I am not suggesting you make a career out of it but rather I will implore you to consider it as a small hobby. A small effort is what it takes; be it to clear your study table or to save the planet. What do I possibly mean by this ‘small effort’ you may wonder. I will elaborate on some few tips:

1.       Wrappers: Wrappers become trash that is an eventuality. Where one trashes it, is what one must keep in mind. Solution is to store it in your pocket till you reach a dust bin. A chewing gum you want to spit out can go inside that wrapper or a used bus ticket.

2.       Littering:  A simple fact is what stays beautiful usually remains beautiful because most of us humans enjoy cleanliness. Most of us will think twice about littering a beautiful garden or a clean street. But on the other hand would you think twice if the street was already littered? What I am getting at is, one would not feel guilty about dirtying a dirty place. So next time think about the sin of being the first litterer. It is possible others will follow your lead and the next day it becomes a dump.

I usually go on treks just to be in close proximity of (the remaining) nature. And whenever I come across plastic bottles and packets, I wish for lightning to befall their past owners. So you better not be one of them.

3.       Bus: There is nothing that will save more fuel than public transport. Opt for busses over auto rickshaws whenever feasible.

4.       Car pooling: Mostly for office goers. I just hate seeing big cars that pile up in a jam with just a single occupant.

5.       Vehicles: Travel economically. Switch of engine when waiting for the signal to change. Service every year. And mostly about those scooter and tempo owners who add kerosene into fuel...Please don’t..no one wants to smell the thick smoke that exits from your exhaust.

6.       Electricity & Water: There is one advertisement, wherein there is an animated child who is brushing his teeth with the water on. A child lets the light/fan on.

Well to add to that, turn off the monitor when you are away. Switch of the TV and to do even- better stop watching brain-dead shows.

7.       Shopping: ‘Carry a bag of your own’, it is not that difficult and inconvenient as it may sound! Don’t allow vegetable owners to pack your purchase in polyethene bags, hand them the one you brought along with you. Advice them to stop usage of such plastic bags. I just felt reminding that plastic takes 1000 years to disintegrate.

8.       Plant: There are people who walk into tropical jungles and chain themselves to trees. To fight deforestation. I have plants outside my window. Just the simple act of watering and nurturing helps me appreciate greenery.

9.       Wastage: Reuse Reduce Recycle.

10.   The Will: The ‘Will’ is the only thing you need to make the right choice.  

          
There may be some points,that I may have left out..There maybe other such tips you may follow in your routine. But remember, all our little efforts will add to do a bit for the world. I implore you to come ahead and share your ideas.

I 

A One Night Venture

              Naveen exited The La’ Degray Cafe with his friends at the IBM Customer support. Hands on each other’s shoulder they walked out into the alley with a buzz in their head. They parted with merry hugs and good byes. Most went southwards and some went home by bus. Naveen had to go all the way from Grant road to Virar. It was a long way to go alone, he caught a taxi for the railway station. The driver heard his passenger mumble something about going to station. Naveen rolled down a window. A cold breeze blew in and he briefly thought about his family back in Agra. The thought passed away when he felt a chewing gum besides the seat. Finally around 12:15 am, he reached the railway station.

Grant Road railway station was still crowded with a motley collection of working class people waiting for the train. Naveen joined them. He was feeling hungry now, he only had beer and very less of the veg kabab his friends commonly ordered. So he ordered a samosa from the stall at the railway platform and took a bite into it. He smiled thinking of the time he had once saw flies swarming around it with random strangers touching them to feel if they are warm. He wasn’t a hypochondriac but had a standard for food hygiene. He later had a soda to wash it down. The fizz felt good in his stomach. He stood at the edge of the platform peeping into the dark. The local train was scheduled to be at 12:34, his digital watch showed 12:20. He walked around the platform to pass time and to kill his buzz. He saw a bunch of middle class women standing together for the ladies coach. Some men sat on the truss below the over head bridge. He returned to his original position under the big railway clock. He saw a light coming and then a train arrived at the platform. He looked down at the railway tracks below and wondered if he would fall if he closed his eyes long enough. From a distance he saw men hanging on to the door frames. He cursed; thinking the trains are still packed.

