Last week there was an auto strike in B’lore.
Which meant that all of us professionals who work half in and half out of office, had to perforce stay put in office. Cos, even if we have cars to go around in, there is a severe dearth of parking space everywhere. With the result that you get into the car in the morning, drive to office and park it conveniently in some shady place(the building parking lots have all been taken by the big shots) and rely on autos to ferry you around to clients and agencies.
Two wheelers were still workable, till this law was enforced, of absolutely having to wear helmets- come rain, come shine. Can you imagine going to meet your client, helmet and jacket in hand? Quite non-happening! It would make the client even more inclined against signing up on that particular deal, or - if you had the gall to park it on his immaculate desk, definitely inclined to refuse even your next request for a meeting!
But that is straying from the point. I was talking about autos. Not as much autos as auto drivers. Those irritating specimens who have this unique ability to drive you crazy no matter what time of the day.
In the mornings, all of them will stop obligingly, and tilt their head enquiringly, then on hearing where you want to be taken, they will give you an indifferent look and go on to make a fool of the next poor customer. Make that wanna-be-customer. Irrespective of the area from where you get in, and the area where you want to be dropped, all the persons I’ve spoken to complain of the same endearing attitude of the dear drivers.
I dunno about other cities, but in B’lore they will NOT come, even if you offer to pay them a fare above the normal rate. Same goes during the day- you want to go anyplace, they decline-sometimes politely, sometimes rudely, all times quite definitely. In the evenings, it is even more of a problem. Till 6 they are normal people, but post 6, they turn into ogres who ask for more thatn double the fare wherever you want to go. And if it is a place which is within the minimum fare, then you might as well forget about getting there in the trusted three wheeler. Similar is the case when you arrive at B’lore in the mornings whether it be at a bus stop or the rly station. It is time to be fleeced- irrespective of whether it is 6, 7 or 8 am. Several times I have resolved to make a complaint, but each time, I let it go after the initial sound and fury.
That is when I think of them- God bless them! The auto drivers of my native place. Even if you get down from the bus at 5 am, the sleeping auto guy will wake up, without a grumble and drop you home for a mere 10 bucks. And there is no question of not going where you want to go. at the most the dear souls will tell you with an apologetic smile that it is school time- that they have to go pick up schoolkids. And they will take you on your round of visits uncomplainingly- to about 5-6 houses. Its another matter that he is also treated to limejuice/tea at the houses we visit.:-)