Sunday, September 13, 2009

An afternoon in Chennai

Scene 1: An extremely hot Sunday afternoon, middle of a road to God-only-knows-where … I sort of got lost while shopping … ssshh!
After walking for ages, I finally find an auto.

Me: T--?

Autowallah: Shakes head.

Me: J- Foundations?

Autowallah: Shakes head, again.

Me: How much?

Autowallah: A hundred fifty.

Me: No… Fifty.

Autowallah*looking at me like I am an alien* : Hundred.

Me: *too tired to argue* OK.
Got into the auto.

Scene 2: Highway near my flat.

Me: Uncle … No, I haven’t got around to calling them Anna yet! … Pliz take left.

Autowallah: *Tamil*

Me: Uncle, J- Foundations, left.

Autowallah: *More Tamil*
and stops auto

Me: *gesturing wildly* J- Foundations, left.

Autowallah: *Even more Tamil*
Aggravated, I got down from the auto and gave him a fifty rupee note.

Autowallah: *taking the note* Hundred.

Me: *give him my most confused look and start walking*

Autowallah: Madam, you said hundred

Me: And you said you will drop me to J- Foundations. *triumphantly*

Needless to say, he dropped me to my flat.