It was November 2002. I was wandering in MG road at Pune, India. It was my second visit to Pune shopping area after a month. I insisted my colleague to fall back quickly as it was drawing nearer to sun set. We were looking for taxi to hire but failed. So we started walking for Dapudi...thinking if we could get a vacant one en route. Suddenly we appeared before a bus stand at the Y junction of the road where I could see an awaiting taxi with nearby buses. We approached to the vehicle and asked the driver in English ," Do you like to go to Dapudi?" The driver stared at me with little anger,"Aap Kea kahte hain?" (What do you say?) . I assumed him to be in bad mode, might be because of picking up a quarrel with his wife or others or might be for on going unprofitable business...!
" Do you like to go to Dapudi?" I asked him again.
" Aap Bhartiya hone ke nate, mere sath English main baat kyon kar rahe hain?" (Being Indian why you are speaking in English with me?!) expressed his anger.
"No, no, not at all" I meowed for a while!
"Main garib hun, is liye aap mere sath English main baat kar rahe hain?" (I am a poor guy , that's why you are speaking in English with me)- he started growling at us which was otherwise an indication to call upon nearby colleagues...to take post!
I was literally surprised to hear that; I grabbed my passport inside my pocket feeling my beloved country's passionate touch! I shouted, "You have misunderstood me, I am from Bangladesh" taking no breath..."I am Bangladeshi".
But who wanted to know those funny words oozing from my mouth! We resembled Indian; was it not enough for them to teach us a good lesson?- I presumed. By that time a little hew and cry took place around us. Our sixth sense started working inside fearing for next move from them! It was real bizarre! We neither had enough time to prove our honesty nor had any body but passport to identify us. The approaching crowds were grinning and enjoying our condition. We the poor fellows, were literally fused inside amidst so many unknown peoples. My colleague took no time to pull my hand saying," Let us quit, I am guessing something bad ahead..."
So there was no reason to stay but to make a quick passage through ridicule bowing my head in shame and cursing myself, old politicians and...
I was on my way off mode!
" Do you like to go to Dapudi?" I asked him again.
" Aap Bhartiya hone ke nate, mere sath English main baat kyon kar rahe hain?" (Being Indian why you are speaking in English with me?!) expressed his anger.
"No, no, not at all" I meowed for a while!
"Main garib hun, is liye aap mere sath English main baat kar rahe hain?" (I am a poor guy , that's why you are speaking in English with me)- he started growling at us which was otherwise an indication to call upon nearby colleagues...to take post!
I was literally surprised to hear that; I grabbed my passport inside my pocket feeling my beloved country's passionate touch! I shouted, "You have misunderstood me, I am from Bangladesh" taking no breath..."I am Bangladeshi".
But who wanted to know those funny words oozing from my mouth! We resembled Indian; was it not enough for them to teach us a good lesson?- I presumed. By that time a little hew and cry took place around us. Our sixth sense started working inside fearing for next move from them! It was real bizarre! We neither had enough time to prove our honesty nor had any body but passport to identify us. The approaching crowds were grinning and enjoying our condition. We the poor fellows, were literally fused inside amidst so many unknown peoples. My colleague took no time to pull my hand saying," Let us quit, I am guessing something bad ahead..."
So there was no reason to stay but to make a quick passage through ridicule bowing my head in shame and cursing myself, old politicians and...
I was on my way off mode!
If we judge a person by his/her appearances, we sometimes make mistakes.
ReplyDeleteWe have a Chinese saying: do not judge a person by his appearances.