A kaleidoscope of men, matters & moments that make the madness & magic of Mumbai
A reassuring ride
In a different city, this reporter was traveling alone in an auto-rickshaw after midnight. She had been warned by friends that the city sleeps early and that she must not take a particular route to the destination, as it is a very quiet area. After sitting in the auto, the reporter informed the auto driver not to take that particular route. In a tone of unabashed hurt, the auto driver said, “Madam, I am a Marathi Manoos. I will not do anything to you. I will ensure you reach home safely.”
The reporter felt embarrassed and was wondering what to do about the awkwardness that ensued. She said, “No, I have heard the area is haunted. I don’t think we should pass by there in the dead of the night.” To this, the auto driver said, “Even ghosts will not do anything to you if you are sitting in my auto. Rest assured.” The reporter then struck up a conversation with the driver and reached home safe and sound.
A bus conductor shows the way
I always had an impression that BEST conductors are rude and arrogant to talk to. But I got an astonishing surprise during a bus ride from the CST bus stop when, on a weekday during rush hours, I was on my way to office in Nariman Point.
I was searching for a bus that would drop me to office as I am still new to the area. One bus conductor approached me and asked me where I needed to go. I reluctantly answered his question and moved away to board a stationary bus. But the conductor kindly told me, “Sister, don’t board this bus as it is not working properly and it may take time to start.”
I went forward hunting for other buses and exploring their routes. After 10 minutes, I saw a Fort Ferry bus just about to start and the same conductor stopped it near me and said, “I will drop you to your destination, you can board this bus.” I boarded the bus. I was curious about why this man was being so kind to me and while taking the ticket, I questioned him about the same. He wisely answered, “All the commuters who board the bus are already in a rush or tired after work. So when they catch a bus and if somebody talks harshly with them, they get frustrated and an argument starts. Hence, I talk nicely to all the people who are in my bus so that they spend a peaceful five-10 minutes of travel to and from the station.”
I also feel happy doing the same, he added.
Soon my stop came and I, too, had a happy five minutes of travel.
Politically speaking
Auto rickshaw drivers have their own, highly developed opinion on various issues, including politics.
Always in contact with different kinds of people, they possess a wide range of know ledge. They are far more politically aware than most of the citizens and often have thoughtful and pragmatic views on the problems of the country. On a trip to Konkan, this reporter had hired an auto rickshaw from the railway station to a remote village.
Since the route was a long one, this reporter struck up a conversation with the rickshaw driver. It started with the well-connected roads on which we were travelling then. “Our constituency is developed only because of the sheer efforts of dada, our former MLA,” he said, referring to former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Congress stalwart Narayan Rane.
“He is very aggressive in his approach and one can observe the developmental activities in our region. We have hospitals in this area now, there are colleges started during his tenure. All these leaders from other political parties came together with the sole aim to defeat him. They succeeded in their aim. But look where we are heading now. Inflation is sky-rocketing. Only the rich benefit from this government and poor daily wage earners like me are suffering and cannot feed their children.”
Best Internet sarcasm till date:
I have 10 intolerant mosquitoes in my house… they bite me every night, there is so much intolerance in my house. I’m scared for my child’s safety. I won’t buy a mosquito repellent. Instead, I’m planning to leave my house.
Contributors
Eeshanpriya MS, Devashree Bhujbal and Chitra Sawant
Complied by Pandurang Mhaske
[alert type=”e.g. warning, danger, success, info” title=””]
No network, no bail
Courts are hotbeds for amusing incidents. This reporter was at the Esplanade court in south Mumbai recently when she saw a young boy sitting on a bench just two rows away from the magistrate. He had his cell phone in his hand and kept swaying like a pendulum in his seat. While he was engrossed in his phone and busy talking, he hit an old man’s hand to his right. The man angrily asked what the matter was and why the boy couldn’t sit straight in the court room. Embarrassed, the boy replied, “I can’t get network here.” To this, the man smilingly said, “Son, you’re in a court, you won’t get anything easily here.” This turned out to be true, since five minutes later, the boy didn’t need network anymore — his bail plea was rejected and he was sent to police custody!
[/alert]
By Sonam Saigal
