It only costs a smile

Caution: This post wouldn’t make sense at all. I don’t know why I am even writing this. Still one can’t handle the boredom four straight holidays all alone at home with 8 hours of power cut. Now you know why I am here, you can reconsider your thought of reading. They say, “It’s better late than never” : P

It is Friday and like every other IT guy my body is resting on the chair, eyes gazing at monitor and mind thinking over weekend. The clock is already ticking five to 3’O clock and I have to catch my bus in thirty. Somehow with my sobbing voice and worried looks I managed to convince my friend Siva to drop me at the stop. I looked around to make sure nobody noticing me dumping my girl friend, I mean shutting my PC. Of course guys of my age only would like to spend so much time with girl friend. I had the sigh of relief having none noticing me leave.

“Sankar, what you feel about our application?” A voice stopped me. Of course it was my manager. Managers do have a sense of feel that Mrs. Bachan had over King Khan’s arrival in the movie ‘Kabi Kushi Kabi Gum’. Only difference is managers feel the same when their team members make flee. Having testers testing the application I couldn’t punch the usual, “It’s getting into better shape”. Because she very well knew it is already out of shape. So I said or instead I admitted, “We do have some issues and will be done by Monday before the release.” She nodded in doubt and her reaction says it all, “We have a situation here and you washing your hands for a long weekend”. 

“Are you coming or should I leave? Its five past three”, Siva reminded.

“I am sorry boss.. We ll move right away”, I said to my waiting friend having the inner guilt eating me up.

We rushed to the parking lot and he picked my bike. “Don’t you have a helmet?” he shouted in rage. I dropped my head like a sunflower and took the pillion. We passed through the gates and I felt like flying out of the cage. After travelling a decent distance he snugly asked, “Do you have the papers at least?”. “Common dude who’s gonna wait for us in this frying hot sun” I said. The very next moment he sighted a patrol jeep moving slow in front of us. He was very carefully driving behind the jeep to avoid the catch. It was time and I have only fifteen more minutes to miss my bus. I forced him to overtake the jeep in speed and flee from them. “See it’s over now” I said.

“Screech…. ” Siva applied breaks!

“What the…….” I yelled and peeped.

There was a bunch of patrol guys asking us to pull over. This very moment I had many things running in my mind. I can see my bus driver showing the “middle finger”. I can see only ten rupee notes in my wallet, I cursed myself for missing the ATM.

“Shit.. shit.. shit…” I mumbled.

And Siva was like, “shut the fu….. up”

No helmet, no mirrors, no number plate…

“Sir sir… I do have two number plates” I said.

“Umh… um… I mean no proper font” He listed.

“OK show me the papers, licence, pay the fine and leave” he grunted!

I was scratching my head. Siva showed his licence and immediately he turned towards me as if I had the papers to show.

“Licence undu.. Papers???” he shouted.

A lump in my throat I said, “No papers too”.

“Ahhhh… kitte case-u kitte”, come to station he ordered.

Thinking that saying him where I work will gain me respect I said, “ I work in Inforpark”.  He didn’t even bother though. I looked at Siva failing the first attempt, He was clueless either. I thought I should use the emotion weapon that convinced Siva to drop me.

“Sir, I have a bus to catch at 3.30 and it’s already 3.20. Please sir.. He is my friend who just helps me dropping. As I am travelling I did not bring my papers and helmet. He has nothing to do with the bike so spare him” I said. Even before the patrol guy reacted Siva was so touched by my words of backing him. I thought, “This would do.. He will drop me for all my lifetime”. Though I am not sure my emotional play worked with the patrol but sure with my friend.

“Where are you travelling?” the patrol asked.

Twinkle, I smiled. “Gotchaaaa!! You ll go places Sankar” boastfully I was talking to myself.

“I asked you a question” he reminded.

“Coimbatore sir.. And the bus is in next five minutes. Pls spare us sir. I will play the fine and leave”.

“Heh.. Coimbatoree” he looked at the other patrol guy and smiled villainously.

“You Coimbatore guys catch Kerala people, lathi charge us, ask to pay fine and give no receipt. Now you want me to leave you Coimbatore.”

