TAXI

It was a late in the evening around 11 pm when my train pulled up to the Chennai Central station. While reaching, I had checked on the Ola & Uber cabs so that I could grab one to rush back home. The train was late today. Well not to keep anybody waiting I had not booked the cab as the train pulled up. I waited to get out of the station.

As I pulled my cell phone and went to Uber app, I could hardly see any cabs. It was as if some one just gobbled them up. Cursed my sensibility and quickly scrambled for Ola. Managed to get one. I was at one end and this guy was at the other. Not wanting to loose anymore time, I rushed to him rather than making him come. Well after some huffing and puffing, I reached my cabbie. I waved at him and told my name as I opened the back seat door. 

Cabbie (C) - Good evening Sir!!

I was impressed.. wow, not bad late in the evening and he still wishing me. Cool!! I wished him back, threw my bags in the back seat and was about to sit. He said,

C - Sir, come to the front seat. AC is good and you would like it.

Really, Ok!! I closed the back door of the Indica and hopped into the front seat comfortable. As I got comfortable while he cranked the engine. Our conversation started...

Me: Do you need the CRN no.. It is...

C: Sir, no need.

Me: Really.. not needed. Then your tracking..

C: No problem sir

Me: Ok (Shrugged my shoulders... and got busy on my cell..)

C: Sir, did you also book on Uber

Me: No.. (Still having my head sunk into the phone)

C: You have the app, just book it. I will pick it up and close it.

Me: Why will I do that. I just did it on Ola

C: Sir, book it for me

Me: What!! (I was now looking at him) No.. I do not have the Uber app. (Flat lie I stated)

C: You do not have it.. Sir, go to Google play store and download it.

Me: No thank you, just ride please.

I got into my phone, trying not to have any more conversation. Five minutes, just about to leave the station clutter, our man starts again

C: Sir, Did you book on Mini or micro..

Me: Not sure. Do not remember (I was getting intrigued and irritated now)

I remembered, that I did not put in my destination details though I had told him where to go. So I entered it and his GPS beeped.

C: Sir, why did you do that.

Me: What did I do?? 

C: Sir, location details!!

Me: Hello, you need to know where to drop me.. what else. Also, this is my default habit. Now please drive.

Another few minutes later.

C: Sir, You will save money if you do this.

Now what, I had a quizzical look. This is really getting on my nerves and that too at half past eleven in the night... He continued...

C: You take a note of the kilometres and I will switch off this trip. You pay me per kilometre. 

Saying so he moved his hand to the cell to switch off the trip, without waiting for a response. I raised my voice and said; "NO... Nothing doing, I am absolutely fine to pay the money needed. DO NOT SWITCH off the trip".

I quickly shared my trip details to my wife, just in case needed.

And that was the last conversation that we had for the next forty five minutes. Though he kept rambling on his incentive and the money he could make.

Now our saint cabbie, comes to the tool road and pleads to the guy manning it. He says, "Bro, had a rough day.. why don't you manage it" and extended a Rs10/-. The guy takes the money and opened up the lever. 

My saint says as we cross the lever... "Sir, see there is nothing called ethics, bribe here too"

I was speechless!!!

Hello, what the hell were to trying with me. The only thing was I did not budge and here you are calling him unethical. Wow, you are a dignified human being on the road of redemption and higher being.

Thanks to Technology and people using it to make greater inroads in life!!

Journey of Faith!!

Into the dark alleys,
In search of the light.

Cold chill gripping my feet,
hoping for some warm water to thaw.

Splattered around is filth left by many,
raising stink to be scooped up into the bin.

A growl from the sleeping dog in the dark,
warning not be to steered from its slumber.

The mind wanders endlessly,
Into my deep dark fears of endless agony.

I keep walking deep into those dark corners,
with a hope of finding my stars through my fears.

The others said, it was a death wish!!
To me, it became a journey of faith.

Perils of Photographer!!! :)

A beautiful weather early in the morning is a wonderful ask for a hopeful photography..

Today morning I woke up to find pleasant sky, with the sun playing hide and seek. There was a touch of chillness in the air, all to inspire me to pick up my camera bag and head down in the apartment compound. As I walked out, I found this beautiful red flower in a small puddle water that got created because of the rains last night.

Standing tall, I stopped to examine my subject with my camera still packed in the bag slung behind. I was like the doctor to a patient...