The train came to a halt and two people got down from the coach in front of him. He climbed on board and breathe a sigh of relief, the train was empty. Four men and two young women got in. He unconsciously eyed them after he got in. He was standing in the passage way. Four men stood on door frame hanging on to the handle above them. He wished to stand near the door as well but thought better and remained putt. He mildly left a vibration and reached into his pocket. His cheap mobile phone had just received a spam message. He thought to himself that he will surely buy a better mobile phone with the next month’s salary. A passenger yawned and looked around if he could sit down. Naveen checked his watch when the train reached Borivali station, 12:58am. Surreptitiously he passed a glance towards the two girls again. He tried to figure out whom they were with, it did not make sense why they would come alone into a men’s coach. The passenger besides him squatted to the floor and he looked comfortable now. Naveen hung on to the handle bars in anticipation of his destination. To his surprise, one of the girls,the one wearing a red t-shirt looked his way and giggled, he squinted his eyes sceptically.  Immediately, fearing an unnecessary confrontation with any guardian/boyfriend or even the general public, he turned around to face the door.

The train reached Virar station close to 1:20am. The men standing at the door jumped off before the train halted. Naveen got down and bought himself another soda from the platform. He checked his watch and hoped his roommate would answer the door this untimely hour. He climbed the overhead bridge to get to the west side. Some handicapped beggars were doing late night shifts while some slept on neatly laid out news papers. He exited the railway station and stopped at a beetle nut stall. He bought his favourite banarsi pan and  chewed. A soft voice behind him said, “ Hi”, Naveen turned around bedazzled.”We are really late today. Could you please walk us to our home?”. Naveen managed to mumble “huh?.. what?” The girl in red asked “Our place is just 10 walking minutes from  here, could you please help us...pleaseee..?” Naveen was still trying hard to grasp the situation. “But they look so innocent, and who knows, maybe this could be the start of a beautiful friendship” he thought to himself and smiled. He nodded a yes. The trio started walking down the road. After a few minutes, they were the only ones walking down an alley. The girl took out cigarette carton from her brown purse and lit a cigarette. She gave the sweetest smile and offered one to Naveen. He felt bad to refuse, so took the stick from her hand and held it between his lips. She held a flame on the lighter and he lit his cigarette. They made a few trivial talks on the way. Not that he wanted this moment to pass, but just plain curiosity made him ask how much further their place was. They looked at one another and one of them replied “Oh..just the around the next corner. Naveen was new to the city and likewise new to Virar ,so wondered how he’ll get back. Anyhow, he took a drag from the cigarette again. The next moment he felt a funny felling in his legs. It felt as if he was walking on marshy lands. He began to stumble and one the girls held his arm and placed it over her shoulders. By now, Naveen was trying real hard just to walk ,his vision blurred and he soon passed out.

Naveen woke up smiling to a tickling in his foot. He opened his eyes and saw the backside of an old dilapidated building. The dog stopped licking and went away. He sat up straight in shock and a terrible headache came rushing. He cursed the two girls. It was afternoon the next day and a dumpster lay open besides him. He looked around and only found other dogs eating from the over flowing garbage. He held onto a rusted grill and stood up. His head was still spinning. He lifted his arm to check the time and only saw the un-tanned mark left by his watch. He immediately reached into his back pocket and didn’t feel the bump of the wallet. Naveen cursed aloud and kicked an empty can of coke. He reached into his front jeans pocket and found his CDMA mobile phone still there. He shook his head snickering sarcastically and walked off.

A Circle in a Nut Shell

A butterfly withdrew and rolled up its tongue. Smelled honey and spread its yellow wings again and flew.

