Happy rain, travel woes and the useless buffalo

People should be taken out of the road. The road is for those who pay road tax and apparently obey traffic rules. The traffic policemen, the security at the gate of office all give due respect to the motorists. Salutes are crisp and clear for those who travel by car. Anyone with an SUV or luxury car can expect a free hand wave to get it through the traffic. They must be the rich, the elite, the powerful, they cannot be stopped.

I had this odd incident , I had a 12 hour journey in train. I had learned enough football to give shoulder pushes on the people around. To push them from blocking my way. My way is right and my way is always free. No one can stop me. I am invincible. I could happily push through the people and get out of the unreserved compartment. I could push all on my way from the platform to the road. I could push people around in the bus and make space to stand. It is my right and my way, that is always right. I get down at the destination. The moment I get down it rains. A gentle reminder that there is someone above, who can always play with the tap with ceaseless source of water. It flowed heavily , swept the dirty roads, cleaned the sideroads and whatever was left of footpath.

There was water everywhere, I was not thirsty. So, I left it where it is, that is, on the road. It started filling the roads. I was happy to get wet in the rain, since anyway I had not taken bath. I had the head dry, that was the most important aspect. Head was safe with a plastic cover. And then Whoosh! Splash! I was drenched in that dirty muddy water, it was done by Some Qualis with Taxi permit. May be he is busy, may be he did not see me. May be he is in an emergency. With lot of effort I tried to place him in a position to receive my forgiveness. But the ego of a man is not thwarted that easily. I was searching for some stone to throw at his window. But he was lucky , there was not even a small piece in vicinity. I dropped the plan and got myself on the middle of the road. This time no one should splash muddy water at me without hitting me. And then the motorists seem to understand my feelings. Sometimes, there were a few unmindful, who honked at the nuisance created by me. I was all the more happy. I am getting a natural bath that will will clean up the dirt.

I reached the room, threw my clothes for washing and showered myself to cent percent cleanliness. I was sensing the neatness about me. I was feeling slightly spiritual. Cleanliness is next to godliness. I decided to visit the temple nearby. And then proceed to my office. I started again onto the road and forward. I had the end of my pants folded up so that no water can directly make me wet. I had discarded shoes for normal footwear. I was prepared with a cap and an umbrella. I could see bikes struggling through the potholes of the road. I was happy that I was not being inconvenienced by being in possession of bike and facing the hardship of driving through the rain. I did not have to buy an expensive raincoat, and I could help myself with a low cost umbrella. I could be happy with so much less. I could enjoy the wet wind on my face and slight dampness of the surroundings. I thoroughly enjoy this, while a raincoat would have marred this entertainment.

I waded through the clean waters this time. And faced the most ugliest portion of the path. It was a 100 metres of dirty flood. A forgotten footpath were the garden plants and trees shook with pleasure at the sudden rain. The gates of a few compounds opened to the footpath blocking it. I pushed it back and try to regain the invasion of the householders on the footpath. I could manage with what was left of footpath, a clear 1 feet width was only occasionally touched by the waves of the muddy pool. I worked through the pre-determined path. I could foresee a vehicle in opposite direction and went behind a parked car to safeguard myself. I stayed on and a vehicle went past me. I walked peacefully thinking about the waves of sea. The rain that I had experience near the seashore. With the tides hitting violently at the rocks that block the high tides. The waves in the muddy pool on the road were mere minor reflections of the same from a different angle. And a Toyota Innova went past me splashing all the dirt on me. I was soaked. Drenched. Inundated!.

On a normal day I would expect such rowdy behaviour from a Ford car owner but never a Toyota. That too an Innova. That too when I was feeling happy and lost. So much for the reality. I decided to protest with my misfortune. I did not return back to change clothes. I went to the bus. Pushed the conductor and people around. I felt slightly happy that an otherwise silent self was joyfully pushing against others. This was revenge for the forces that had pushed me into this situation.

no footpath, no respect for fellow beings. This is a merciless, pitiless world for real.

To take a pro-active, progressive and positive steps with forgiveness may prove fatal.

To be an useless buffalo which accepts anything that come the way, be a block , unmindful of the consequences, was more easily done and said.

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