Thursday, November 17, 2005

RIGHT AAAAAAAN?????

There are stages to everything. You are upset about something,but you dont want to complain. It happens again and you find yourself complaining. When it happens repeatedly,you dont feel like saying anything...when you know that your own cribbing is not going to change things around you..and that comfortable numbness takes control of you..the same comfortable numbness which speaks that you have given up and will passively gulp it down.
Well, i have been gripped with the same numbness in my reactions to the Bangalore auto-rickshaw guys now. Yes. I am the kinds who HAS to give some 1.5 hrs of her daily life to sitting inside an auto on my way to office and back home.
Me (with a v tired expression after a day of work at office and those Pl-dont-say-no type looks): Bhaiyaaaa...CV raman nagar..???Auto guy looks at me as if i have just committed some heinous crime at the mere mention of this place and that he is been rendered unholy by it. He gives me a 10-sec bewildered stare and speeds off.
I catch sight of another vacant auto-rick.Me (trying to sound v enthued): Bhaiyaaaa....Bhaiyaaa..CV_______The auto-guy loses no time in just racing his vehicle away from the spot.I am left gaping..with my hand still in a position as if its trying to stop an auto..and my words still in my mouth.I realise that the auto is gone and swallow the "__raman Nagar" which the auto guy didnt wait to listen.
I see another auto speeding towards me.

Me(almost scared at how the rejection ll be this time!) : Bhaiyaaa..CV raman nagar? Auto guy(To my surprise!): Yes
I am neither happy nor sad. Not releived either. Its just another day! Its just routine. I hop inside the auto. But the auto doesnt start.
Auto guy (grinning and flashing a perfect set of yellow teeth): Madam- 1 and a half meter. I dont look at the watch to check the time for the 10'o clock threshold. I dont argue. I just nod and ask him to carry on.
The auto is speeding its way on Old Madras Road. There were so many things racing past in that speeding auto..dust-pollution- that my mind was a blur if not a blank. I am partially woken up frm my half-dead state by a faint murmur.
I find myself sitting inside an auto..with vehicles arnd waiting for the traffic signal to turn green so that they cud take a right turn for CMH Road. I open my mental eye and realise its the auto walla asking me--- "Right..Aaaaa????"
I thought all auto guys knew that CMH road is a right turn from Old Madras road. I thought all the BMTS buses lined up behind and auto-ricks on the sides..were waiting all this while for that one right turn to CMH Road. Anyways I thought he is just asking for the heck of it..I nodded and managed a faint "Yes".
Suddenly I hear the vehicles screech..The signal has just turned Green. The auto waala guy turns back and asks.."Righttt..AAAANNN????"
This time i furiously nod and even take out my right hand and point it towards the turn. I still cant figure out why ppl have to suffix a "AAAANNN" if they want to confirm something. Somethink lIke---If someone asks u ur name and u say "Namrata"..if he isnt sure he heard it ok,he ll be like "Namrata AAANN???" Why God? Why this AAAANN?? :(
Suddenly I could hear ppl shouting behind me. They were the drivers of the vehicles behind us. They were blowing their horns angrily. My auto-walla was still not taking the turn. He turned back again to confirm- "Right AAAANN????????????"
I found myself shrieking at the top of my voice.."YESSSSSS...RIGHT...RIGHTTTT TTTTURN".I dont know where I got the energy, but i was yelling. After a split second, I also added- "AAAAANNNN..RIGHT TURN...AAAAANNN." But it was the "AAAAN" and a period (.) - not that "AAANN" with a ?. I guess he was waiting all this while for that one AAAANNN frm my mouth. He instantly took that much-awaited right turn.
I reached home that day. I thanked God for it and paid the auto-walla.

(By the way!I still dont react to any such daily happenings..have just momentarily disturbed my numbness by writing this post)