     Hmmm, red flower.. lovely and that too in the water, 
     The reflection on the water.. Amazing...I saw some lovely rain drops on the petals 
     Sun behind me and the clouds... so not too harsh light...
     Angle to shoot could be lower... hmmm

I was in deep contemplation when someone from behind said, "Sid, just shoot it or else it may feel shy and run away"... I looked around to see one of my neighbours peeping from his balcony..

I just smiled ... "Bugger, this is not a military drill and she ain't my girl friend... It is a creative delight... Grrr".. well I wanted to say all that but I just smiled and waved...

My focus went back to my subject and the analysis. Now it was time to move on with the action... Kept the camera bag on the pathway carefully away from the water puddle and pulled out my camera.. Did the settings and got onto my angles...

Top view.. nah.... Will miss the reflection.. bend 45 degree, without a tripod I can't trust my body to be stable.. From right, from left, from front, from back... It felt like being in a temple and going around the lord for a complete view... After all the pradakshina done.. decided to prostrate and shoot.. The lord Red Flower could be happy with me that way and give me what I was seeking for... :)

Finally after all the adjustments, I got into shooting...

At the end, while downloading out the pics realised what all one needs to do trying to get the image closer to the imagination one had built up..

Phew!!!

The video shot while doing the act..

You!!!

You are the star glowing in the night,

To guide the caravan in the desert.

You are the stick for the blind,

To guide me away from potholes and vehicles

You are the warmth in my life,

To keep me glowing in my downturns.

You are the happiness in my dreams,

To help them being a reality.

You are the one, I choose to be

To keep me going in the Flow!!!

You & I are the one, in the flow...

Fighting couples.. Thank you!!!

It was 8 am in the morning and we (Minakshi & I) had to step out to get some groceries. As I steered the two wheeler out of the apartment complex, I saw that there was red colour zoom car parked on road side of the empty road patch. My eyes scanned inside the car to see that there was a couple and the guy was looking at the girl with pleading eyes, while the lady had a grumpy face not looking at him at all. I looked over my shoulder at Minakshi who seemed to have sensed what I wanted to tell her. We both broke into laughter remembering that we were fighting in the same manner just a couple of hours back.

We both laughed and moved on, but I seem to have an itch to go and knock on the car window and talk to the couple. But, was hesitant. I had  already moved on, and as the moment had lapsed I go more skeptical and scared to reach out to them. Minakshi stated, it is their personal moment and I replied that, "being a human I felt a connect, I need to tell them". Something happened and I just turned the vehicle and parked my bike right in front of their car. Minakshi decided to stay there, and I got down from the bike. By this time I have got the attention. It felt to me like a moment of truth and now no turning back.

I asked for a min and requested for the guy to roll down the window. With a smile I stated talking to the startled eyes and from the back seat the lady peeped in over the shoulders with question marks on her face.. I stated..

"Sorry, to have bothered you at your private moment but I have to share this. You see we both (showing towards Minakshi & self) just passed you guys a few moments ago and what we saw in the car made us recollect the way we fought in the morning hour. I was pleading and she was grumpy and we exchanged roles too. What we saw, lightened up our life so thank you but do not fight. Have a good day and thank you!!!" 

The guy could not even respond a word, the lady had started giggling. Minakshi was feeling shy and I was sweating... I did not know what to do after that and I said, "I am sorry to have interfered in your private moment, carry on please..." folding my hands ... I rushed to the bike.. Minakshi was like, leave....

The bike also played its part by not starting to get stated immediately, finally it came to life and we turned the bike and moved, giving a thumbs up sign to the guy who still seemed confused. We both were laughing at what we had done and I was feeling good thinking of what I did which in any circumstances I would have avoided..

Thank you to those wonderful couple who enlightened our day!!!

It was me!!

He kept staring at me,
for I knew not what was it with me!!

He seemed to laugh with me,
When I laughed with an open heart!!

He was weeping the loudest,
As I sat quietly and wept on my sorrows!!

He seemed to tell me of my moves,
even before I crossed them!!

As I wandered in my lost world,
It kept guiding me, though I ignored him!!

When I heard him, the glass seemed to have shattered,
For once I felt, I was one with him..

It was the force that always guided me...
Waiting only to be met at the crossroad of realisation!!

It was me!!

Perceptive Scare!!

It was my first time travel to Europe and more so to fashion and cultural hub, Paris. As usual a lot of my friends had given me a cautious warning about the thugs and petty thief prevalent in Paris, more so you are all alone there...

