'tis difficult to keep up new year resolutions ya...
But, will try and keep this one up ... so here goes...

A random post this:

Rickshaw...

That is usually how I start most days when I leave home in the mornings, thanks to my penchant for missing the company bus…
Almost every day, there is a new facet that I see. Completely inspired, here are some random jottings about the special brand of people in Bombay (Mumbai for the uninitiated)-The Rickshaw walla!

Let me start with
· The RJs: Rickshaw Jockeys, with the deck blaring, who were my gang’s favorites during our college days; nowadays the Chosen Ones are the ones that have a radio; and they are usually tuned in to frequencies 91 or the spicier 98.3. Rukh kyon gaye, Bajao…They are nice enough to tone down the volume when the passenger is speaking on the mobile. Nice!

· The honest one; this category is not as rare as one might think. One of these guys actually called me back and returned the wallet that I had dropped; another one; he was an old man, he had to fill petrol on the way, while he was in line, someone jumped the queue, and this fellow stood up for himself, his rights and ensured that the queue-breaker was sent back. Must say I felt ashamed for having given up very easily a good many times in life.

· Au contraire, you have the “Rip them off” kinds who will always round off every amount; notice the slight hesitation before the answer in response to you question of “How much?”. Best of all, carry the Tariff card along. Its fun picking up a fight with these kinds and giving them a piece of my mind.

· The educated “Thank you Madam” kinds, who are usually graduates; they are almost always, clean-shaven, reading a newspaper when waiting for fare, drive fast but never rashly and very courteous. They will always charge you the exact amount. They usually are the drivers for the school kids too.

· In contrast are the “Got off the wrong side of bed” types who are almost always, unshaven, ticked off at life, and decidedly rude. Anything & everything could make them explode; you sitting on the wrong side, you having change, you not having change, you being a collegian, you saying Bye to someone before getting in, you taking a second more to get off than he thinks you should take. I have half a mind to give one of these characters 20 Rupees in denominations of 25ps.

· The “baby/Sister/Aunty” category, who if they are unable to decide what to call you would call you Bhabhi ( Hindi for sis-in-law). Guys usually are Bhaisaab (Hindi for big brother).

· The tell-it-all types, who have been waiting all their life for you to lend them a ear; no matter how short the journey, you would know all about their kid’s school to their old job and the reason why some industrial estate shut down.

· The When I was young type who usually has a comment or two about the current generation and thinks that we are too easy-going, too frail and have a real easy life, but are not too happy. One of them expounded on how, in his times, they used to walk for miles to get water, make wheat flour at home, nothing readymade then, eat just home food and still be healthy. Can’t say that he was wrong!

· The Hinglish types: like once at a traffic signal, he saw this biker acting smart and he’s like “ Madam, yeh log ka naatak dekha? Single nahin dikha..” (Madam, these people act up, couldn’t they see the Single)… I didn’t get it the first time, then it dawned on me, He meant the Traffic Signal… (This sounds funnier when you say it aloud, I promise).

· The Gangly teenager who most certainly does not have a license, and will usually not take a fare beyond local suburban limits, he usually is shy and coy, with a sheepish smile to boot , and he always watches out for the traffic policeman.

· The Religious kinds, who have a mini prayer area at the front; if its morning, you will enter to some wonderful agarbatti (incense sticks) fragrance and they will always buy a little garland at the next single; ooops signal.

· The enterprising one, who does this as a part time job and is usually studying something or working somewhere else.

· The seedy one, who gives sidelong looks from the rear-view mirror and very roadside Romeo-ish, runs his hand through his hair when caught.

· The creep who makes studious conversation when its obvious that you don’t want to converse. All monologues there!

· The ‘Out of my way’ types who are under some illusion that life is a Grand Prix and they are Schumis on the fast track; Beware of them, no matter where you are, within or out of the car.

· The one who believes in the Tata Safari ad-line to “Make your own Road”. Like the one who, on a particularly bad traffic day, took off from a completely new route and I actually reached earlier than usual.

· Last but not the least is The Filmi freak with posters adorning the rickshaw right from the seat board to the back to the rear-view mirror sporting anything from a gaudy pair of Pink Lips to the lovely eyes of Aishwarya; from Sunny’s biceps to Shahrukhs’ lovey-dovey looks . Very common, this type.

One thing in common to almost all of them is that they usually have a filmi name for their rickshaw; varies from Kajol to Madhuri to Karisma, ladies only usually; very much like naming conventions for boats. Finally, just have to tell you this one incident. All said and done, they are the lifeline of Bombay and Thank God for them!
Enjoy the ride!

Good night!
Luv,
Anya