When some FB posts happen to you in reality, you are struck with awe. Many of us would have seen the pics of auto drivers having radio, first aid kits.. etc. on FB flooded with likes. Now something strange and something really enriching happened this morning.
The best way I describe my awe is by putting the conversation as it is. (Depending on my memory to rephrase the words ;) ) Although the entire conversation was in telugu, for the convenience of the readers I would put it in English.
Me: Bhayya !! To dwarkanagar, 3rd lane ! Will you ?
AD: Ofcourse.. Rs. 40 pls.
Me: Common bhayya. I take an auto every morning and I always pay 30 Rs.
AD: Its okay give me 30. Get in.
(Got into the auto. After a while, "Its okay" he said "its okay" it means is he compromising on the fare? )
Me: Bhayya !! if the fare was only 30 then why do you raise it to 40 and then pretend as if you are losing on the money ?
AD: Sir, When branded showrooms double their prices and offer a 50% discount why do you all big people stand in a queue to bag everything??
Moreover, I need to make my calculations. I would not find any passengers for about a couple of Kms. from there because of the construction work going on there and I cant afford the extra fare on myself right?
( I never knew that there was a construction work going on around that place, It started the day before though. So, I reassured myself that I wasn't such ignorant ;)
AD: Sir, Have you seen the price of oil. If oil being just an expenditure in your lives is affecting you so much. Think of us, we have oil as our life.
Me: ( emotional :P but was curious to listen to this guy).. achha !! but you have your unions and you fix the fare according to the rates right?
AD: Yes we do ! But how many factors do we account for ? Aviation giants like Vijay Mallya couldn't account for all the factors affected by oil.. how could we ?
Me: (Not a word for some seconds.. and a feeling of Oh teri !!! ) Damn !! you know the crisis of Vijay Mallya.
AD: Sir, 20rs. for 20000 crores news. ( points to India Today magazine folded with oil marks on it kept on his deck)
Me: ( Damn !! I spent 4 years with a wish to read the ET for an hour a day, Paid monthly bill to paperwala and sold the same for 1/20th of the price to another paperwala) So, Do you think Kingfisher will fly in profits ?
AD: Kya sir !! No paisa, Bank acc. seized, Staff resigned and Mallya cant fly. how will kingfisher ?
Me: ( Should I ask one more question and he definitely would make me feel a miniature) Accha !! bhayya. Do you read this for fun or awareness or you prepare for anything.
AD: Mazaa aata hai bhayya !! I am not the part of the administration but reading all this stuff makes me think about the country. Sometimes I wonder If I had been put into the administration I might have brought some change, at least to this city. And every city put to proper function, as a whole would make the administration smooth.
Gave him 40. Got down. Asked his name. Told my name. The whole day was pleasant with a feeling of something good about this country.
Aaaah !! This is why i LOVE this country. proud to say "maa tujhe salaam" :)
