Driving alone??

Driving alone??

It's been 4 years since then but even today scar of 'that' event get very much itchy! If you haven't found any of my earlier write ups worthy of your precious time I most humbly insist you give your inhibitions a let go for the next few minutes and patiently read the following text I had published exactly four years ago on this day. Goodness gracious me, mostly I get awed by Facebook's suggestions on reminding me to share past, fond memories for the day but this one came as a real jolt! I am sure you won't curse yourself for your painstaking effort. Just for you alone, do read on.

…You better be watchful and think TWICE before rolling down your car windows if someone provokes you while furiously humming “Why this Kolaveri Di?” It may not come remotely close to soothingly rhyme like it does to your ears from your earphone (if being aired by an FM broadcaster) but try to observe (instantaneously, without losing your senses) intentions (generally covert) of the person(s) you suspect it to be coming from.

I had to experience one of the not so pleasant evenings yesterday while driving back home from my work place. I anyway hate driving, more so when I am alone to crib about my helplessness in negotiating with the nightmarish traffic snarls (which incidentally are omnipresent in Mumbai). Yesterday when after keeping it in a hiatus for a week I took my car out spiritedly (to keep its oil burning) I didn’t have any inkling that I would be left to regret my FORCED enthusiasm by the time the day nears its end!

During the PEAK evening hour I approached a now NOTORIOUSLY INFAMOUS junction right before the Hub Mall in Goregaon (E) and I was forced to take a pause for around 10 minutes at a narrowed corner which is an offshoot of the ongoing construction. Even as I was waiting to get some movement ahead of me I heard a loud thud somewhere on my car’s body. Anxiously, I started looking around and found a 20 something fellow trying to peep from outside the front left window posing as if I had caused him some harm. Out of sheer concern I rolled down the window when he screamed at me for having stomped his feet! I got startled as to how could a car which is in its inertia for at least 5 minutes could do something as crazy as this unless of course the poor chap himself had run him over the car. At the same moment another gentleman appears on my driver side window and showers me with some expletives. Annoyingly, I was trying to both defend (for no fault of mine) and offend when suddenly the second guy asks me to leave the spot. It was yet another shocker for my already compromised senses but I just shrugged my head on the bizarre turn of events and tried to focus on the steering again (with the perpetual hope of getting the opportunity to change the gear from neutral to first).

After almost 2 minutes of the above drama, I observe an auto-driver (standing on my left) smiling at me and casually pointing that those guys have run away after lifting my handset which was kept at the fellow passenger's seat! I couldn’t fathom this shock as I had my hands-free still attached to both my ears (only that the other end was unplugged long back). Such was the smart and well rehearsed sequence of events that I could immediately recall “Cautious Optimism” phrase so freely used by the market analysts on business channels. Of course, there was no caution in my case (and I am sure for others also there couldn’t be plenty of it if in similar circumstances they get staged).

Moral of the story, come hell or high water, never roll down your car’s windows without first checking all your belongings and more importantly, ensuring you are that EXTRA alert to deal with the unforeseen (or unheard of).

All said and done, at the end of day one can’t undo what’s already destined so no purpose does it serve contemplating on “If only…”. Even as I could register a formal FIR with the police station (which incidentally is right across the street where yesterday’s drama unfolded) and I have shared the IMEI no. of my beloved cell (they don’t call it “Cell” for no good reasons) I do not now have a realistic hope of retrieving my drool-worthy 50 days old Samsung Galaxy Note. I wish we could get back to those days when cells were just a commodity than anything else, least an object of desire we sometimes fall in love with. There has to be a life beyond…..

Issued in Public Interest
By Ritesh Garg
(C) Rits Original
@ https://scorpiofury.blogspot.com