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All In A Day's Work

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by satchitananda, Jul 24, 2019.

  1. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Life is strange. I never know what will do or what will happen in a situation. I have often written about auto-rickshaw-wallahs and their wont. Just two days ago, I had written in response to @HariLakhera's thread about ONE good experience I had with an auto driver more than 3 decades ago. That driver offered me money to buy veggies because I had forgotten my purse. (No, I did not accept it!!! :p)

    Today most auto drivers fight over 2 and 3 rupees. That brings out the ever principled Puneri in me. Nowadays I take Ola or Uber and pay with Ola money or PayTM. No chillar ka jhanjhat. So today I called an Ola auto to go for a meeting at the institute. I was not feeling good and was finding it hard to walk. The gate towards my end of the colony were shut and so I requested him to come through the gates at the other end. That is a good km or so. To his credit, he came and did not cancel the ride. However, the moment he arrived, he started grumbling. I explained to him that I was feeling unwell. He said okay and started - the auto as well as continued grumbling. Finally I got exasperated. I don't know what came over me. I told him, 'So what do you want to do? Would it make you feel any better if you could kill me for asking you to come around? Go ahead!" I could hear the silence. He did not say anything more. Probably thought it wiser to shut up than to talk to an insane woman? I told him the shortest route to go.

    While getting out I apologized to him for the inconvenience he had been put through and thanked him for coming around. For the effort I offered him Rs. 20/- more. He smiled and refused it!!! Which was a huge surprise coming from a Bangalore auto-wallah. So I gave him 5 stars and a 'polite and professional driver' comment on his Ola record. Gandhigiri works. Even today. Wonder what rating he gave me!!! :facepalm:
     
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  2. HariLakhera

    HariLakhera Platinum IL'ite

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    I must admit that you met a gem of a person as autowalla. General impression about auto or taxi drivers is not good.
    Diverting from the subject, I was travelling by a bus and somewhere on the way it stopped at a roadside hotel for tea and snacks. I was with my family and all valuables were on a shoulder bag I was carrying. I just forgot the bag at the hotel. By the time we realised, we had almost covered five miles. I informed the conductor, who informed the driver who called the hotel owner and upon confirmation that the bag was there turned the bus back to pick up the bag.
    He could have given any excuse and asked me get down and go to hotel and take another bus. Other passengers could have objected to the delay it might cause. Also, someone could have picked up the bag immediately after we left.
    I thanked the hotel owner, the conductor and the driver and also the other passengers but the feeling of gratefulness still fills my heart with joy.
     
  3. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Madam,This reminds me of another incident.I had a sprain in my leg.When I mentioned the name of the hospital, autowalla agreed for Rs15/in 1969.But he just wanted me to get down a furlong away and told me that the money paid by me was just just for that distance only.Though I offered Rs5 more, he didn't accept and landed me down.I just limped and walked.
    We have some interesting experience with kids.My daughter was just two years old.We were to attend an upanayanam in a place in a walkable distance.She came walking on condition that while returning I should carry her. Had a nice lunch. In addition she had a big laddu and large murukku in her hands.She was biting the laddu and fascinated by the large murukku and totally forgot about the condition.When we reached home, she started weeping aloud saying that I didn't fulfill my promise( children know such words even when they are in child pranks)She didn't listen to my comforting words. My Amma in 70s came out and spoke to her.She became silent.
    What did Amma say?" Your mother promised to carry you only during your return from kalyana mandapam.Is it not?'my daughter nodded.
    " Now you go by walk to the hall and Amma will carry you while coming back.'Grandmas are wise.
    ramasala
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 25, 2019
  4. messedup

    messedup Platinum IL'ite

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    I was going to drop my son to his stop. The road was Covered with lots of rain water and I thought of taking another long route to go. A van was standing there that had some school kids. That driver told me to make my son sit inside the van. He then prayed while starting driving and dropped my son in a minute. The distance was of few steps but the gesture he showed had touched me a lot.
     
  5. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    People have had unpleasant experience with Ola guys while my eperience with Uber has always been good. But I remember Bangalore had other alternatives like Meru. What happened to them? These guys have always been friendly and courteous. Weill, I suppose they don't run autos.
     
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  6. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    That is really incredible! Sometimes one meets great people and that really restores one's faith in humanity!
     
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  7. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Now that was quite nasty. It is these kind of people (and unfortunately one meets them more often than not) that bring their whole kind a bad reputation. As for your little one, you should have told her you promised to carry her 'only' not her + big laddu + large murukku. :p Kids! It is indeed amusing what they come up with. Little joys of life!
     
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  8. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    That was really kind of the guy. God bless him and all such kind people.
     
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  9. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Balajee, that was my experience earlier on - Uber better and cheaper than Ola. However, of late it is almost impossible to find a Uber auto. Even if one gets booked by some miracle, they call up, ask whether it is by PayTM or cash, destination and then cancel immediately. However two days ago I had a really bad experience. I booked an Uber auto. The guy came and stopped a way away from the pick up point. I called and requested him to come forward. He did not. So I started walking to the auto. Before I could get halfway to the auto another customer came along, got into the auto and he drove off. I tried calling him twice, he did not pick up the phone. Then he did not cancel either. When I eventually cancelled, they charged me Rs. 20/- for waiting time!!! They did refund it, but it is quite a rigmarole. As for Meru, they are not only very expensive, they are mostly airport cabs (if I am not mistaken).
     
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  10. Agatha83

    Agatha83 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear satchi,

    Since I live in a place which is very well connected through an efficient public transport system, I never had to haggle with the auto fellows. Also we have an excellent share auto system, which crisscrosses through every part of the city. So no need to depend on Ola or Uber, one which my brother uses, whenever he is here from abroad..

    These Drivers are also frustrated by the non stop calls from impatient Customers, traffic jams, and google maps which many times malfunction.

    Agatha83
     

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