In morning hours there is always a long queue for all forms of public transport whether it be bus or auto rickshaw and if you are in urgency then you are in soup. My rickshaw was about to start suddenly a guy Mr. A approached me asking if I’m going to Chakala (A business area in Andheri east). It was very apparent that he got late and he is in absolute rush, I nodded in nope. As I was not going to Chakala Mr. A requested to drop him at one place on my way from where he can go walking to his office. I accepted the offer and he got into rickshaw.
Our rickshaw heading to its path, we started introductory chatting. He was educated and polished person working for an Investment company. We were waiting for green signal at crossing of western express highway & J B Nagar road. Soon we got signal, Mr. A instructed rickshaw to take left. Rickshawala resisted saying it will be a jam-packed route, to which Mr. A rudely scratched saying “do as instructed”.
I was stumped with such bossy, uncouth and consent-less behavior. It was like you offer a fruit to someone and he takes away the whole tree. I felt cheated, as someone has taken advantage of me being supportive. Why everyone takes advantage of me, why I don’t resist such behaviors, why I’m always so polite to accept such action against self. The thoughts were running through my mind, our rickshaw was moving in other direction, a direction of traffic jam.
Finally I decide I will not take this crap. I will not put myself in a situation of self-pity for being used by others. Just to look good I will not be people pleasing. As we reached another signal, in hard tone I asked rickshawala to take U turn and to return to our original route. Mr. A got the pace, thanking me he simply got down from rickshaw.
We were back on our route and I was happy like wining a battle. Ooh! What a lesson I taught to Mr. A, now he will never take advantage of anyone, I speaking to me. While soaked in elation suddenly a voice broke inside. Why I am enjoying this, why I am blissful this way. It was not for taking any revenge, but for shielding self of miserable feeling. It was for me, that I can take firm stand, defy people doing wrong to me, not for paying him back. I wanted to help him but don’t want him to use me for his advantage like a white crayon, can be helpful in mess but cannot be used.
Cheers!
Mohit
