Random

For the first time in my experience of travelling in buses (which isn't much), when I thanked the bus conductor for giving me my ticket, he actually replied with a "You are welcome". I was so taken aback that I couldn't suppress a smile which elicited a smile from the conductor himself. Thus, an unspoken, mutual feeling of goodwill permeated through me making me comfortable throughout the journey despite my precarious position right at the front with the possibility of being thrown through the windshield should the driver suddenly feel inclined to stomp on the breaks!!

Observing the conductor, I got to thinking, despite his humble employment, he could be well educated given his good turnout and general demeanor, and sometime during the ride he shouts out "Right!!" in a very stylish and accented way to the driver who is barely 4 feet away from him (wonder how the word "Right" came to be used in such a context, in what way could it possibly mean that the driver can now move the bus?!).

Here is a picture of our etiquette-conscious bus conductor busy at work!



Reminded me of another interesting individual I came across while in Bangalore last year. He works at the Kamat Hotel near Commercial Street, Shivajinagar.

To use the word "waiter" to describe his occupation seems an insult to him. Hence, let's say he is a steward there and caters to the A/C room guests. You would find him in the corner deep in conversation with the cashier. A small man by stature, with active and lively eyes, dressed in the colours of a steward's uniform, shirt falling nearly to his knees, pants folded at the bottom and dangling about his ankles, chappals, and a towel thrown casually on his left shoulder.

Why he stood out among the people of his ilk is because of the seriousness and sincerity with which he performed his duties, scurrying around like a busy bee. He obviously looks at the bigger picture that goes beyond, and hence blurs into insignificance, his day-to-day seemingly menial duties. He caters with a ready, genuine smile and is open to feed back, accepts his faults, is proactive with good people skills and a joyful demeanor that certainly seems contagious!

I've made repeated visits to the hotel, while in the vicinity, in the hopes of being honoured by his service, only to find him catering elsewhere with similar earnestness no less!

Fortune teller Vs. Bi-cycle business man

I had given a dress for alteration and a couple of days back, had gone to collect it. While waiting at the shop, the owner arrived (who I was meeting for the first time), an old guy, probably in his 60s, relatively well dressed, grey, thinning hair, sans a couple of front teeth, probably more due to chewing betel nuts and tobacco rather than old age!

From the time he arrived he never took his eyes off me, I politely smiled at him once, then twice and then decided I better turn away. After a couple of minutes, he says “Zara apna moonh dikhana”, and I’m like “Excuse me” and turn towards him, he says again in Hindi, “Brush your hair away from your face so I can see you clearly”, at this point I’m somewhere between embarrassment and irritation, then the female shop assistant explains to me “He’s into fortune telling and stuff…” and he is still staring at me…then after a moment or two (probably pause for effect), he starts his predictions, following is the conversation:

He says, “You have two names, one is your given name and the other, which is your nickname is the one people use to address you (great discovery huh?! Nicknames and given names!)”

“Yeah?! (I wonder, do I have a nickname? Coz’ such is the vehemence with which he utters this obvious aim in the dark)

“NO!” me tells, with equal vehemence, “I do not have a second name and everybody addresses me with my one and only given name.”

He is taken aback, I can see his confidence draining out of him like water from a punctured bottle! And then he continues staring at me, meanwhile, my dress arrives and I leave and there ends my conversation with this person with the supposed other-worldly abilities!!

This incident made me wonder about such people who claim to be experts at seeing the future, reading palms, fortune telling, etc. Looking back at the experience, I realized, we are the ones who make or break them. We are the ones who give them the confidence to go on doing what they do. We, ironically (though they are supposed to be the ones who are sure), are the ones who substantiate their yarns.

That’s the power of auto-suggestion, you keep saying something to yourself over and over again, over a period of time, you start believing it even if it weren’t true. That’s the ruse used by people of this trade, they proclaim their inferences so boldly and with such vehemence that we are, for a moment, left in doubt of our own lives! Here, of course, they are doing the suggesting on our behalf!

I sound very opinionated, I know, but my forcefulness is not because of any prejudice but because there are people out there who genuinely try to make a living for themselves but are distrusted because of the existence of others who make money out of fooling people!

A contrasting incident! A month ago, during one of my jaunts to National Market, I crossed the road with my eyes on a shop on the opposite side of the road selling bags, I almost entered the shop when I happened to notice a small crowd. Curiousity aroused, I venture nearer for closer inspection. A man, in his mid 50s, thinning, grey hair, unshaven, rugged look, poorly clad in loose fitting, soiled greenish-grey checked shirt, grey pants and rubber slippers but eyes moist with excitement and confidence (not ill-begotten), was enthusiastically “presenting” his wares to interested onlookers and/or potential buyers. He was selling baskets made just of thin metal rods and straws…yes, those thin plastic straws that you get at any shop selling cold drinks…!

The ingenuity of this guy is sure worth a mention. What made these baskets amazing and interesting was that, they can be used for a number of different occasions (at least 5) and altered accordingly with ease (user-friendly), and this man displayed and presented his product so cleverly and with such ease and deftness that it was nothing short of amazing. He also had the patience to teach his customers how to use the “product”.

No marketing person or communications expert, with their imposing modern gadgets, PowerPoint presentations and impressive suits, can beat the effect of this short presentation, marketing skills, innovativeness, ingenuity and enthusiasm of this man who could have easily been overlooked riding along the streets on his bi-cycle!

We bought 5 baskets from him that day!

The next day we went searching for him at the same spot with more orders, but, obviously he had gone off with his wares to a different location, whistling a tune to himself and merrily riding away on his bi-cycle...to honour others with his charm and infect others with his enthusiasm...

Of all that is good...

A routine day in a new place, new job and on my way back home, totally exhausted (more from waiting for the bus and trying to cross the road than anything else) on a crowded bus from Hebbal to Yelahanka on the ever busy airport road. I finally get to sit myself down and then...like a drop of cold water on a tired soul...I see this beautiful picture unfold in front of me...I try my best not to stare...

A family of 5, probably on the way back from a long trip (given their worn out looks, on second thought, maybe not, travelling from the city on a bus in b'lore could do that to anyone). Anyways, three small girls are fast asleep on two seats occupied by the father and two of the girls while the 3rd girl nestled comfortably in the safe haven of her father's arms. All of them totally undisturbed by the rash driving and sudden, jerky stops, while the father tries his best to make them comfortable. The oldest rests her head on her father's lap while the second rests her head on the bent back of the oldest. The mother sits next to me with the luggage on her lap. And thus arranged was this intriguing ensemble!

During the journey, once, the oldest's head slips off her father's lap, and he quickly but gently adjusts her head again back in place! Then a stop before theirs, the mother wakes up the girls, the oldest (about 9 years old) wakes up quickly and takes charge of her two younger sisters. The second one doesn't even so much as stir and continues in her peaceful slumber, seeing this, the oldest takes her on to her lap and holds her head in both her arms very protectively! Through out the journey, that might have started sometime long before I laid eyes on them, the father had his arms wrapped around the little one and I was just wondering how cramped his arms must have felt!

And me, the whole while trying to discreetly take pics of this refreshing scene acting like am fiddling with the phone for fear I might disturb the natural unfolding of this anecdote that could have so easily been overlooked!

I went home that day with a quiet smile on my face and feeling at peace with the world!