One my way to office

"This auto is the cleanest auto I have ever seen”, I said appreciably to the auto driver. “Oh, because it takes me two hour to clean it every morning”, he beamed. ‘Only yesterday my wife told me that her friend teased her,” your husband starts washing that auto without even washing his face” said the proud owner of that stunning auto. That is how our conversation started on my way to office. We talked more about his auto for another thirty minutes, and than I handing him Rs.80 and got down at my office gate.

This is how I pass my time while commuting to my office. Earlier I used to listen to radio but since I have exchanged my cell phone with the basic Noika phone of my brother. I am left with a few options:

1) Sulk about the horrible jam of Delhi (Risk: Getting early wrinkles and dark circles around my eyes)

2) Day dreaming and napping (Risk: Frustration when I wake up to reality; losing my valuable at the red light in case of napping)

3) Humming and singing softly (risk of being mocked because if people notice me they will think I am talking to myself)

Or I can converse with the auto driver. Topic of conversation can range from weather discussion, cricket match (why India is not doing well) to political discussion (how to eradicate poverty and terrorism). Not only my time cut to half while talking to someone but in certain cases these people go to great length to mare sure I am safe. Just like another day when some guys started stalking me on bike and started commenting loudly on the color of my cloths. My auto driver not only gave them a stern look but also sneaked into the middle of the cars.

Once I was standing at the road side to catch an auto than suddenly this bright auto-walla asked me to hop in. I did not have to negotiate on the price though I could not recognize him but this guy did recognize me.

So I had a happy ride to office, but yes I also had some of the nasty experiences with auto drivers. When some of the auto guys suddenly start fighting that he agreed at too low a fair. Or they unexpectedly stop there auto and say they will not go beyond this or their meter abruptly stop working and stuff like this.

Whatever, I still consider “talking to the auto driver” as the best option.