Im waiting.....Still waiting...

As a pleasant and cool wisp of air gently strokes my cheek; not wanting to wake up to the soft golden rays of the sun and the mellow chirping of the cuckoo bird; I lay there on my over stuffed feather mattress covered by a smooth silk bed spread buried under a plump comforter, I turned around lazily and my face brushed against the pillow that was as soft and as pink as freshly spun cotton candy. “AH! Bliss”, the alarm softly ringing the tune of ‘you raise me up…..’ makes me reluctantly wake up to this glorious, perfect Tuesday morning. As I glide across my room from one corner to another to get dressed for work, I think about the fantastic day ahead in the posh office nestled on the 13th floor of U.B City. It seems surreal sometimes that I actually get to work in this place. Nevertheless I gulp down a bowl of cereal and bustle to get to my office. I think of the wonderful day ahead…..




the quiet hum of the central air conditioner, the soft yet very effective lighting, the friendly smiles of the security guards and the pleasant “hellos” from the strangers, a great bunch of team members who help me out with even the silliest of the doubts, and a BOSS mind you, who is the best of them all (and no, I’m not writing this coz I’m trying to butter him up. I work for no pay and still love my job BEAT THAT!)



As I reach the office and park myself at my desk I switch on the computer and start my research work. Before you know it, its lunch time, and I’m having a hearty meal (may be not that hearty) at the cafeteria. When I’m done I go back to my cozy corner seat and in that relaxed atmosphere I work happily for another 5 and a half hours till it is time for me to leave this fairyland office and go back home to my dreamy home… What a perfect day!

But thanks to one small tiny yet most significant detail in the city of Bangalore; that is the{[(“AUTOWALLAHS”)]}

These MOFO’s rule the “effing” city! When I come out of my office at 6.30 and cross the road to catch an auto as it is a one way I see a long queue of vehicles waiting their turn at the signal (don’t get me started with the signal….that story some other day). As the signal takes its own sweet time to turn green like my lazy morning I see a train of Autos coming towards me. Out of the 12 odd autos 8 are bursting with people, 2 when stopped say they don’t want to go to my home as it is TOO CLOSE BY, and the other two those ‘basket of stinking flowers’ don’t even stop for a girl with a broken leg.



Actually my home is a lovely 15 minute walk away from my office; But thanks to the footpaths of Bangalore ( I fractured my tendon as a fell into one of the withered cow trap’s on Residency road. Pedestrians beware!!!)



As time passed by rather urgently I guess by now it was sick of me hanging on to it and stretching it out like a taffy machine that it decided to screw me over. Another bunch of auto’s passed by, but every time the same response. So at 7 I finally decide to walk up to Coffee Day Square and wait for an auto. By that time I saw that there were more than 8 people waiting for the auto and it was like the ‘crab story’ there. People who had come after me left before and I was reaching my brink of patience. I wanted to look up and scream “ Isn’t the rat race in the corporate life not enough that I have to fight for my survival here???” but I quickly realized I wasn’t in a movie and that it would be absurd to do so.



7.30; and still no sign of a bloody auto it’s officially been one hour of waiting. I was so frustrated that I almost ended up crying out in AUTOSTRATION (i.e. frustration when waiting for an auto in Bangalore.)

At 7.45 I decided I didn’t care about these Baskets anymore and I would walk back home even if it meant that I had to walk in pain. So I started in the opposite direction and kept waking till I finally found one Auto empty!!! OMG it was bliss at that moment I felt all my weariness disappear and I felt numb with joy. I rushed to him and told him to take me to Albert Street. He bluntly said NO. I begged him. NO came the reply again. Then as I limped away as I almost gave up; I guess he took some pity on me. He called me back. I rushed in joy not giving a damn about my leg. He looked into my eyes in pity.



I knew it! I knew that he had a heart!

As I sat in the Auto he said “MADAM, 150!!”



I jumped out and said YOU @#$^&* #$@^$*! It costs me minimum till my home 14 bucks.

He said “madam I have to take a turn. Give 100”



By then I was too angry and too frustrated, I hadn’t felt anything like this before. It was beyond autostration. So I was back on my feet and on my way home. As I limped slowly I heard someone call out my name. I looked around!

NOBODY

Just as I guessed I was hallucinating, it was 8.09 and I was tired and hungry, as I heard my name been called out again I didn’t bother looking back. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked back and it was a colleague of mine, she had found an auto and was walking in the same direction as me. It was 8.23!

THE WAIT……OH THE WAIT!!!!