Unusual yet Inspiring auto ride!

It was a usual day, one of my daily struggles to hire an auto rickshaw to reach my college, which is by the way a big hassle in a place like Delhi. But today was different, after getting frustrated with auto drivers charging almost double the price, I found myself lucky to find an auto driver ready to go by the meter!

The driver was somewhere in his late 40’s and wore the uniform (which was again a surprise!), as the journey began we (driver and me with two other friends) started interacting.
He started off by saying, “Khoob maan laga kar padhna madam ji agar fail bhi ho jao to ghabrana mat, khush hona” (Study hard, ma’am, even if you fail, don’t worry)
By now I have gone used to advices but it was the first time someone was telling me not to worry, even if I fail! This made me curious to know, what makes him say that.

He clarifies his point further, “Main 8 rickshaw chalata hun, ijjat ki khata hun aur aapne sapne bhi pura karta hun, aur ye sab iss liye ho paya kyuki main 8^th class mein fail ho gaya tha…” (I run 8 rickshaws, earn my money with dignity, fulfill my dreams, and all this is possible only because I got fail in class 8^th).

According to him, when a person fails, he comes up with excellent ways to cover that flaw into him/her. With a proud smile he told us that he dreamt of marrying his daughter to a high profile officer, and did so! Enthusiastically he revealed, “laal batti wali gaddi mere ghar tak aati hai” Government distinguished cars stops at my home now (‘laal batti ki gaddi’, which is a huge craze among Indians :P) He credits it all to his failures.

Addressing us as ‘beti’ (daughter) he hesitatingly suggested, “work for 10 years and keep a business plan in mind, implement it, and see the wonder”, by now I had started liking this man’s practical sense.

 

 

 

 

It’s very true and rational to say that money is all that is required to prosper in this world. Oscar Wilde once said, When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is…

We were stuck in an irritating traffic jam (very common in Delhi 😐 ) when he said the most important 3 pointers for life. He said, “In life all that matters is a passion, always have passion for 3 things in life.

• Fine clothes- first impression is the last!
• Quality food- shows that you belong to a well to do family.
• Money- because the world runs with it!

(I was happy to listen these three points, mostly because I figured two items from this list is a tick mark in my case! ;))

Just when we were about to reach the destination, he disclosed something far more interesting than any of it above. He said that he is desperately waiting for his only son to get failed!
I was left in a state of shock, because never in my life I had seen any parent wanting their child to get failed in academics! (It is a grand affair in India, where education is so stressed upon)
He dreams of making his son a millionaire! And truly I prayed for his dream to come true.

Just as I paid him the fare, he left us with blessings and last thought from his heart. “Never cheat in life, be true to yourself and the world”.

Had I been impatient I would have not tried to listen to the driver, I never do! But there was something amazing about this person that made me sit through and give it a thought.

Later into the boring lecture I pondered upon the morning ride, and I smiled at the mere irony. There have been people close to me, saying all this, but I guess there is always a right time for everything.

I don’t know that person’s name, but from the bottom of my heart I would like to thank him, and also wish him good luck!

One thing that I learnt from this is that — You find hope in the most hopeless places.

(The next time when you, hire an auto, just hope for the hopeful! :D)