Yaavarum Kelir!
Today, unfortunately, I decided to take a new route to my office. While I was walking to the nearest commute point from where I can get some sort of transportation I saw the AC bus that will take me nearer to my office. The problem though was that the bus was at the signal and will move away soon. I started running towards the bus without minding the cramp I had developed (Damn, I should exercise more!) but all I could do was just to say ta-ta to all the passengers. Most of them on the left side of the vehicle saw me running desperately to catch the vehicle, but none, not even a single person made so much as a movement! If only, they had understood the words of Kaniyan ji they would have tried to inform the driver and stop the bus. If only, they considered me their friend.
After this horrible incident, I saw another mini-bus (practically a TATA 404 van that has been transformed into a bus) that was headed to Salt lake. So I boarded that bus which was overcrowded even in the Indian sense. I was pushed to the rear end of the van (bus or whatever u wanna call it) by the so called conductor/cleaner of the van. He said I will get a seat here (duh! and I fell for it!). So, after struggling through all the smelly individuals and stamping a few of them with my new leather shoes I reached the end of the seemingly small van. Now, anyone who has ever been to Kolkata will tell you how humid it is, even during monsoons. So I was sweating like a pig, quite literally (My hanky was dripping of sweat) and every now and then had to wipe my face clean of sweat. In this process of carefully removing my specs and then carefully keeping it in my shirt pocket, then retrieving my hanky, then wiping my face clean in one swift motion (for the detail hungry - left to right is easier) I happened to nudge my neighbhor more than once. Everytime my hand so much as went near his arm I apologized and everytime I apologized he gave me a dirty look. I was irritated by that and the humidity adding oil (along with sweat) to my irritation flames. Almost at the end of the journey he started scolding me saying I have been troubling him! I spat back saying he should open his eyes and see that there is no space for anyone (I remembered a friend's advice that Kolkattans never raise their arms, that was verified today :D)
If only he had thought of me as his friend! If only I had remembered Kaniyanji's words at that moment the story could have been worded differently and the title would have been more cheerful!
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