It's not a story!!

Hello Rickshaw!!!! I called out a cycle rickshaw man who was speeding away from me when I got to road to catch a rickshaw to get my office. It’s quarter to nine and I was to get my office by nine, thanks to card swiping rule of the my companies ..so called ethics and customs or nakharas of top ranked multinationals companies ( Moreover I see most of the companies in some top ten categories just like telesop’s TRPs). I didn’t know whom to blame my dreamy mornings, morning routines that get multiplied when you live with some of your great pals or simply to office timings..that comes handy.

“Haan Saab!! Kaha jaoge?? “ was the word that awakened me from the thoughts I dwelled on.
“Sector 57 police chawki..” I replied.
“Sorry Saab I will turn left from next crossing. Please for some other one”.

I took his million dollar advice and gazed at road for another one but here came the Murphy’s law when you’ re getting late you see there are very few things to commute. I kept waiting for another 5 minutes for another rickshaw,. It was close to 9 now. Now I realized how hard it was to save 15 minute in the morning. Here came another rickshaw, also my familiar question….

”Sector 57 Chaloge???”
“Haan” He replied.
“Kitana loge?” I asked.( Because I knew that It’s better to ask fare before you hire otherwise they could make your day at your destination)
“25 Rupees”. Quickly comes the repartee..hitting at the blood red iron.
“It’s hardly 3 km and takes less than 15 minutes, it does not charge more than 15”. I argued.
“You just take another one”. He replied rudely.
I felt down not because of what he said to me like this but because of lack of education and way to behave.(People like us realize all these things in these situations only). He could have said simply NO ..I talked to me, I relieved myself and tried to feel it never happened to me.

Suddenly I felt shivering and that’s when I realized I had forgotten to take my jacket. Again I cursed my attitude towards my routine and sweared to improve it (what I had taken more than thousand times). Anyways, I saw another rickshaw what seemed like a pushpak viman to me. I thought not to ask for fare this time and would give whatever he asked, but again same old familiar conversation.

“Hello rickshaw!”.
“Haan saab!”.
“57 ki chawki chaloge?”
“Chalenge saab!”
“Kitna loge?”“20 Rupees Saab!”
“But it takes just 15 rupees..Don’t befool me. I am regular”.
“Lagte to 20 hi hain par aap 15 hi de dena”. It seemed he had done burden of favor to me by reducing his fare by 5 Rs. Ignoring his verbatim I got to my seat and asked to rush. My eyes rested on my mobile phone unintentionally to check time. It was exact nine. My lips just pronounced ‘F’ word as it was going to pacify my irritation. To divert my mind I just asked rickshaw man “Is there fewer rickshaws today?…anything special??”
“No .. nothing of that sort saab!. Actually this is office time, sawarees come in abundance time that’s why”. He tried to make things clear to me, as I was very new to his place and routine.
Hmm!! I showed my feigned interest.
“..Otherwise we just wander from one crossing to other, one stand to other in search of sawaries..There are so many rickshaws, auto rickshaws there for every sawaries. Most of the residents here have their own vehicles”. He continued.
“Are dekh ke” I screamed as he just avoided a collision with Swift.
“Ap ne hi to kaha ki jaldi hai..Aur saab ye madam log pata nahi kaha dekh kar chalati hai” He said.
“OK” I said justifying his action and thoughts.

He was almost sweating away in mid of January in Delhi while I was shivering of cold. I could not understand whether it was his sheer dedication to get me office in time, fetching up another sawaries after dropping me at my office as it was peak time for him or it was simply a way to avoid Dilli ki sardi…I could not really figure out.

All of a sudden I just felt myself pushed towards front but somehow I managed to balance myself. Reason?? Rickshaw man just got some problem in chain and he just slipped his sleeper on the road. He looked back at me with his embarrassed eyes.
“Its OK” I said.
“Abe Juta pahna kar!!” A voice pierced to his embarrassment. Now I saw embarrassment changed to frustration, frustration transformed to anger towards the source of voice . a motor biker. And all these were melting in his eyes.
“Lets go..” I said.

“Abe juta pahna kar” was still echoing in my ears. Who want to move out of his place without his shoes when temperature is kissing 2 degree? Offcourse one who does not have..How indifference had crept in people’s mind. They don’t think of words they speak. Nobody cares nobody. Again I thought of poverty and starvation of India in spite of so called double figure growth rate. How many are there who are unable to fulfill their hand to mouth needs.My mind was full of questionnaire and answers were just roaming here and there.
“Nobody takes responsibility”. I listened from a corner of my mind.
“So does you” answers another corner.
“I will give him 20 Rs not 15 even if he doesn’t ask” I thought.
Thought of giving just 5 Rs was making me content toward him.
Unconvinced me somehow tried to convince me and I made my mind.
“Here you are saab! Is is right place?”
“Yes Thanks” I said and picked 300 Rs out of my pocket and put in front of him.
“I don’t have change saab!” He mumbled. He thought It was hundred Rs note..as I guessed.
“No its 300 Rs and all yours. Its very cold out here..go and purchase a pair of shoes for you” I suggested.
“No I need just 20 Rs saab” He replied somehow confused.
“This is all yours buddy I don’t want it back ..you need it ..you just have it. I have 20 Rs too for my fare. But you just keep it too”. I said picking out another 20 Rs from my pocket.
He took 20 Rs note from my hand.
“I will take shoes form this 20 Rs”. I saw his eyes filled with self respect, confidence, gratitude, determination and off course a hope to get another sawari..
“Thank you Saab!” and he paddled away.