This one is again coming from the roads of the maxim city. I really don't know why Mumbai got this name "Maxim City". May be because here everything can be found in excess. Maximum number of poor people, maximum number of rich people or for that matter of fact maximum number of people any city can accommodate.
Anyways, this story is not about how Mumbai got its new swanky name but about a generous man I found on the roads of this city. That day, I left home at around 10 am for office. It hardly takes half an hour to reach my office as there so many buses, shared taxis available to commute. There are also many drivers driving luxury cars of their owners who offer a lift for a minimum charge of Rs 20. So, its pretty common for commoners in Mumbai to have experienced the interiors of Toyotas, Fords, Hyundais and if you get luckier, you might find yourself in the back seat of a Merc or BMW.
So, I got a lift in a Corolla and reached almost halfway to my office. I stepped out of the comforts of this luxury car and found myself standing in the scorching heat of the early days of May.
As a routine, I started looking out another share taxi or auto or bus. Suddenly an Indica stopped dangerously close to my feet and the driver asked me to jump in. Now, the driver here was neither a well dressed chauffeur, nor a Bihari bhaiya who usually have their entire life written all over their face.
He was a 70 year old man dressed in a white Kurta-Paijama and had a long beard. Donning a cap which Muslims wear, his appearance was of a religious God-fearing man. As soon as I took my seat, he started demonstrating his exceptional driving skills. He was exceptionally fast for his age and he was no where close to being rash and dangerous.
It took him hardly 10 minutes to reach my office and as soon as I gave the money to him. He politely refused it by joining both the hands and asked me to open the door cautiously as its a busy road. Now, 20 rupees is not an amount that will make him any richer or make me any poorer. However, it's the reaction that came out when he was offered money which was very real and hard to find in these times where people are ready to slit each other's throat for almost anything
I didn't knew what to say. Since 6 months. I am traveling in these shared taxis and chauffeur driven luxury cars but I never encountered any such man who offered me a seat just out of generosity. I am sure there is no chance I would meet this Mauli Sahab looking like driver again. However, the generosity that he had in his heart for the strangers will stay with me forever.
Anyways, this story is not about how Mumbai got its new swanky name but about a generous man I found on the roads of this city. That day, I left home at around 10 am for office. It hardly takes half an hour to reach my office as there so many buses, shared taxis available to commute. There are also many drivers driving luxury cars of their owners who offer a lift for a minimum charge of Rs 20. So, its pretty common for commoners in Mumbai to have experienced the interiors of Toyotas, Fords, Hyundais and if you get luckier, you might find yourself in the back seat of a Merc or BMW.
So, I got a lift in a Corolla and reached almost halfway to my office. I stepped out of the comforts of this luxury car and found myself standing in the scorching heat of the early days of May.
As a routine, I started looking out another share taxi or auto or bus. Suddenly an Indica stopped dangerously close to my feet and the driver asked me to jump in. Now, the driver here was neither a well dressed chauffeur, nor a Bihari bhaiya who usually have their entire life written all over their face.
He was a 70 year old man dressed in a white Kurta-Paijama and had a long beard. Donning a cap which Muslims wear, his appearance was of a religious God-fearing man. As soon as I took my seat, he started demonstrating his exceptional driving skills. He was exceptionally fast for his age and he was no where close to being rash and dangerous.
It took him hardly 10 minutes to reach my office and as soon as I gave the money to him. He politely refused it by joining both the hands and asked me to open the door cautiously as its a busy road. Now, 20 rupees is not an amount that will make him any richer or make me any poorer. However, it's the reaction that came out when he was offered money which was very real and hard to find in these times where people are ready to slit each other's throat for almost anything
I didn't knew what to say. Since 6 months. I am traveling in these shared taxis and chauffeur driven luxury cars but I never encountered any such man who offered me a seat just out of generosity. I am sure there is no chance I would meet this Mauli Sahab looking like driver again. However, the generosity that he had in his heart for the strangers will stay with me forever.
