The abnormal Auto Driver (Walk towards Peak - 1)

I reached home from office by around 7 PM on the day when I had to leave to Central Station to catch the TN express...

After reaching home I had a half hour meeting with my two direct reportees to ensure that I passed on few things demanding some continuity....as I am sort of guilty of telling them clearly that I am not planning to take the cell phone to the Himalayan tour.....!!

After a hasty dinner, I was looking out for an Auto in front of our Flat and a middle aged fellow obliged to come to Central....asked for Rs.100/- With heavy luggages in hand, I am not the one who is going to argue with an auto driver particularly when he seems to be quite respectable and decent....

On the way to Central Station, I casually started talking to the Driver which has become a sort of compulsion for me & he responded quite well....When a diesel share auto overtook us, I asked him casually on the dip in his business because of the upsurge of this recent pheonomenon....(This is a sort of open ended question that I normally ask many drivers to know their pulse)....Usually, the auto drivers start cursing and moaning when they are reminded about this competitor but this one was strikingly different...

He bluntly tells me that he never considers any one as his competition....I was quite surprised to hear this....He continues that even when I called him, he was actually going to home at madipaakam, but did not mind coming to central though it will mean that he will go home late by 1 hour....He adds that there are some bad days, but many times, he has seen the co-incidences work favourably for him and he never had time to sit idle and brude about his fate and his career....He says that flexibility is very important in any profession and he at times laughs at himself when things do not work favourable on some odd day....he normally finds that he gets compensated on the following day invariably....

He was telling me dozen stories on the way on various incidents to prove his point....This fellow seems to be very contented and respecting his profession....which is quite rare amongst these pig headed auto drivers that I normally met.....

Sort of good omen to my tour....Needless to say, I gave him ten rupees extra when I got down thanking God that he made me meet one of his wonderful creations.....

I always think that auto drivers, conductors and people handling counters can make our lives very beautiful IF ONLY they realise their potential....Very recently, I was so curiously looking at a dull faced conductor in one of the deluxe buses that are introduced by MTC these days.....why at all they chose some one smiling and bright at least for such premium priced travels within city.....??

Gowri, have you ever tried to know some "extra" details from the official who sits in a bus depot supposed to support the passenger queries....??

I am not too eager to dream about great revolutions....let such little little changes happen in and around the city....thats more effective.....

Are you saying that I am asking too much.....??? Hmmmm...........

suchoo