The AUTO RICKSHAW ride!!

I just had to pen this one down 'cause someday I would look back at this post and have a nice laugh.

I had gone to a "tamil" movie last night. It was certainly the worst I had seen. These Tamil movies don’t strike the right chords with me. I always miss out on the comedy part and have to go around bugging my neighbor for the translation. So, I do have the LAST laugh. Well, I got used to that now.

Anyway, I had gone to see "anbay Arhuday" code name BF. I hope I got the movie name right. Got bored to hell. Moreover it was a night show. We left the hostel by 2100hrs (we are not allowed to go out after 2100hrs) saying we had spent 6 hrs in lab and did not eat a thing. The watchman bought the story. We rushed to the theater after a long chase for buses. Finally, we hit the theater, watch the dumb movie and leave.

The time was 0130hrs. No buses from the theater. We had to catch an auto. The usual bargaining thing started (no meters here!!). I usually leave the bargaining part to my pals 'cause I am no good at it. The rates were outrageous and more over as there were 8 of us we had to catch 2 autos. So... no way.

One point to be noted is when you stay at a hostel no matter where you are from you are always on econo mode. That is when you learn the worth of money. Experiencing situations like total bankruptcy is common.

Well, back to topic. We were bargaining with the auto guy. Out of nowhere, comes an auto guy shouting, "I AM READY!!" (In English!) We did fix up for a relatively cheap cost and all of us got in. Imagine, 8 people in an auto excluding the driver. Two of them in the front, four on the seat and two on top of the speakers (the portion behind the seat!) To add to the agony, the driver was DRUNK!

We were screaming our way through. He kept mocking us and vice versa. The following are the minutes of the excitement!!

Auto Driver: Yeah... Let’s have fun! (Fun?? Probably he thinks my way)

AD: I am a psychologist.
WE: Ya. We heard that one from "chandramukhi".
AD: I treat people! (Try treating yourself for a change)

We then stop over to refuel.

AD: 1 liter petrol to go with.
Comes to us and says: we are going to rock!
Pump supervisor puts on a confused look. We explain him the situation. He is like "what the hell..."
AD takes 50 bucks from us for petrol. Asks an additional 2 bucks and TIPS the supervisor and says "enjoy".

We scream our way through. We contemplate the possibility of reaching the hostel in not more than 2 pieces. We found that it was tough.
AD takes us through a wild ride. I never knew till that night that you could do a "wheelie" in an auto. I don't remember us going on a straight path ever. "Zigzag... S... else slowing down drastically (probably he was trying a “back wheelie"). You name it...he would have done it.

All of a sudden he takes a U turn and says this is a short cut although we knew he was going in the opposite direction. He started shouting that he knows Madurai better than us when we tried to tell him. Finally he realizes that he is on the wrong route and starts hitting himself saying "I am sorry". He even folded his hand and apologized and the auto went bizarre. That was when we thought we had it. But then, he got into his senses and took the reigns again.

On the way, AD started following a cycle rickshaw guy. Both of them were on the same lane.

AD: I have a couple of degrees in psychology. Got it from various universities. (University of drunken Auto drivers!!)

WE: You better overtake that cycle rickshaw guy first and then we will discuss about your degrees.

At this he gets pissed off and zooms past the cycle rickshaw guy and shouts at him. He even put his hand out and I thought he had shown him the "finger".

Then he starts yapping about life. Starts advising about studying and acads... (Like we needed that, for the love of god... doesn't he get the point that we are returning from a night show!!). S and S did great job in keeping his cool as they were sitting beside him (front row!!). The rest of us were having fun behind. I do remember the guys on the speaker (L and K) complaining that they lost the sensation of their feet.

All of a sudden he asks why we were born as guys and not as gals (as if it was our choice... well given the choice... let me think... I would have preferred to be a GUY no matter what!!! I love being a GUY!!) He gives more gyan on that. I remember all of us yawning and L and K started to shout from behind that they couldn't take the torture anymore. That is when we decided to ditch the guy. We found a suitable place to get down and fixed up another auto.

This guy blows his top.

AD: You have hired me and it shall be me who should take you to your destination. (That would probably be HELL... not that I am complaining!)

WE: You have got us half way and we paid for the petrol and I guess we are even.

AD: There is no such crap. Either pay the entire amount or let me drop you.

We, by that time fix up an auto (this guy was sober!) get into it. Only S was talking with him. So, in the filmi style we drive the auto near S, he jumps into it and we are off!

We hit hostel, feel our beds and thank our godmothers for letting us sleep in our own beds rather than in a coffin.

I must have slept instantly, 'cause it’s already Monday and if I don’t hit class on time for first hour, my attendance is gonna be screwed real bad!!

Dreams!!

I was sitting on the terrace staring at the brightly lit sky. I was trying to think about what was happening to me. Why I am I changing so drastically. Why am I drifting so much from my path(reminded me about theory of RED SHIFT!!). I was trying to analyze the causes and effects. One thing that was thought for a very long time(probably for over 30 sec.... Usually my analysis takes 5-10 sec per point). DREAMS!!

Why do we dream? To feel how tomorrow would be. To make us happy? To make ourselves feel good... All shit. Dreams are waste of time. I used to dream... Once upon a time, but for what use? Imagining about future is how you want the future to be... And future is not so kind enough to give you one just like that. On the contrary, it gives you one which is more or less an opposite of what you thought.

Dreams, are the reason why a lot feel bad 'cause they could not achieve their dreams. If you actually feel bad that you could not achieve your dream (more than 90% of the times you can't achieve your dreams!) they why the hell do you dream?

Some say "Dare to dream" I say "Dare to look at reality!!"