Who deserves bashing?

CROSS POSTED AT SILICON INDIA

This post is inspired by a post made at Bangalore blues and the discussion that followed.

IT bashing has become quite the ‘in thing’ in the past month. First there was the Outlook article followed by an outburst of suppressed emotions of a lot of Bangaloreans. But is IT the culprit here? There are many who will nod their heads and say YES.. but I beg to differ…

Its true that the coming of IT/MNCs has resulted in an inflation, an inflation in costs but not income…. cost of living has been increasing while the pay packages remained the same in almost all industries except those related to IT!

So who deserves the bashing? IT industry who pushed the country forward, injecting more money into the economy or ‘other sectors’ who held back instead of pushing themselves ahead along with the IT sector, thus offering no infaltion in income for it’s employees?

Grand Theft Auto – 3

To understand this post properly first read this and then this

‘Auto meri jaan’

I love these kind of auto drivers.. for them their auto is their life, not just because it’s their source of income.. But they simply just

love their autos. They take care of it like they do their children.. Here is one such incident.. but mind you, in this case I was ‘little

irritated’ why? read on…

NOTE: Background of the story is as follows… A friend of mine had come to town so we decide to rent out a house.. which we finally

did… And now all I needed to do was move all my stuff from my paying guest accommodation to my new house.. I pack everything

and call the auto ..

Me: Anna, Jayanagar Jaoge?
Auto: ok
Me: One minute.. need to get some stuff
Auto: Blank expression (I read it then as.. hurry up.. thinking back.. I think he meant.. are u kiddin me?)

(I come down with my ‘luggage’ which basically comprises of a HUGE backpack and a suitcase along with my computer boxes -

monitor, CPU, speakers, UPS etc.. – all of them dusty mind you)

Now I start loading them one by one

Auto: Nahi nahi don’t keep that bag on the seat
Me: Ok.. I start keeping it behind the seat
Auto: Nahi nahi don’t keep there then where will you keep those dirty boxes
Me: I don’t know! You tell me
Auto: Keep the boxes on the floor
Me: Boss.. Are you joking? Its a computer monitor.. It won’t fit..
Auto: Whatever fits on the floor fits in the auto.. If anything’s left keep it on your lap!

Me: Eh.. ok! (It’s not like I had choice you see)
(I HAD TO do it the way he wanted for the sake of shifting…. and I did.. we reached home.. now getting myself and the stuff from

the auto)

Me: Anna.. can you help me to get the stuff out.. because without that I can’t get out
Auto: Give me look that simply said (yeuw.. me help you with that? No chance!)
Me: But I can’t get out..
Auto: call your friend
Me: He is in office!
Auto: Call your neighbour then!
Me: WHAT! For god’s sake pleeeeeeease!
Auto: ah ok then (he takes the comp monitor from my lap and almost throws it on the floor)
Me: Thanks… here is the money..
Auto: (Snatches the money out of my hand and rushes away as soon as I took my stuff out of the auto)

The ‘otherway’ driver

I hate encounters with such a brand of auto drivers….
NOTE: This incident happened at 3 in the evening not late at night!

Me: Auto….. (whizzes past)
Me: Auto… (another one passes by)
Me: AUTO!!!!
(finally one stops)
Me: Jayanagar
Auto: Gives that ‘meditating’ look
nahi going to MG road
Me: (in mind – eh I thought it was an auto didn’t realise you run in particular routes alone)

Watch out for the grand finale (hopefully) of the GTA series ….. to be continued

Break away post

Sorry readers.. sorry to break away from Grand Theft Auto series of posts..

Wanted to wish all the readers happy Eid and happy Christman in advance thats all..

Meanwhile came across a hilarious post on Deadpan Thoughts (it’s a pakistani blog).. I read Pakistani blogs once in a while they are quite fun…. In this particular post he is having a mock interview with Al Qaeda! lol have fun….

