Words Unsaid...

“Yeah, I am at the airport but they tell me that flight is delayed for 2 hours. Postpone the meeting to a time in evening and make sure the client has no complaints. Now I am hanging, I have a call waiting.”

Raj disconnects and reconnects his held call “Yes Maa... Sorry kept you on hold for long.”

(Mom says something from the other side) “No Maa, i am going to delhi for work, i am not going to meet any Sharma ji ki daughter in between. “

”Yeah, I know my age, but mom, please. I told you and i am sticking to it. Mom there is another call coming, i am hanging up. Bye, Love u... “

Raj disconnects and again answers the new call “Yes Abhinav, (listens to abhinav) No dude!!! I can’t. Tomorrow i have meetings with Investors, and then evening, i have to leave for Mumbai. You know everything, and you call me asking for time. You know, every minute i have scheduled for my work. I can’t spare time for anyone.... Hey.....!!!” and there was a sudden silence.

While he was answering the call, he had turned around, to see the person who tapped him from behind and Life was standstill in front of him. “Hello, Hello... Raj” voice was audible from phone while Raj stood dumbstruck

“I will call you back... Yeah... I will... Hanging up now...” He disconnected the phone still looking at the person who had tapped his shoulder.

“Why are you looking at me like this? Don’t tell me, you don’t know me.” She spoke as she smiled.

__________*****__________

As they sat across the coffee table, Raj kept adoring her beauty, she still looked the same she used to be 5 years back. Those black eyes, her hair flowing down on her right side, her skin glowed now also as if she daily baths with milk. It was like yesterday, when they used to be the best pal, totally different but still best friends or that is what he still said. Best friend whom he never contacted in last 5 years.

“How are you? Where have you been so long?” she enquired as they sat across the coffee table at the airport coffee shop.

“Just got busy with life and then got lost in the crowd. Now handling my own business, IT solutions here in Mumbai. ” Raj answered

“Busy?? You just vanished after college, what happened? Kabhi yaad nahi aayi dost ki? (didn’t you miss your friend)”

To miss you, I have to forget you. “Nothing, life happened. You tell, how are things with you? So hows married life?”

"Married? who? I am still single ... And you?” she was a bit shocked on that question

“Why? I thought... (he stopped for a sec) Where’s Karan?”

“Karan? Who Karan?” she enquired

“Karan Singhania, our batchmate. He proposed to you the last day, and i guess you liked him.”

“What?? He did propose me, but i didn’t say yes. Why will I?”

There was an awkward silence for a moment, Yamini looked into his eyed and asked “You thought, i was in love with Karan..? and that’s why...”she stopped

Raj was silent, His face betrayed him, they showed the guilt and pain in his eyes as he looked into her. Raj wanted to express, but he didn’t have the courage like he didn’t have 5 years back. But this time he was caught. He could see it in her eyes and as he was about to explain when Yamini got up “My flight has been announced. Raj it was good to see you.”

She turned around and started walking, to the counter to check in for her flight. Finally a drop of tear just got through the strong barrier of her will and came out flowing on her eye; she immediately wiped it and kept walking. She also loved him, even 5 year earlier but she thought he didn’t. Today when she realised that 5 years of her life she lost because she didn’t tell her friend that she loved her, just because of fear that Life will change if she told him. But life did change, but not the way she thought.

Raj could see her walking away from him, he had to do something, He had to tell her that He loved her, even 5 years back he was in love with her and till date he is. He didn’t want to miss her and he got himself indulged in work. But today he realised she loved him and he had to tell her that he loved her too. It was getting late, as she was walking away. But now she was not visible, she vanished as she checked in and entered the transit zone.

Last time they didn’t express and lost 5 years and today when they realised they could, but again didn’t, how many years again they don’t know.

Tell what you feel, because sometimes things unsaid always stay in your life as a question that “What if i had expressed?”