I once again saw my bus driver showing the divine finger at my face L

“Go bring you papers and show it to me and you can pay the fine for not having helmet, mirrors and I am sure you will not be having pollution certificate too. Do you?”

I wanted to applaud and congratulate on his analytical skills but I couldn’t. “Yes, I don’t have pollution certificate sir. But I have a bus...” I whispered.

“Good then you are going to have a heavy charge sheet” he smirked.

“I will miss my bus” I raised.

“OK you leave with this tipper driver (another victim of the day) and ask your fried to bring everything. But no papers he is going with me to the station. Go go leave now.. You have got a bus” he demanded. I felt he doubts that I am lying about the bus. I wanted to prove him wrong and internally I badly don’t want to miss the bus. So I decided to go with the tipper driver lending the problem to my dear Siva. I nodded and said OK to the patrol.

Siva looked like as if he was hit by a thunder. I opened the door and before hopping in I saw his face. He was like, “As**ole! It’s your bike and your problem. Get the hell down here and deal these crazy junks. I’m leaving”. I could barely feel every word of it silently spoken through his eyes.

“Papers are in my office bag. Ask Prabhu (My roommate) to bring them and pay the fine. I know you can handle this. Sorry mate!” I said ignoring his silent words.

The tipper was quite comfortable after all the struggles with those psycho cops. It gave me a good view of the broad road and people in the road. The tipper guy smiled at me and asked “how much?”  (Meaning to ask how much amount I paid to the cops). Before even answering to that I couldn’t hold curiosity of asking, “How many?” (Meaning how many lives he has taken with the tipper). “Whatttttt?” he questioned. I looked at his thick moustache and topless muscular body. “No no.. I asked how much did u pay.” He started complaining the corrupt government and stuffs like that. I wasn’t excited by the talk and started to think about time back there. I realised what mistake I have done. “How can I just leave my friend like that paying for my mistake, Oh god!” He will never drop me again.

Just like any lovers would reconsider before a break up, I framed Siva’s innocent face in mind.

His eyes asking, “How can you do this to me?”

“Stop! I ll get down here” I said to the tipper guy (Knowing very well that my bus would have departed). At least I don’t want the dear to depart.

I called Siva and said, “Don’t panic I am coming!”

I had to walk all way back to the place because no auto w(s)allah is ready to pick me up for a short distance in the highway. I cursed god for pushing me into such traumatic situation. I hear my manager asking, “What you feel about our application?” I hear my friend yelling, “Don’t you have helmet at least?”And for the final time I saw my bus driver showing his….

Gosh! I was so damn red. I literally wanted to tease those psycho cops and rip them for having ruined my day. That’s when I thought I should call the emergency 108 friend of mine for help.

This 108 friend of mine is named Deepu. I use to call him for all sorts of helps like

“Where can I find a mechanic?”

“What will be the cost of X, Y, Z, etc.”

“What is my tax for this year?”

And the list goes on. I don’t know how he manages to help me though I feel I am such a pain myself. He always suggests me the best/right solution. I called up this guy and explained the situation walking back to psychos in the frying hot sun. I made the point very clear that I simply want to sue these cops.  Siva felt relieved seeing me walking towards him. I went to him and asked, “What are guy’s upto?” By that time he had already called Prabhu to bring the papers and he was on his way.

“What is your problem actually? Why do you guys want us to suffer for some of your idiotic personal vengeance towards Tamilnadu cops? If you want some money make it direct rather than using your rules tool. If you roadside cops can talk rules so can I. Give me the charge sheet I can pay it in court. But it will only make things worse for you. Because you guys have given me mental torture and made me miss the bus. For all the time loss, energy loss and money loss it’s only you who has to pay me. Let me go now or you are in trouble. What say?” I wished to sprout out!

But I did remember what my 108 friend told me before he cut the call. “Dude.. He can simply fine you a thousand for not having pollution certificate only. He has the rights to take you to the station as you dint carry the insurance. May be he can get hold of your bike until you clear the papers and pay the fine. He is actually being nice to you. So shut the **** up and be nice to him. Don’t go sue yourself”. As Mr. Right can never go wrong I decided not to end up semi nude in station.

