A Vajra bus passes by.A young college student asks him, “Saar, shivajinagar hogattha?”. He affirms it with a gentle smile, casts an admiring glance at the beautiful red machine as it slids out of the Majestic bus station leaving a trail of black smoke behind. A long wait follows and there follows another bus whose presence is made obvious to everyone by its old engine craving for oil. This time, another man asks him,albiet in a more menancing tone, “Shivaji Nagar hogattha ri!” Again the same affirmation. This time, he is scrambling hard into the bus, the sweat that drips his forehead resembles the blood that he has to shed everyday at work. The younger ones get in soon. He finally gets one foot on the board. That one leg and one hand holds him. It seems hard to beleive that he goes through this everyday.
There is a subtle similarity in his life. He is hanging on to his job with similar uncertainity. The comforts of a Volvo like bus elude him for lack of skills. He has no option but to cling on this hope. Its does not help that his boss knows this too well. Somehow, God doesnt desert him and he reaches him “safely” after struggling with the mud stushed roads. His left eyes can see his wife waiting with the chapathi stick shouting. “Do we realise how much powder I have to buy to clean the stains!”. His right eye can see his wretched boss issuing his nth warning about the unclean dress! His wife doesnt wash his clothes.Does she? After an adventurous journey back home, his 8 year old jumps on the bed and shouts, “Dad, namma metro to be opened shortly in Bangalore!”. Now, this news puts him in a bigger quandry. He can see his son crying for a ride in the metro train. His eyes can imagine this 8 year to become 18 year old sulking in the BMTC that they ordered two years ago while his friends around in Metros and swanky cars. Another smiling affirmation to his son and he thinks, of What bloody use is the Metro to me!!
After finally “settling” he switches on televison and sits down for his humble meal. Barkha Dutt shouts on the top of her voice, “WE WANT ANSWERS FOR THIS!!”. Answers for questions like “Is the current government corrupt!!”..Answers for questions that the entire country knows. He has got used to this daily tamasha!As he is about to put his first morsel into his starved mouth, there is a small headline at the corner of the TV. “Export prices force inflation of food prices.” His stomach is already full without eating! He reaches out to the pillow. He has had enough of the day.
I wish he has a better sun rise! The life of a man trapped in middle class woes!
