Conversations are what makes life worth living...
I love conversing with people, people might call me talkative sometimes but I love to know more about people, especially common people. Their thoughts, their outlook, their ideologies mesmerize me sometimes. Whenever I have a long journey in an auto or in a cab, I try and talk to the driver, know what he knows, see what he sees and also to observe what he observes. It has always turned out to be completely different that what we assume about them.
Last Monday I got down at Mumbai domestic airport and headed towards the auto stand. When I reached there, two pimp-ish auto drivers tried to make me understand that the autos have also fallen under prepaid charges. So my destination which normally would attract a fare of Rs. 120, apparently it would charge me Rs. 350 now. On top of that, the auto driver said that if I dont take the pre-paid slip, he would only charge me Rs. 250. After 8 years in Mumbai, I have learned to play my cards well, so I denied and asked them "do you guys have any meter autos?"
At that time I noticed, on my right side there was a huge queue of auto rickshaws, who are looking at me with sad faces. Now the guy who was in front of the queue, rode forward," Saab, I will go". With stoned-jaw and burning eyes, the first autodriver said " Fine, then go with him, dont come back to me later about lost properties." I was stunned, what did he think of himself? Asked him 'you think you are their king? What's your name buddy?" He just walked out...
I, visibly pissed, sat into the meter auto. The driver said, " saab, was in the queue for over half n hour. If it's possible, please give me twenty bucks extra". That calmed me down immediately. One one hand, there was this rude auto-bourgeois, who is trying to rob me even before he rendered any service, on the other hand, there is this guy who is asking for a few meager extra bucks, in the most polite way possible.
Curiously I asked him what is the scene? And the story that he told me, revealed a big racquet, which is about to corrupt the Mumbai auto drivers. According to him, that first auto driver is the self-proclaimed leader of airport auto drivers. He always does this prepaid scam and asks for more money. If the passenger falls for it, he still doesnt go with them. He rather asks one of those meter drivers standing in the queue, to drop them at meter price and takes the extra money from him before they leave airport. So the meter driver looks like the cheat, and the leader-driver earns by standing at the airport and pimping the rides. Now some of the passengers have tried to contact the cops nearby, but apparently they get a cut too. For example, had I agreed on Rs. 350, the leader-driver would ask the meter driver to pay him Rs. 200 and take the passenger. With that Rs. 200 he pays Rs. 100 to the cops and keeps the rest to himself.
When I expressed my surprise at this story, he started giving me examples of what all happened to different passengers, how the leader-driver shoes the passengers away from the meter drivers, if they dont take his deal. I had always thought that nothing can beat Chennai and Bangalore auto drivers as far as cheating is concerned, but this was way beyond that if it's true.
As we cross the Jogeshwari flyover, I asked him why he goes to airport if he knows that there are so much of tension. What he told me was another shocker. Apparently other than the auto drivers in a certain auto-union led by a certain leader, no driver is happy with the base fare increasing from Rs.12 to Rs.15. With Rs. 12, they would make about Rs 700-800 per day in an average. But with Rs.15, rarely they can make more than Rs.500 a day. According to him " previously, passengers would queue up for one auto, now autos queue up to one passenger. Other than the 10,000 odd autos in the union, no other driver is happy in the city, and as a result, they are delving into the trap of these airport hoodlums." With govt. sanctioning another 90,000 auto and cabs in the city, earning bread would be a great challenge for the existing drivers.
I tried to make the situation light and asked him about his native place. He turned out to be from a small town near Varanasi, where I have shot once. He was excited to know that I know about his village. He has one son and one daughter. The daughter is studying to be a nurse and the son is in 2nd year engineering in a college in UP. I couldnt refrain myself from asking about his past, what brought him to Mumbai? He was in his first year, political science major in a Varanasi college, when his father passed away because of poisonous liquor, he had to take responsibility of the whole family of six. Mumbai seemed to be the only place where he could earn enough to support his family. But he kept his interest in politics intact. " Saab, i can discuss any political issue with you" he smiled and said. Well I indeed observed that, when I saw the folded newspaper on his rickshaw-dashboard, with the Durgashakti Nagpal case visible from where I was sitting. I was impressed...
When he dropped me, I gave him Rs.30 extra, he gave 10 bucks back. He said 'saab, I dont need pity, we had a great conversation and I enjoyed talking to you. If you are a man in some position, do something about the airport scam. I can still figure out other means to earn, but there are many others who can't. Bye" he left. I stood there with my blue trolley bag, thinking about the last one hour. He taught me so many important lessons in life, but I didnt even ask his name. Maybe that extra 10 bucks I tried to give was self pity, maybe it was guilt, maybe just a tip or maybe just for the amazing conversation I had. It undoubtedly made my day and gave me an unforgettable memory. A memory that's worth remembering throughout a lifetime...
