"The Auto Hunt"

17^th Nov 2014. It was my birthday and an unexpected incident marked it's stamp somewhere at the back of my brain.

The day started with me getting a courier from a friend when I was in office. It was a great deal for me as I was getting a gift via courier from a long distance friend for the first time.

I left early from office with some friends and we went to a mall. We all were damn hungry so we went to the food court. We had just started eating, when suddenly I realized that the courier was missing. I asked my friend, X who accompanied me in the auto that we took to the mall, if he had seen it. But he hadn’t. I had left it in the auto. It was an important gift for me. So we decided to go look for the auto vala. I was thinking about what could be the chances of finding the package. Only if we could find the auto soon then maybe the auto vala must not have noticed that package as it was kept behind the seat and it could be still there. To add he must not have picked any other passenger too. As we had in mind that if any other passenger or even if the auto vala would see it then they would keep it.

We had taken that auto from outside our office. So we all went back there. We enquired at the auto stand. The auto vala was a Sikh, so we could be more descriptive. Talked to many auto valas and one of them seemed to know him. He gave us his number. My friend dialed and talked to that auto vala. But it turned out that he was a different man. We thought that may be he found the package and so he is lying now. But with the conversation we felt that he seemed to know nothing about dropping us at the mall. So we enquired further and the auto valas told us that he may be from the MG Road. One comes from there and goes back, so we could once go there and check. X and I decided to go while other friends left. We reached MG Road and below the metro station there’s a prepaid taxi stand. Many autos were lined up and auto valas were all crowed for passengers to come. We talked to many of them. Some of them tried to remember as per our description. Some told that they know someone like that but they all were like taking about different guys. It was all kinda mixed up and was not matching. They told us to enquire at the taxi stand and also that there is another auto stand some way ahead. We first went to the prepaid booth and talked to them. They told us if the auto vala brings the package then they’ll keep it and inform us. They took our contact details. We then went to that another stand which was quite far. There also we talked to many auto valas but nothing seemed like working. Till now one thing became clear that a lot of auto valas knew me and that the package was important.

I was getting this thought that we won’t find him now. He came from some other place only and won’t come back.

I was feeling disheartened that I lost the package and started to think about what I would tell D. I went back home all grimed. It was around 11:30 p.m. My birthday passed and I lost the gift. I called D and told him that I lost it. He also felt sad but didn’t say much. This was the thought that I slept with that day.

Next morning at around 9:00 a.m. X came to my place. He told me that we should once again go to MG Road and check. We could wait for some time for auto vala to show up. I was too low to go and it was very cold too. But I wanted to find that package anyhow. So I told him that I would quickly get ready. It was then when he told me that he already found the package. That he got up early and went there and he found the courier at the prepaid booth. The auto vala saw it when he reached home and brought it in the morning to the booth.

And what I thought earlier was that the only chance of getting the courier back was if nobody saw it. The auto vala could have kept it. Or even the pre paid booth vala. But they didn’t. I don’t remember the auto vala. But I would remember this forever. Hope shouldn’t be conditional. I applied so many conditions that I didn’t think for once that may be that auto vala would think that it’s an important package for someone and so he should try to return it. Nothing ever happened that made me distrust so badly. But this incident won’t let me do that ever again.

I told D that I got the package back. For once he couldn’t believe it. He was happy and so was I.

Thanks to that Auto Vala, Prepaid booth vala and X who brought it back. J

Photo Courtesy here

"She Didn't Know Me. Yet She Helped Me In My Time Of Need"

We all have been through that situation when a transgender person comes up in a bus or a train and we don’t actually want to give money. Some of us give it because saying no is difficult. Some says that their blessings are really powerful. I believe the later.

It was in 2009 when I joined college. Every second weekend I used to go home and on my return I had to travel in bus from my hometown to Delhi and then from ISBT to college. I wasn’t very comfortable travelling in local buses due to the crowd. And while coming back on Sunday I was always in that tensed mode to reach hostel on time. The entry timing was 6:00 p.m.

The first time when I was travelling to hostel I was a little scared. I boarded the bus at ISBT and it was still waiting to be occupied with passengers. I had only one thought of reaching hostel on time. Then she entered the bus and started taking money from everyone. I don’t know the reason but I always felt nice giving them money. The way they put their hand on your head and say nice words makes me feel blessed. I gave her 10 rupees and she did the same thing. After that it happened every time and it was the same her each time. I used to always take the bus at around 4:00 p.m.

Once she didn’t put her hand on my head as she was talking to her friend. So I called her and asked her for it. She smiled and did it twice.

Then after a few months, one day while going back to hostel I got very late. It was already 5:30 p.m. The bus was still waiting and I was really edgy. When it started I felt a little relief considering, “Ab bas ek ghantaa aur”. (“Just one more hour to go”) But it always takes a series of events to make it a memorable incident.

On the highway the bus broke. The conductor said that they’ll try to stop a bus and if someone wants to go by their own then they can. Everyone started de-boarding the bus. I had no idea what to do. People started taking lifts or auto. I was afraid of travelling alone in an auto on that route. So I hesitated in getting one. There were very less empty autos coming by and people were taking them all. They were asking for a higher price too. I was getting a feeling that I won’t be able to get it. I didn’t see who all were there in the bus. I got this thought that may be someone from my college can be there. So I turned to see everyone. To my luck she was there. Maybe she noticed the fear or tension on my face. I didn’t know what she was doing in the bus as she used to get down 5 minutes after the bus rode. She came up to me and asked, “Kidhar jana hai tereko”? (“Where do you have to go”?) I was a little reluctant in talking to her but seeing no other option I told her where my college was. She didn’t tell me where she was going or didn’t even ask me if she can accompany me. She went a little ahead on the road, stopped an auto and turned to look at me. She just said, “Chal aa. Chod kar aati hai mei”. (“Come let’s go. I’ll take you there”.) In an instant I did. For the first time in my life I trusted a stranger and I am really happy about it. On the whole way she didn’t ask me anything. I suppose she knew that I was distressed of travelling with her. God knows what anyone can do to me, kidnap me or what. When we reached the hostel I just told the auto wala to stop. We got down and she said, “Ja bhag jaldi. Late ho raha hai na?” (“Go run fast. Getting late no?”). I don’t know how she knew that. She didn’t even ask me to pay. I rushed inside the hostel, made an entry and then saw her from the gate. She waited for me to go in, then got inside the auto and it took a u-turn. She was going somewhere else and still she came all the way just to bring me to my place safely. I never asked her name.

Again the same routine continued. I used to see her every time in the bus. I never talked to her and nor did she. But one thing changed. Now we both used to pass a familiar smile. In her smile I could feel the assurance of her being there. Maybe it’s just my imagination.

I sometimes think about her and this incident really makes me feel happy. Every time when someone like her comes to me I feel good. I see her in them. I know I can’t trust everyone. But I like them. I am a little less scared of them then the general public.

I wish I could go back again and meet her. If I do, I’ll definitely talk to her and take pictures as well.

This article was published on 'Women’s Web' on 9th March 16.

This is the unedited version.