"Be careful about your passport and money"

Oh boy!! I was almost clutching and checking on my pockets for my passport and purse the moment I landed at CDG airport. Felt being foolish and stupid doing that... Anyway, the tape recorded had started playing and I was dancing to its tune. I found out about the metro and got in. The moment I sat down, it seemed everyone was waiting to snatch my little money and the passport. As the train chugged along, I was distracted by the beauty of the nature outside and i stopped playing the record. But with every stop, it would come back.. "Do you see that white guy looking like a thug?? That black guy, that asian.. oh boy!!"..

As the train stopped at "Gard du Nord", I stepped out with my luggage and tried to talk to someone, who outright said, "No English" and I lost in French translation.. blinking.. Someone, spoke to the cops and made my way out of the station. As I stepped out, I felt I was back in India, with the litter and beggars stretched out. I held my luggage tighter after zipping up my jacket... I even avoided making an eye contact with any one, till I realised that my GPS was out and what worked was only the map that I had printed out with the route.. But, "Which is north and east, the paper could not move like a compass".. Grr, Sid... take hold of yourself and ask!!" That seemed to have woken me up somewhere, and I started asking every passerby... after some five attempts one guy seemed to know english and he helped me... I literally started running through the deserted lanes... the words kept coming back again... "Your PASSPORT, your MONEY"... After running for close to 1 1/2 kms, I reached the nearby metro close to the hotel I was to check in. And that place was swarming with people who were trying to sell cigarettes to things that seemed inappropriate.. Couple of them approached and I ran as if I was on a mission of being invisible and not to be traced.

Well somehow I managed to reach my hotel and once in the room, took stock of what had happened and why?? That late evening I again stepped out and just wandered around the streets. Realised that

• I was over-reacting. Yes I needed to be guarded but not to the extent of panicking. I was asking for more trouble.
• I lost out on enjoying the space around me and the beauty of the place. I had some moroccan food that evening that I did not even notice.
• While returning back, I realised how beautiful Gard du Nord station was. I paused and took some pics, soaked in the beauty and walked towards my train to CDG.. 
• I have a choice of saying no, taking action rather than playing simply to the tune of my head, which seems looking for trouble rather than looking for some beauty around.

I must say that, I really learnt the choice that day and it helped me in the next few days that I stayed and roamed around the place.. It is amazing!!! more was the Choice of clearing the Perceptive scare.... :)

Society.. Aha!!!

Dad: Don't be so rude to the people who are supporting us
Me: What crap dad, these people from the so called society are good for nothing!! (Enraged tone)
Dad: Son, this is the society that we live in and we have to support each other and that is the what creates the brotherhood.
Me: Dad, I do not believe it, few days back when we were in need none of these guys came forward and supported our view rather they wanted us to compromise. Why should I support them.
Dad: That was their view point, we don't have to accept it. But feel good that they have cared enough to share their view point. Is it not what is important that you are being cared for.
Me: Sorry not my kind of society, what use is these kind of view points that have no value, I do not care for the society. I will go ahead with what I think is good.
Dad: You are young and hot blooded, give it some time and you will know what I am intending you to see...
Me: May be... may be not.. I don't care (Left the room thumping with anger)

This was some 20 years back when I suppose I was in my prime of teenage. It was then and now, I seem to have fully reckoned with what my dad tried me to look at..

Off late when one had to travel on official purpose, family being at the base location is something very normal to recon with. Though one travels off to different places, the safety and well being of the family is always on the back of the mind. I am for sure that my better half is well equipped to manage her self and our son. But, recently while travelling realised that both of them were down with severe viral and were not able to move much, and me to reach back would take at least one more day. Though a few of my friends knew about their sickness but not many were aware. By the time I reached home, my son was on a recovery mode and wife was still struggling. To add to the trouble, I had also got bitten by the viral bug and rendered me immobile. The few days that followed was very touching, help just kept pouring in from all quarters from within the apartment complex. People from whom I never expected and some whom I expected. The most important part was the fact when people come and start caring for you. Those words of comfort, a simple gesture of care was more than enough. Irrespective of our differences in thoughts, they were there and I suppose that is what Society is all about.

People come and care for you. You may have differences of thoughts and opinions with them. But when there is a crisis that you are dealing with, they are the ones who come and stand by your side. I think Dad, I have started to realise that the society is much larger that what I could imagine and there is much more than what meets the eye..

The journey has just begun, I hope I become the extended arm of this expansive society...