Mr. Alfred Jonathan was reading the file the second time, scrutinizing each and every line. The maid soon arrived into the garden and lay down the tray on the table in front of him. Mr.Jonathan sat up straight and lay down the file open on the mahogany wood.  He picked up a toast, took a bite and turned another page.  He took a sip of tea and remembered he didn’t add honey into it yet.  Just then he noticed a yellow insect sitting on the brim of the honey jar. He shooed it away with the toast in his hand. The motion also caused his tea to spill  . He watched in horror as the tea spilled onto the page which lay open. He quickly tore away that page to save the rest and in the anger of the moment he crumpled it into a soggy ball and threw it over the garden wall. He took a good minute to realize that he still needed the corrections that he had done on it.

Kasim checked his cracked watch, its needles pointed to 8 and the long one on 6. He pushed his cart and kept yelling “Paper, bottles and scrap!” through the streets. His eyes still red from the cheap liquor he had eight hours ago. Suddenly something bumped on his head. He saw the brown paper ball on the ground and cursed under his breath. Looked around and there was no one around to apologize to him. He picked it up mindlessly, added it to his collection of old news papers and started to move on with indifference. Just then he saw a worried middle aged man in fine suiting calling out to him about a piece of paper. Kasim suppressed a smile. He bargained with the owner's patience and fleeced a bill of 50 from him. Kasim didn’t hold back his smile on his way back to his cart.

Pinto often opened his little shop early on Monday, for those who didn’t get enough of liquor on a Sunday night. He ordered the little teen to go clean the tables and arrange the chairs. Around 11 am just 10 mins after the main doors to the bar was open, a shabby looking guy walked in happily waving a 50. He ordered the cheapest whiskey and the bare footed teen brought him the same with a dirty glass. Pinto watched him suspiciously. After an hour he told him pay up and just as he feared the man paid 70Rs.He was 30Rs short. They argued for a while and Pinto finally threw him out. The drunkard held onto an empty bottle as he was manhandled out. All pissed off, he got out and managed to hurl the bottle on the kerb in front. The bottle broke into a hundred pieces. Kasim ran.

Ali was just another 10 year old who made his living from selling balloons and begging in his off time. He was walking past Pinto’s Bar and Restaurant when he felt a sudden pain in his right foot. He screamed but his scream nearly went unheard over the sound of vehicles passing and those who heard, walked by with indifference. He sat down and twisted his bare foot and in the red, he saw a glass piece. He took out the shard and blood spilled out again.He tied a plastic bag around it. Limping ahead he thought maybe the injury may win some sympathy from rich women.So he went astray from his usual balloon selling business for the day and begged around the market place.He earned a few spare coins. A while later he saw men walking out of buildings and the traffic grew. Ali understood it’s probably 5pm and office time is up. He saw a bunch of young business women returning home from the building across the road. He hurried crossing, limping his way to the other side.

Just like any one else a black Honda City was also speeding back home. He was in a hurry after the long day at office discussing the merger of a rival company. He was still playing with numbers in his head. When suddenly he saw a boy hurrying across the road . The driver had no time to sound the horn, instincts took over and he slammed hard on the brakes. The car veered over to the other lane over the small dividers. Seconds later, from the opposite lane, a SUV barged into the City. The Honda city rolled over and finally ceased motion. The boy ran into the crowd. People nearby hurried over to the damaged vehicles. They peeked through the broken window. Inside a man lay morbidly still . They pulled him out of the upside down Honda City leaving behind a trail of red. A crowd gathered around the man and someone dialed a police station and another dialed for an ambulance, the man in the nice suit seemed important. A thoughtful stranger reached into the man's pocket and took out his wallet for a name and address. He got a home phone number and dialed it. “Yes..Hello? Am I speaking to Mrs. Jonathan ..?” 

Somewhere in the distance, in a small garden a blue butterfly emerged from its cocoon and spread it's wings for the first time.