MANY WERE WATCHING HIM
Pic.: Shankar Ramachndran A s the autorickshaw I was commuting by stopped at the busy signal, the cleaner of the tempo next to us spat out on the road, inches away from us, blood-red paan from his mouth. Barely the mess had touched the ground, my young autowala blasted: “You idiot, do you do it on your house-floor, too?”… He was really furious! “Why are you worked-up? Is there any problem for you?” the cleaner yelled back. “Yes, there ‘is’ a problem for me,” my autowala was out on the road, now, “Do you want me to show you that?” On the other side, the cleaner opened the tempo-door and was ready to pick the gauntlet… The yellow-light had already flashed… I knew, if someone didn’t intervene, a war would break out on the busy street! So, I held my autowala’s hand, gently, saying, “Brother, let it be.” On the others side, I saw the tempo-driver gently pleading before the autowala, “Sorry brother, he shouldn’t have done that.” Luckily, the cl...