“So you really had bus to take and you missed it for your friend” he smiled.

“Eeeeeeeeee” I showed my teeth. “How will leave my friend deserted in road sir?” I said.

Once again I scored well in my friend’s heart. Siva smiled at me acknowledging the dropping agreement forever. The psycho once again started like, “We aren’t Tamilnadu police.. And you have not left your friend on road but in the safety hands of Kerala police” he sounded proud.

 In sometime all my papers were brought and I showed them to the patrol guys proving them I wasn’t cooking up anything. He went through them as if he was doing some research work on them.

“Finally you guys have them” he said after finishing the papers.

“Ok now pay rupees thousand for all other charges and leave” the psycho said.

 I felt like the story gonna pick in from first. I was so damn tired and so down to argue or negotiate, I was about to takeout the money to pay fine. Siva stopped me and took his play.

“Sir, we have waited for quite long time and I know it is our mistake. We are grateful to Kerala police for their kindness unlike Tamilnadu police.”  I literally saw pride in their faces and I felt somehow this is gonna end. “We don’t have much money now to pay. We have only hundred rupees sir. So please spare us taking this 100.” Siva added.

“You IT guys, withdrawing salary on 1.5lakhs per month say you don’t have money. You guys go to fish shop, eat a fish worth 350 rupees, give them 500 rupees and don’t even want the 150 rupees back” the psycho said.

 I don’t understand what this fish story has to do with the situation and why would one go to fish shop and eat a fish? Is he talking about the restaurant or a raw fish? This isn’t Japan, I was thinking. Meanwhile Siva proclaimed that we are the lowest paid guys in the Infopark. And he played an emotion on his fake below poverty line. Finally these patrol guys fell for him and agreed to take a fine of hundred rupees. May be I should have let Siva deal the police from the beginning. That’s how we bid goodbye to these guys!

We both really had a sigh of relief as if we were getting out of an examination hall.

“It’s over and what is your plan?” Siva put the question.

I really dint want to go back so I asked him to leave and I Planned to take some bus on the way to get to my place. Even he was like, “when can I get rid of this idiot” and left the place immediately. After moving inches he stopped and waved at me. I was happy and thought he is going to drop me at bus stand.

“Heh.. You aren’t taking the fine receipt na?? I don’t want to mess my day with another cop riding your bike” he made sure and left!

What a day and what a waste of time, I thought! I managed to get a bus to Coimbatore around 5.40 in the evening. I kept thinking about the gory incident and I dint want to. I thought of going through a book I had with me. The bad luck didn’t call it quits, after reading two pages the twilight was reluctant to lend me some light. I closed the book and travelled to Coimbatore with deep grief. I called up dad to say that I will be late. And to my goodness he said, “No worries son I’ll pick up”.

The day is almost done, dark and cloudy. The time is around 10 PM. I was waiting for my dad to come. I was badly looking for a black Activa on road to get home and end the bad day. And almost I can feel the third world war inside my belly. A brand new cherry red car stopped by! The window glass was pulled down and I could hear someone calling, ‘Sankar’. Yes to my surprise it was my dad in our new car. I know it isn’t surprising you guys but it does to me, my dad being new to car driving. It was like a dream to me, my dad picking me up in car. I have always longed since my school days seeing guys dropped or hopping in their car with dad. “Common in” my dad called. I just hopped in happily and sat next to him.

 He pushed the gas and we were on our way. I dint know how to express my gratitude. I was just thinking of an incident that happed last time I came home. When my dad took his bike to drop me at the station I just looked at the car parked in porch and smiled at him.

“I am so happy to go with you dad.. Today this moment is a dream coming true” I felt inside.

“So your dream came true?” he asked breaking the silence.

I was shocked! I really don’t know how parents can really understand what their kid’s longs for.

“I know you are happy son” he said and twinkled! (He smiled).

It only costs a smile to wipe your bad day and so do this smile of my dad.  

I replied, “Thanks dad! You made my day” (At least end of the day).