Pilots of the Green Coloured 3 Wheelers

As I wrote in my previous post, I have been travelling a lot for my work. I sometimes feel like, i should not rent a house anymore in Mumbai, because maximum time I am in different cities. And during my travel the people I meet the most is auto walaas. Yes the green coloured Indian 3 wheeler Pilots are the people I interact the most during my travel. Well the funny things is, even though every Pilot is doing the same work, but the style, the attitude and the charges are different. Let me try to explain what i mean -

In Mumbai -

Stopping an auto - You just have to whistle, and for those who can't whistle, just make a sound like "pooch" and any auto guy, driving at any speed will stop for you. Very quick, they will just ask, where and then a nod. You have to be quick and sharp eyed to understand what that nod meant. It may be sit or may be a naah. There is a very thin line of difference in between both the signs, one is a slight turn of neck, right to left directing us to go inside the while a No is also a nod but a very quick movement to both side.

However if its a yes, then you don't have to argue how much money and blah blah. You pay metered charge as per the law.

In Bangalore -

You have to wave a big hand to stop them. No meter is fixed in the autos at all. You have to accept the fact and go with the wind. And these guys seem to only talk in multiple of hundereds. Any destination you say, they will say the charge in multiple of hundreds. You are not allowed inside the auto unless you are totally sure of the location. They want you to be sure where you want to go or else you will be hearing alot of kannada you don't know, if you get confused when you near the destination and you take time in locating the exact drop place.

Another key aspect is that even if you bargain and bring the price in an odd number (i.e. not in multiple of hundereds) you need to have the exact change to pay. Don't expect them to have change, so if you had to pay INR 70/- and you don't 70 with you, you end up paying INR 100/- because they won't be having loose cash. Very strategically they play their cards. ;-)

In Chennai -

Here they stop automatically, if you stand on edge of the road. Sometimes even if you are just standing, 2-3 autos may approach you. But these guys are also not less than their neighbours.   Again similar to Bangalore, they don't use meter fare. Meter is just a decoration in their planes and you have to pay what they want. But still better as they agree in charging in odd numbers also, even if they begin with a hundered. Here you have to be very smart and you need to bargain alot. So if they say 100, you say 50 and then you close the deal by 70.

They are also up to date about the happenings around, so if you bargain alot on fare, they answer you "Yenna Saar, Petrol Embaadu ruwa..."

and when you say "What" with your confused expressions they reply "Petrol eighty rupees saar. This long, only one way, you go round and come." I still don't know, how many one ways chennai have. LOL

Secondly, whatever you do, even if you tell them you don't know Tamil, they will answer you in Tamil only. So brush up a bit of Tamil when you are there.

In Hyderabad -

Well these guys are a little better. They answer you in Hindi and also sometimes in english. You can talk to them while driving as he will update you about the locations around. He may enquire your full history, i.e. where you came from, where you want to go, have you seen hyderabad earlier and many more stuff. But still they are better people. I met a bunch of auto guys with whom I interacted. We spoke about stuff like biryanis, haleem and why foreigners come and click all these photos of autowalas, chaiwalas and beggars.

The only thing you have to do is to persue them to use the meter. The meter is fixed in the auto, but still when you ask for fare, they give you a number. Then you have to point your finger on the meter and then he might say, "Same hai saab." (It is same sir)

But if you insist again, they will put on the meter.

Another thing is, Hyderabadi auto guys keep their autos sophisticated. High backrest seats, good speakers, disco lightings inside. I travelled in one of them and while talking, I requested him to show me the speakers effect. And he played a telugu song of Allu Arjun sung by Adnan Sami.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFN9CzipgZ4

But one thing is common in every autowala across the states of India. That they work hard, driving around the lanes in scorching sun, heavy rain or in bad health to earn for their family, carrying us, the stuff of ours and still in the end they have a smiling face most of the time.

Keep in mind about the attitudes when you are in these cities. Hope you guys may find it useful.

Be The Change or Don't Complain

It has been long time now, I posted something about my Mumbai Chronicles. I am sorry because of the lame excuse I will be giving, i.e. was busy with work. But it is actually true, because I have been travelling around for my office work and even though there are moments, when a whole post is cooked in my mind, I am too lazy to serve it. 

