Today I had to go to college. I couldn’t bunk it since I had a very important lab session. So I decided to go by public transportation. That was by any means no easy job. I had to take an auto to reach the bus stand, and then take a bus ride for half an hour and finally walk for 15 mins. The very thought of this will make even the most sincere and dedicated student put off the idea of going to college that day. But then I decided to embark on the great adventure.
Immediately I found an auto to the bus stand. The ride was for 10 mins. I being the talkative type just enquired him what he felt about the traffic in our locality. The auto driver started talking about the traffic, the traffic police whom he bribed, the little kid whom he almost ran over, the old men who gave him Rs. 50 instead of Rs10 and he hates engineers (Aaaagh!!! I am studying B.E.) Because in his locality there are more engineers than masons. He badly needs a mason to construct a wall in his house. Finally there was this “govt trashing” for increasing the petrol prices. Luckily there was less traffic and I was able to go to the bus stand quickly. This guy literally ate my brain!!
Now, bus stand is one place where you can see different genres of people. It was only 7:30, but still the stand was full. There were the young corporation school students in their trade mark white shirt and khaki trousers (“trousers are their slang for the shorts which they wear”) with hawai slippers with half open bags. Also near the bus stand there was this young girl looking disinterested, standing with her mother to catch her school bus, her mom holding her posh “tweety” school bag and matching lunch box.
There was also this queer guy walking towards the bus stand talking with someone!!! Yeah I thought he was crazy!! But as he neared me I could see his wired earset. Meanwhile the bus came and even before it stopped everyone tried to enter the bus. I entered the bus and took my favourite seat which is just opposite the conductor.
These are the new buses introduced by MTC and the conductors are supplied with the ticket printing machine which they still don’t know how to use it. This particular conductor however was different; he was using the ticket printing machine with such awe and passion like he has just bought a new Mac laptop. Within 5 mins just 5 mins he was able to tender ticket and change to everyone in the bus.
I have the tendency to notice very funny incidents. One guy glued to his earset, got up from his place and came a few steps back to ask when his destined stop would arrive, the conductor told him it will take another 15 mins, the guy turned back and went to his place and Voila, someone else has occupied his place and I didn’t know whether I should laugh or I should feel sorry for this guy.
Finally my stop came and I got down and crossed the OMR highway and walked to my college.
Thinking back, I experienced real life during this travel. Every other day I would disinterestedly catch up my college bus sit in a corner seat and probably sleep. But today I felt really active throughout the day.
May be I should switch off my cell phone every day before I sleep!!!!!!!!!!
posted by visveshwar @ 4/18/2008 11:43:00 pm
Comments: 2