Grand Theft Auto – 2

For this post to make any sense pls read this post first…

GOD ON EARTH
NOTE: These type of auto drivers make an appearance when you are short of cash.. not necessarily when broke.. and never turn up again…

Me: Boss, Jayanagar jaoge
Auto: ok sit
Me: (skeptical.. looking at the meter)
Auto: TING! (digital meter.. wow.. and he’s turned it on)
(Reached destination.. twenty min pass.. we lost ten min at traffic junctions)
Me: (shit I have only Rs 30 change and Rs 100 note… and meter reads 35.. oh god… now I will have to argue)
Anna, here (I offer Rs 100 note)
Auto: Change ilva?
Me: Only 30
Auto: ok give
Me: (I give 30.. he gives back Rs 100)
sorry anna
Auto: (Nods understandingly, smiles and leaves before I can invite him for a tea/coffee for being a nice chap…)

Conclusion: Good things come in small packages proportions

The chatter box
NOTE: These guys appear too friendly and gets to your nerves.. and also that the below conversation took place in hindi

Me: Boss, Jayanagar jaoge
Auto: yes yes why not… sit sit
Me: okay (bckgrnd: ting. meters on.. good)
Auto: So where are you from?
Me: Kerala
Auto: Oh I have been there beautiful place my cousin drives auto in kochi
Me: Oh (all auto drivers in kochi come under the category of Jack the rippers)
Auto: The traffic, its so irritating these days it takes ten minutes to travel 100 meters (we were at MG road u see.. he goes on…) do you know what happened to me yesterday?
Me: (a moments silence… ah that felt good) what? (why did I utter a word.. stupid me!)
Auto: I was driving through outer ring road……… (the conversation or should I say the monologue went on for the next forty min till I reached home)
Me: Anna, here is the money
Anna: Change ilva? (Don’t have change?)
Me: Illa (don’t have)
Anna: okay.. (he gave me back change with three rupee short.. if I ask him about the three rupee he would go on for another ten min about shortage of coins so I took the offering and cleared the spot)

Conclusion: And I though being exposed to radiation was the worst thing possible

The Pervert
NOTE: I never encountered these beasts.. a few of my girl friends encountered them though

She: Anna, MG Road
Auto: (Gives that creepy look which makes one melt) YES!
She: (gets in… quite conscious)
Auto: TING! (Meter on…. great! Now the rear view mirror changes it’s purpose. It becomes passenger view mirror)
(She looks into the mirror only to meet those sharp eyes trying to see through her.. she finds protection behind her backpack which now she keeps on her lap)
(Twenty min pass and the destination approaches) Even after wearing a Kurta.. she thinks

She: Here is the money
Auto: Thanks he collects the money in a giffy making it a point to touch her palms..
She: Leaves the change money and moves away from the auto

Conclusion: Sometimes being a woman is a curse!

Continued here...

Grand Theft Auto(rickshaw)

Since I came to Bangalore eight months back, I have read a zillion posts on terrible experiences people had with autorickshaws and traffic. But my post WILL BE DIFFERENT.

How?

For the past one month I have been doing a research and I have classified auto drivers into ten different categories (liable to increase in number) based on the way they behave with the ‘customers’.

1> Don the autodriver
Me: Boss, Jayanagar jaoge?
Auto: Yes, 60
Me: Meter
Auto: 60
Me: Meter
Auto: (silence.. take a drag from his beedi.)
(For a second I thought I was in a Rajanikanth movie so I move off before he starts maroing dialogues)

Conclusions: Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin namumkin hai!

2> ‘Busy’ autodriver
Me: Boss, Jayanagar jaoge?
Auto: (silence.. stares at nothingness… )
Me: (in mind) is he meditating? Hmmm na… better bring him back to mortal world in case he is..
BOSS.. HELLO.. JAYANAGAR.. GO.. YES OR NO!!! (screaming!)
Auto: (Turns his head in slow motion) nahi busy he

Conclusion: Whom are you kiddin!

3> Jack the ripper
NOTE: These type of auto drivers make their entry only at night time or when you want to reach a place ASAP.
Me: Boss, Jayanagar jaoge?
Auto: Ha zaroor, 250.. get in
Me: (stunned!… I keep quite when stunned you see.. now the ball is in auto driver’s court)
Auto: Acha ok double meter plus 10
Me: (looking around…. Damn no auto in site.. ah! And no balance in phone to call taxi!!!)

OK

(sob) (sob)

Auto: GRIN (1, 2, 3, 4 ……… 32)

Me: Razzot Fazzzot

Conclusion: Its high time I thought of a career shift! … I could be the next Jack the Ripper

Continued here………