Would you
hold a potato to an adult and ask if it's a potato, without risking your
sanity? Well, today a cabbie asked me, "Are you Indian?" Even a blind
can figure the Indian in me...
I
hailed this cab and the grumpy-looking driver's first question was my
destination. The second, which followed no sooner than I answered the first,
was confirming my nationality. He turned back and threw a more scorn-filled
look in acknowledgment. The young chap was silent for about 2 minutes, studying
me through his rear-view mirror.
He turned and announced without ado, "I am from Pakistani Kashmir."
"Okay."
He continued
looking at me through the mirror. His eyes bitter, yelling a hundred withheld emotions.
Whoever said eyes speak, is so right!
"It's a
beautiful place." I said.
He turned and
queried with visible hatred, "Which place?"
"Kashmir,"
I said.
"Your government
doesn't let us live in peace. Everyday killing. Only my mother and sister live
there. So I moved them to another place, 21kms inside."
I smiled in
reply. And received more scorn.
"You
are a responsible son." I tried.
He didn't
thaw. Instead, crinkled his brows in contempt.
I remained quiet
for a few minutes and then tried again, "I have many Pakistani friends."
Now he
turned back, possibly to take a new look at me, when I said, "They are all
so nice people."
He nodded.
"People are nice, madam. Politicians are causing problems."
I smiled.
And lo!, the cabbie smiled too.
Then, there
was no stopping him. He took a u-turn, changed the route to bypass traffic,
shared with me his sister's experience at taking a driving licence, how he completed
his graduation, how he loves Anil Kapoor and Akshay Kumar, how crazy his dad was about Amitabh Bachchan...up until how he's now waiting for an interview call from
Dnata as he is tired of driving.
At the end
of the 40-minute drive, the handsome chap [yep, once he shed his grumpiness, he
was a cute fellow] refused to take the full fare.
"Not
all customers speak, madam. You are educated that's why you speak differently..."
He gave me his reasons.
I gave him
mine. How his company demands he fulfill his target and how every fil matters
at the month-end.
At last, he
let me get-off only after I promised that I will ride with him again.
"On full discount, madam."
"On full discount, madam."
"Full
discount! what's that? In all these years, I've not heard of discounts on taxi
rides!"
"I will
not switch on the meter madam," he explained and shared his mobile
number.
God Bless
him!
PS: A few
words spoken with the right intention will work wonders!
That must have been something. You really dealt with the situation so differently, atleast from me. I wouldn't have been able to do it like you. I would probably start giving him gyaan instead. Makes me realise how wrong that would have been. You made me think :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully heart-warming post! We need more of us to tell such real stories of affection and respect among Indians and Pakistanis - after we do come from twin-countries - born just a day apart. It's sad to see the hatred being transferred from one generation to the next.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the can driver - people are nice, its the politicians who cause the problems on both the sides. Kudos to you for keeping the conversation going with him and making him feel lighter.
ReplyDeleteThis post reminded me of a similar incident we faced on our visit to Dubai. Although, it was the other way round. The driver of the cab we took was a Pakistani. When my dad sat next to him and started chatting casually, my dad flinched when the driver told him that he was a Pakistani. My dad having witnessed partition is slightly prejudiced towards the entire Indo-Pak thing. But in the course of the journey the cabbie put us all to ease with his warm affable conversation. My dad warmed up to him in no time. Indeed, it's not the people but the politicians who are responsible for the state of things. Loved reading this post.
ReplyDeleteWow that was profound... when he said people are nice...
ReplyDeleteYou handled the situation well and struck the right tone to the conversation.
Wow that was profound... when he said people are nice...
ReplyDeleteYou handled the situation well and struck the right tone to the conversation.