However, this one incident I would like to share, and I am not expecting everyone to agree to it but still this is what I feel about the whole incident. As I told, I have been travelling a lot and during my travels I meet many people. On my way to Hyderabad from Chennai - 

"This country is doomed. No one can make it better."

I took my eyes of the book I was reading and looked up. A middle aged person, black hair with some shades of grey, the wrinkle around his eyes showed his age, may be late forties, a pencil type mustache, a coffee brown colored polo neck t-shirt, and black trousers, sat in corner seat of my opposite berth. 

"See, how dirty this place is?"

"That is how it is?" answered a person sitting opposite to him. A young man, 6 feet, the look told he works for an IT firm, specky, headsets placed, carrying 2 phones, one an I Phone and one some Sony device

I went back to reading, ignoring the stupid complaint, but it didn't stop there.

. 

"They will remain like this. Even though they take so much taxes. now they increased the service charges on rail tickets. Where is all this money going? To pay medical bills of some Italian lady... Huh! (referring to the recent claim of a politician that INR 1880/- crores were paid by Indian Govt. for the ruling parties presidents medical visits to foreign countries).

"And we pay for everything." He continued. "See countries like Thailand, Singapore, China, Malaysia, They are getting better day by day and here we are stuck with corruption."

"Ticket to USA is 30K and If i go to Delhi from Chennai, it is also almost 30 K. What a logical pricing." old guy continued while the IT guy nodding in support.

"This country is good for nothing. We just pay and pay. And our politicians enjoy the bribes and taxes we give."

 That was it, when I could not take it more. "Sir are you moving out of India soon?"  I asked the person

"Sorry!!! I didn't get you." the old guy asked, giving me a Who The Hell are you look...

"I asked, are you moving out of India to another country?"  I answered loudly.

 "No!! Why??" 

"You should move out, if you have so much grunt with this country." I answered.

"What do you mean? Who are you to say that? You are telling me to get out of my country?"

"Sir, I didn't tell you to get out. I just said, if you have so many problems with this system, Please feel free to leave. World is too big. You have USA, Thailand, Malaysia and many more. I am just saying what you feel."

"Young man, mind your business. I pay taxes and I do have rights to ask questions."

"Sir asking questions is different. If you want to ask questions, use your right to information and ask where you get an answer. Not in public, disgracing your own country. I don't deny about issues we have, but I bet, all the countries you named have issues. Please don't judge the book by its cover. USA, you named, is running in crisis, the locals are complaining about taxes, their presidential elections have become a mockery. "

"You named Thailand, a government, which have made it a fun destination point, to be precise a place for drugs, booz and sex. Other countries you named are also struggling with drug addiction issues, human trafficking and financial crisis. From distance everything looks good."

"Next time, when you are on International tour, please try to visit the back-lanes to find the ugly truth. No country is perfect, everyone has to make it perfect."

"You are telling that we should sit back and agree to all injustice."  the man argued. 

"Please stand up against injustice, but then set examples. You just complained that the place is dirty, just half an hour back when the train began its journey, you finished a bottle of water and threw it on track. You could have dropped it in the compartment dustbin."

"So you say, I made this place dirty."  the guy got all red and annoyed.

"No Sir, you didn't, we all made it dirty. Please don't get angry. I felt bad, when you said bad about my country. Jaisa bhi hai, ye mera desh hai, (It is my country, whatever the condition it is in) and I will try to make it a better place with my small efforts and hope to spread the message to everyone."

"Leave it Sir, he seems to be quite emotional about India. Its already 11, let us all sleep."  the IT guy intervened and our uncomfortable conversation ended like that. 

The old man was still gave me angry looks, but something other was going in my mind. To at least begin somewhere. So thought to request you all to be part of a change. Lets change ourselves to be a part of a better country. 

Try to be right, do right things and stand against injustice. Charity begins at home, so lets improve ourselves.

Don't spit and throw garbage on roads or open areas.

Please try to follow the rules.

Try to help the people. Don't pay bribes.

Don't promote begging by giving money to beggars. If we could help, try to get them in touch with some organization.

And many more things that you think can improve our country, us and give peace to our souls.