What if I wake up every morning and I have absolutely no clue to where I would be going for work, which client I would be serving and when and where my day will end? What if everything related to my work was un-predetermined (apologies- word does not exist in dictionary.com) for me? What if the predictibility of going to the same office, to the same work desk and meeting the same colleagues and the same set of clients were not to be a given for me. What if I had to drive to multiple destinations throughout the day, some familiar, some unknown? What if I have to face traffic jams and negotiate road blocks right through the day? What if my client could be made happy only if I was fast or cheap or both? What if everyday I had to experience the mixed feelings of curiosity, detachment, happiness, disgust, wariness, uncertainity and joy that one experiences when one visits a new place or a location within or without the city of one's residence?
On the other hand, what if I view every potential client as a prey whom i could fleece depending upon their desperation. What if I had the possibility of earning at least double of what is fair everyday? What if I could earn even if I had closed shop for the day and was going home and a client in need approached me and had a potential to pay even three times the normal rate? Would I even think of doing a goodwill and sell at a heavy discount?
If only I could speak fluent Tamil, I would seek the answers to my questions with this auto driver.
PS- friends, the inference from the above post is that I have sold my car and the new one is not yet handed over to me. After tomorrow I will stop worrying unnecessarily about the plight of the auto drivers and how to reform them by being strict about paying strictly through the meter. As Chennai moves to a fair, updated meter and policemen start to stop the auto drivers en-route requesting passengers to insist on the meter, I wonder whether this is a distant dream coming true or yet again another hogwash- If Mumbai can and Bangalore can, why can't Chennai have th meter system?
The Scorpios
13 comments:
yeah! i am also awaiting the fair price auto system
as for ur first paragraphs- i would find too much uncertainity difficult to handle in life
Beautifully written itchy! For a while, I was wondering why you were feeling so philosophical.
Oh I didnt know Chennai was moving to this system... good news. and ofcourse, you should learn tamil to find out all the answers:)) (I can see you fuming....)
Oh my - co-inky-dink - I just bought a new car too, after retiring my old peugeot (the moss growing under the window seals deserved a decent burial - preferably at sea).
Here in the UK, the auto trade is utterly raddled with corruption from head to toe - from the fact that dealers set their own finance and APRs to the various extras they try to sell you when the deal is coming to a close (who the hell pays £350 to ensure that their tyres don't get scuffed? I mean isn't that the point?)
Anyhoo, I shall be driving a nice little Yaris T Spirit after saturday so here's to new car smell :)
Peej
x
Gr8 news that the Chennai autos r actually gonna start using the meters! During the recent trip of mine 2 Chennai, the auto guys ripped me apart with their ridiculous charges! I only hope that the meter system works correctly & that the passengers arent fleeced! Ofcourse the autowallas wldnt mind having faulty meters too....anything to extract money...most of them atleast!
Congrats on ur new car! Which one are u opting for?
interesting spin on perspective!
congrats on the new car :) in the interim, enjoy the auto rides, maybe you'll even pick up the lingo!
itchy,
vow you sure have many questions!!
again, well written :)
congrats on the new car:-)
Congrats on the car. What did you get?
hi all- thnks for the wishes. am getting the midnight black swift- vxi.. coming in the evening today..
living in Chennai and can't converse in Tamil... No sin can be bigger than this.. Believe me have the first hand experience.. With all regards to everyone but the rigidity of tht city and the non acceptance of non-Tamilians is too strong for me to digest....
The situation may have improved from the time I was there but the fillers I keep getting, keep reconfirming the above....
And yes congrats for the new Car!
really good one..and congrats on ur new car
Had to Google "Swift VXI". Don't see many around this area. Looks like most the on-line reviews were pretty good. Enjoy it.
Post a Comment