Hum kuch galat toh nahi bol rahe hain na madam?

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Raunak Kumar...yes that was his name. A cabbie who made me sit and up and take notice. He was a male Basanti for sure. (For the uninitiated Basantis are the male version of the talkatative character from Ramesh Sippy's Sholay). A cab ride from Dadar East to Lower Parel intiated a discussion on Matrimony, Economics, Politics with a cabbie. Actually make that a monologue with a nod or a 'haan ji' from my side. And this Up bhaiya (no he doesnt think its a derogatory term, he is from UP and is not bothered when people call him Bhaiya) with the twenty minute ride on Monday morning, spoke his heart out. He doesnt believe in MNS or Samajwadi Party, he does not want anything to do with either Amar Singh or Raj Thackeray, he does not want lathis or talwars. He likes Mumbai because its been his professional home for the last six years. His taxi earns him enough money to send back home in Allahabad. He thinks that politicians create issues for their own interests..."Nahi toh woh log kyon apne bacchon ko lathi aur talwar uthane ko nahi kehte?" Yes it was quite a pertinent question...none of the politicians ask their own kith and kin to resort to violence now,would they? " Hum sabhi log toh kaam karne ke liye aaye hain? Hum sabhi log bus jeene ki koshish kar rahe hain. Hain Na Madam?" Of course we all are here to work. Earn a living. "Hum Kuch galat toh nahi na bol rahe bhabhiji?" He asked with a wry smile. He already knew the answer to that one.

He knows that he has to work...but how does he work in such a costly city. Yes the inflation has affected him. He knows it will be difficult living or rather surviving in this metropolis, if the prices of all commodities and other essential items increases. His rent takes away half his pay and he has almost nothing left to send back to his parents. He would also like to learn Marathi, but the most he has learnt so far is the expletives which he does not like but is used generously against him. "Sabhi Gaaliyaan Ma aur behen ki hain...humein bus ye hi ek cheez pasand nahi aati...hum aapko bore toh nahi na kar rahe hain na?"

He wants to get married eventually. He wants her to finish her B.A. and then wants to get married. He spoke in shudh Hindi, and said that after all a woman is 'ardhangini' the better half of the man! So he asked my verdict...is marriage a headache or a neccessity...? And since I did not know the answer to that one, I smiled as beatifically as I could and he deduced that Bhabhiji (I had been elevated in status... I went from Madam to Bhabhiji within seven minutes!!!) was happily married. And then he said that marriage is after all just another thing we all have to do since we are all human beings. "Aakhir hum sab insaan hain na?"