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!!

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...

PART I - Where am I ??!!

Where am I?? A question that the Maya kept asking every 2 hours...

After so much of struggle and having come to big city, Ravi wanted to make it big. A dedicated employee and had been a fast tracker all his life. If one had to look at his resume one would be stunned by the kind of growth and roles he had performed. He had always felt good about his growth and spoke about it often. He had been married for the last 10 years to Maya and have two wonderful kids both school going. With his hard earned money he had brought a villa at one of the posh and leading builders on the Old Mahabalipuram Road. The villa was slightly on the higher end but he could not resist his temptation to buy it. It very important as both Ravi & Maya as they loved to host small parties and to have a good social life this villa was perfect and idealistically located. He had taken a loan on 80% of the property cost and has been paying EMI religiously for the last 4 years. He was eagerly waiting to pay up the EMI. As time moved on he brought a BMW X3, which was now one year old was his darling. Well life was good and their other plans were building on. As the year end neared his plans for the much awaited family foreign trip was on. December was the month of holidays that this family of 4 eagerly awaited for.

It was 1st Dec'15 when the rain pour had started very early, rather it had started pouring on through out the night and early morning saw no stoppage. Well it was a big day at office for Ravi as he had some major deals to be finalised and was eagerly awaiting for its closure. He had rushed off to office by 8 am, inspite of Maya's insistence not to go. She was not feeling too good because of the rains and also wanted Ravi to stay and work from home. Well his X3 had ensured him reach office in luxury and quicker. It seemed to be a bad day for Ravi, the deal results were not out and the final results were getting postponed by another week. He was furious and was becoming impatient like the rains outside, which was pouring without a comma or full stop. It had been pouring continuously for the last 12 hours now. To distract himself he had poured himself into the activities and plans that he had kept aside. He had noticed that most of his colleagues had not come to office. He did not bother to call them, rather was more happy in the work he was into. It was 2 pm and he felt hunger pangs. He had not bother to look at his cell phone which was on the silent mode. As he got up he realised that there were 6 missed calls from his wife. He had ignored all her calls. As he called her back, he could hear a feeling of anguish and scare. Maya again insisted for him to come back as it was pouring outside. He said that he would leave in a while and be home and not to be worried. He did not check on the rains post that.

Finally at around 5.00 pm he left his cabin and headed to the car parking, as he found the office to be rather empty and everyone was running away. That was the point he realised what a mess it was outside. It was dark and rain was pounding earth as if the heavens have opened up with anger and frustration. He hurriedly made his way to the parking lot in the basement. There was 1/2 feet of water there. He cursed the admin folks for not having pushed the builder to make better water draining arrangements. He got into the comfort of the car and played the music as the engine came to life. As he got out of the office parking he was invited by table tennis ball size water droplets hitting his windshield and the intensity of this was real high. His wiper blades had come to life the very instance and were running a 100 mtr sprint on the windshield. As he got out of the office and took the left onto the main road, he found that his car was wading through 2ft water. He remembered to make a quick call to Maya and tell her that he had started. She rattled out that the roads were bad and he should hurry. He cut the call and tried had to focus on the road. At Sholinganallur as junction he pushed his car 3 ft water and he could here the engine struggle as his car exhaust was trying hard not to let the water come in. Ravi kept pushing the accelerator on a rated flooded free road. At last after having come to the Junction close to Sathybhama college he took the right to get closer to his home. House was hardly another 3 kms. He found a no water patch and was glad that now he would reach home soon. No sooner had he finished his thought he saw that he was facing a sea in front of him. He was wondering what happened to the road...

He now on his mental map and GPS that showed him the road. Having pushed his car for another 300 mts, he realised that he could not feel the road. His cell phone rang and he knew it was Maya. He put his car speaker on. Even before Maya could say anything, Ravi started asking about his kids and what she is planning for dinner. He did not want the surrounding impact him in anyway. Now he was more determined to reach home, and he never wanted Maya to feel panicked at this point of time. He said to her that he will be there in another 15 mins and cut the call...

To be continued.....