Tale of a Cab Driver…

Good Morning Madam. Where you go?

Oh.. Gurgaon… Where?

Accha accha. I know gurgaon well. Driving 12 saal se you see. Born in Agra, but making living in Delhi.

Yes Mam, living permanently here now.

After years of mehnat, I managed to buy a house madam ji. Close to Sarita Vihar. Maine to paanch mail liya tha. But metro ke aane se rate double ho gaye.

Madam, gaon main sab kehte the ki kya kiya dilli aakar. Ab kehta hu ki house toh maine bana liya…

Haan, sahi keh rahe ho aap. Ghar banana sabse mushkil kaam hai. Par maine toh apne baccho ke baare main socha aur mehnat kar li. 2 boys hai mam mere. And ek ladki.

Boys ki toh mujhko koi tension nai hai mam. Yes Madam, boys toh kuch na kuch kar hi lete hai. Im more tensed about ladki ki education. Pata nai kaise padhegi woh. Bade school main daal toh diya, pata nai kaise kar payenge.

Kaunsa school? Madam woh DPS mai hai- RK Puram waale..

Hahaha… Surprise mat ho madam. Mai jaanta hu- mai toh nai padha sakta itne big school mai. Yes mam, hu toh mai driver hi. Actually mai na pehle embassy mai job karta tha- South Korea ki.

Wahan jo madam thi na, woh bohot interst leti thi mere kids main. Unhone mere kids main bohot interst liya. Unko meri beti hi bohot bright lagi, woh unke diye hue saare puzzles kar leti thi.

So phir un madam ne DPS ki principal se baat kari and meri daughter ka admission karva diya. Woh jaanti this uss principal ko.

And when she left (the Korean woman) she called me said just one thing- apni beti ki padhai mat rukwaana. Bas itna karna mere liye. I will keep calling and checking (don’t discontinue your daughter’s studies. Promise me you wont, that is one thing you owe me. )

Bas Mam, mai toh wahi promise nibha raha hu, kissi bhi tarah.

Humari beti english bolti hai mam. Humare liye toh yahi sabse badi baat hai. Jab hum village jaate hai toh sab usse letters padhwate hai…mere liye toh wahi sabse badi khushi hai.

Problem toh hai mam, woh english boti hai, aur humse bohot gussa hoti hai kabhi kabhi. Humko toh usse darr bhi lagta hai. Mai aur meri wife uske saamne zyada nai bolte…

Par mam, usko bade school mai padhana jaise ek mission sa ho gaya hai mere liye. Meri wife ne bhi job shuru kar de hai. Woh bhi Cab chalati hai ab. Driving classes liye usne.. Bohot save toh nai kar paate hum but manage kar lete hai hum…

Humara sar toh uncha bacchon se hota hai. Bas woh kuch ban jaye toh….
…..
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Ok mam…Mam, thank u…Yeh aapka bill…

P.S- why I chose to narrate this tale? because this story of a cab driver, made me realize that behind every ordinary man lurks something extraordinary. Some action, one story, one circumstance, one minute, even a second..that sets everybody apart from every one else. This man, a cab driver like thousands of others, is still unlike them, for he has a mission, an extraordinary cause, and is going on struggling for it under ordinary circumstances…
And ofcourse, its heartening to see a girl child being the center of a parent’s world. Parents who belong to some remote village and are living hand to mouth. They have all the reasons and the conditioning to want and nurture their boys, but….
Its true after all…everyone does have a story worth listening to…and you shall find the best of the lot out on the streets.

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