“Am I missing something?” In last one hour this was the 3rd time he had been asking the same question to himself. His flight to Mumbai was scheduled at 9.30 am and it’s already 8. Hence he started looking for a taxi. Thank God! He could see a ‘kolkata special entire yellow’ cab crawling in towards him.
‘Dada! Airport jaabo’. (Will you go to airport?) and without waiting for the driver’s answer, he went inside the washed out vehicle.
The driver gave a smirk and said ‘250 bucks’.
‘What!! The airport is hardly 7 kms from here...c’mon. It comes 80 if you go as per the meter. There is the height of cheating. Why don’t you guys go and loot a bank?’ Well, I will give 20 bucks extra. That’s the max I am gonna pay you, not a single paisa more than 100.”
He was almost moving out of the taxi, again the driver said ‘babu…meter is not working, give me 150, that’s the last price’. He looked at his watch, ‘its 8.20 now…let’s not argue with this bloody driver for the sake of saving 50 bucks. I should not miss the flight’. He murmured and sat in.
‘Ok…I will pay you 150, but just switch on your meter, let me see what’s the exact fare from here to the airport’. The driver gave a cynical look, though he didn’t look convinced; yet he nodded his head and said ‘yes’ to this proposal.
Again he started thinking…’what is missing, I guess I have lost something’. He rechecked his handbag and the check-in bag. Nope, everything seems to be fine and intact.
All of a sudden the driver said ‘dekha dada…you were saying that the airport is 7 kms from your place. See what the meter is showing now. We have travelled almost 8 kms and yet 2 more kms to go. Ae taxi ta amar sab diner byapar, jhut kyun bolunga aapko’. (I drive this taxi everyday on the same road, so why should I tell you a lie)
‘It’s ok…my mistake, don’t worry…will pay you the amount which I have promised’, he replied to the driver. Finally they reached at the airport, it was quarter to nine. Perfect! He reached on time. The meter showed 143 bucks. He paid 150, thanked the driver and hurried up towards the departure terminal A7.
‘Ek minute dada! He saw the same cab driver was calling him. ‘Now what? Might ask for more money as he landed me over here on time… gosh!
‘Dada, you have left your mobile phone in my cab. Tadatadi jaabe to erakum hi hobe (if you move so fast, you will keep on missing things just like this). Now go, else you will miss the flight.’
He plugged in the earphones and a beautiful track was on…”Stay gone”; a masterpiece by Jimmy Wayne…
I found piece of mind I'm feeling good again
I'm on the other side
Back among the living
Ain't a cloud in the sky
All my tears have been cried
And I can finally say…
So baby, baby stay
Stay right where you are
I like it this way
It's good for my heart
I haven't felt like this
In God knows how long
I know everything's gonna be okay
If you just stay gone…
I found piece of mind I'm feeling good again
I'm on the other side
Back among the living
Ain't a cloud in the sky
All my tears have been cried
And I can finally say…
So baby, baby stay
Stay right where you are
I like it this way
It's good for my heart
I haven't felt like this
In God knows how long
I know everything's gonna be okay
If you just stay gone…
He smiled coz he realised what was missing...!
5 comments:
This one has a feel good thing to it.
Nice :)
Beautiful!! How can you weave such words out of such small things in life? "Peace of mind" - So very well described! was nice read :)
S.. yeah..last couple of posts have been very heavy.. :)
Abhi, thank you, shall pass on ur msg to the right person :)
Hmm.. am I missing something? ;-P
Jeremiah dear, it's a guest post...no, u r not missing anything! :)
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