I love conversing with people, people might call me talkative sometimes but I love to know more about people, especially common people. Their thoughts, their outlook, their ideologies mesmerize me sometimes. Whenever I have a long journey in an auto or in a cab, I try and talk to the driver, know what he knows, see what he sees and also to observe what he observes. It has always turned out to be completely different that what we assume about them.
Last Monday I got down at Mumbai domestic airport and headed towards the auto stand. When I reached there, two pimp-ish auto drivers tried to make me understand that the autos have also fallen under prepaid charges. So my destination which normally would attract a fare of Rs. 120, apparently it would charge me Rs. 350 now. On top of that, the auto driver said that if I dont take the pre-paid slip, he would only charge me Rs. 250. After 8 years in Mumbai, I have learned to play my cards well, so I denied and asked them "do you guys have any meter autos?"
At that time I noticed, on my right side there was a huge queue of auto rickshaws, who are looking at me with sad faces. Now the guy who was in front of the queue, rode forward," Saab, I will go". With stoned-jaw and burning eyes, the first autodriver said " Fine, then go with him, dont come back to me later about lost properties." I was stunned, what did he think of himself? Asked him 'you think you are their king? What's your name buddy?" He just walked out...
I, visibly pissed, sat into the meter auto. The driver said, " saab, was in the queue for over half n hour. If it's possible, please give me twenty bucks extra". That calmed me down immediately. One one hand, there was this rude auto-bourgeois, who is trying to rob me even before he rendered any service, on the other hand, there is this guy who is asking for a few meager extra bucks, in the most polite way possible.
Curiously I asked him what is the scene? And the story that he told me, revealed a big racquet, which is about to corrupt the Mumbai auto drivers. According to him, that first auto driver is the self-proclaimed leader of airport auto drivers. He always does this prepaid scam and asks for more money. If the passenger falls for it, he still doesnt go with them. He rather asks one of those meter drivers standing in the queue, to drop them at meter price and takes the extra money from him before they leave airport. So the meter driver looks like the cheat, and the leader-driver earns by standing at the airport and pimping the rides. Now some of the passengers have tried to contact the cops nearby, but apparently they get a cut too. For example, had I agreed on Rs. 350, the leader-driver would ask the meter driver to pay him Rs. 200 and take the passenger. With that Rs. 200 he pays Rs. 100 to the cops and keeps the rest to himself.
When I expressed my surprise at this story, he started giving me examples of what all happened to different passengers, how the leader-driver shoes the passengers away from the meter drivers, if they dont take his deal. I had always thought that nothing can beat Chennai and Bangalore auto drivers as far as cheating is concerned, but this was way beyond that if it's true.
As we cross the Jogeshwari flyover, I asked him why he goes to airport if he knows that there are so much of tension. What he told me was another shocker. Apparently other than the auto drivers in a certain auto-union led by a certain leader, no driver is happy with the base fare increasing from Rs.12 to Rs.15. With Rs. 12, they would make about Rs 700-800 per day in an average. But with Rs.15, rarely they can make more than Rs.500 a day. According to him " previously, passengers would queue up for one auto, now autos queue up to one passenger. Other than the 10,000 odd autos in the union, no other driver is happy in the city, and as a result, they are delving into the trap of these airport hoodlums." With govt. sanctioning another 90,000 auto and cabs in the city, earning bread would be a great challenge for the existing drivers.
I tried to make the situation light and asked him about his native place. He turned out to be from a small town near Varanasi, where I have shot once. He was excited to know that I know about his village. He has one son and one daughter. The daughter is studying to be a nurse and the son is in 2nd year engineering in a college in UP. I couldnt refrain myself from asking about his past, what brought him to Mumbai? He was in his first year, political science major in a Varanasi college, when his father passed away because of poisonous liquor, he had to take responsibility of the whole family of six. Mumbai seemed to be the only place where he could earn enough to support his family. But he kept his interest in politics intact. " Saab, i can discuss any political issue with you" he smiled and said. Well I indeed observed that, when I saw the folded newspaper on his rickshaw-dashboard, with the Durgashakti Nagpal case visible from where I was sitting. I was impressed...
When he dropped me, I gave him Rs.30 extra, he gave 10 bucks back. He said 'saab, I dont need pity, we had a great conversation and I enjoyed talking to you. If you are a man in some position, do something about the airport scam. I can still figure out other means to earn, but there are many others who can't. Bye" he left. I stood there with my blue trolley bag, thinking about the last one hour. He taught me so many important lessons in life, but I didnt even ask his name. Maybe that extra 10 bucks I tried to give was self pity, maybe it was guilt, maybe just a tip or maybe just for the amazing conversation I had. It undoubtedly made my day and gave me an unforgettable memory. A memory that's worth remembering throughout a lifetime...
conversations are amazing. Isn't it. Seems like we bro and sis have the same passion. About the scam well Kolkata follows the same trend. I had to face the same trouble everyday.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely worth a read... for some strange reason, made me teary eyed! How less we know about the every-day people around us! And how much we take our situation for granted... now I'm eagerly waiting for the next conversation :)
ReplyDelete