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A Rainy Evening...

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by maya84, Jul 13, 2019.

  1. maya84

    maya84 Gold IL'ite

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    It's a Thursday evening of a regular hectic working day and I’m heading to Commercial street on my way back from office to collect my dresses from the tailor. I got down from my cab and without bothering the cloudy sky, I walked through the crowded street and the narrow lane to my tailoring shop. The old gentleman greeted me with a warm smile and handed over the well packed stitched dresses of mine. He told me to wait as someone else was using the trial room. I waited there looking at the custom-made dresses on the hangers. I couldn't resist complimenting him on his skills to make customized dresses and followed by a friendly chit chat about tailoring. Even then, the girl in the trial room is still not done. As the tailor uncle noticed my impatience for such a long wait, he told me that's it's her wedding dresses. Now I have no reason to hurry the young lady inside the trial room who is wanting to look her best in those outfits and checking for detailing of the newly stitched outfits.

    Finally, after a long wait, the lady is out and happy with her dresses. I soon rushed to the trial room and did my quick rounds of trials and got out with an urgency to leave. It had just started to drizzle and getting darker. I handed over tailoring charge to uncle and then took out my phone and started looking for a cab to go home. I kept checking for a cab for several minutes.

    The sound of the water falling on the tailoring shop's asbestos roof became stronger and stronger. I waited there for some time with no luck of getting a cab. Seeing the restless me, tailor uncle offered me a chair. I raised my head from my phone for a moment and smiled and said 'no uncle I will leave now' as I had lost the hope of getting a cab. As the rain was in full swing by then, I decided to get an auto and somehow reach back home rather than waiting for a cab.

    I asked the tailor for an extra plastic cover to safeguard my dresses from rain. Then I asked for one more cover to wrap my hair from getting wet. Tailor happily gave me those extra covers. As I looked out, I realized that the rain was so heavy that it had logged water in that whole lane. All set to go, I made a few steps through the water, my shoes instantly got filled with water and unable to move. I walked back to the shop and took out the shoes filled with water. Pouring the water out of my shoes reminded me of my good old school days during monsoon season when it was a regular activity to take out the shoes and pour the water out.

    Now I'm ready to walk through the water. With the white plastic cover nicely wrapped on my head, laptop bag on my back and the stitched dress cover hanging on my left hand and shoes in my right hand, I walked through the water enjoying the rain.

    I finally reach the main road. I went to auto drivers with the thought to reach home back quickly. Most of them rejected my request saying it was too far or they wanted more money.

    I got disappointed and walked a little further in search of an auto. I stood in front of a shop without knowing how to reach back home. As I was looking out onto the streets with heavy traffic, there comes an auto. This time I didn't move from where I stood and asked out loud to the auto driver by saying "Hennur". I realized that I was too loud when people near me turned and looked at me. Of course, that was a weird look which they gave for my odd look that too in formal attire. I bowed my head down and in a fraction of seconds, I realized I need to convince this auto driver and reach back home. I again repeated ignoring the people around "Baiyya, Hennur". He responded "madam, Rs.350". I immediately agreed and soon rushed to the auto.

    As I sat in the auto I reconfirmed to the driver "Baiyya Rs.350. OK?". The driver responded with a naughty smile "madam, I'm ok with Rs.400 also". Though his response brought a smile on me, I still maintained my seriousness and confirmed that I will pay only Rs.350. I suddenly realized that I had forgotten one of my earning at a roadside shop as I removed it for trying a new one. That shop was just on my way. 200m from there. As the auto moved ahead, I asked the driver if he can stop in that earing shop. The driver responded "Ohh yes, but don't take another auto and go away". I got down from the auto though I had no hope of getting back my earning. But on seeing me shop owner told me 'I have kept it safe' and he started searching. He opened his drawers one by one, each having a countless number of earnings. By then, he realized it’s difficult to find my little earing out of that mess. He opened each drawer and showed me to identify the lost earing. Finally, in the last drawer, I found my lost earning. Well, I realized it was not a very bad day. I thanked him and rushed back to the auto expecting drivers scolding to keep him wait. But he had a calm look on his face and asked “Madam, u got what u wanted? ". I just said yes and kept quiet. There I started my journey way back home.

    As the auto moved driver told "madam, please move inside? ". For a moment I doubted if someone else going to get inside the auto and what is going to happen? He repeated "madam, move inside?" In the very next second, I pretended to be bold and raised my eyebrows and asked him "why should I move? ". He responded in a normal tone "Madam, it’s raining know. The other side of the auto is covered, and this side is open. So, you will get wet if u won't move inside". I felt relieved. He might have sensed my uneasiness of traveling alone late in the evening on a rainy night. Intending to make me feel better, he switched on the lights in the auto. Ohh my God!! All flashy colored lights in the auto from behind me and on the sides. I looked around, the auto was fully decorated with artificial flowers and leaves. It reminded me of an old-fashioned wedding stage background. The auto was catching the attention of the people on the road with its flashy light and colorful decoration. By then, the rain had settled. By then I felt relaxed and took out my headcover. I was too hungry and took out the packed roll from my bag and ate it without the driver noticing. As the auto moved further, I enjoyed the breeze and drizzle touching my face and hair.

    Finally, I reached my location and the rain had stopped by then. I asked him to drop me at the gate. He said "madam I will drop u inside. Why walk so much, that too through the water?". I said, "no no, they won't let you inside". By then the security person of my apartment came forward and showed him gesture confirming that the auto won't be let in. He stopped near the gate and I paid him Rs.400 and reminded him to return Rs.50. He responded "madam. I'm willing to happily accept Rs.400 if you insist". Controlling my smile, I confirmed that I need Rs.50 back and waited there as he was checking for the change. I was expecting a usual auto driver response saying he doesn't have change. So I again asked, by then he had got the change and returned it saying "madam, I will not run away with your money ". I thanked him and walked towards the gate. The security person said that the gate is closed due to some work and asked me to take the second gate. As I walked back from the first gate, the auto driver was still there and smiled and said "madam, see they are not allowing u also inside." I smiled and walked inside through the second gate with the thought that not all strangers whom we meet are as bad as we think.
     
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  2. maya84

    maya84 Gold IL'ite

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    Thank you Sandyr46 and confused4sure :)
     
  3. messedup

    messedup Platinum IL'ite

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    You really are a good writer. Keep it up. :thumbup:
     
  4. Giri12

    Giri12 Gold IL'ite

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    Simple but lovable writeup. Keep writing
     
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  5. iyerviji

    iyerviji Finest Post Winner

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    Good write up. I thought there will be a surprise at the end.
     
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  6. maya84

    maya84 Gold IL'ite

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    @messedup thank you for the very first comment on my write-up .
     
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  7. maya84

    maya84 Gold IL'ite

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    @Giri12 , thank you :)
     
  8. maya84

    maya84 Gold IL'ite

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    @iyerviji , Thank you.
    You are right, it would have been good to end with a surprise:smiley:
     
  9. Anusha2917

    Anusha2917 IL Hall of Fame

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  10. Ramyarc

    Ramyarc Silver IL'ite

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    This story reassured me that there are good rickshaw wallas in bangalore. :grinning:
     
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