Funny Experience – The Bus Ride.
Photo credit: xenia from morguefile.com
“That’s the one, 300E. Get in before it gets rushy. These old ladies are stronger than they seem.”
Vivi whispers to me as she notices the bus rising onto the horizon. Then a tiny eye contact and the boys were now very alert. We missed 3 busses already! We’re getting late.
In Bangalore, we have seating arrangements in the bus. The front door to the mid, for women only. Center is a mixed section, both men and women. The back, for daring women and men of all sorts.
Very sexist but safe for late night women travelers if you ask me for my opinion.
The women around us gather and there is a commotion in the air as the bus approaches. Everyone is aware of the 300E. Eyes alert, these women prepare to stumble and fall right in, push and shove just reach a seat. But we won’t let that happen again. Thrice is a charm. And I am a tired youngster.
The bus stops. Doors ajar. What happened next was least expected. I reach the handle, attempt a climb and I am pulled right back in a solid jerk and fall backwards having all the women rush right in with no concern.
That tug was not uncalled for apparently. But I am always the last to know. Vivi dragged me to the bus right behind. Apparently 300 also went to the same destination.
It was empty! Empty buses, such a blissful sentence. Ignorant and arrogant bus traveling women. Some day i shall take revenge. By doing the same to your kids when i am as old as you are now.
I am kidding! I am almost too sure that the metro will be filled with these jerks, leaving the bus rides pleasant and enjoyable for most like me.
We got our 6 seats. Right smack in the common area, the center. We were headed to McD, the only place that truly goes easy on the students’ pockets. All of our mates were gathered there and this was expected to be our last meet before we part ways. T’was supposed to be an emotional mind wrecker, but we were honestly enjoying every bit of it. There were smiles everywhere. These boys obsessing over their fancy gadgets, us girls sharing our new discoveries of old and truly good music, mostly the 60s and onward. All seemed sleek. At the next stop, truth unfolded.
A bunch walked into the bus. They were giggling at the awkward 300E rush. Pretty much what we did at the previous stop. They took their time to walk into the bus. Their walking sticks clanked as they did what they did in style.
They were 4 in number. All cozied up in warm mufflers, v-neck and polo neck sweatshirts, and 1 hiding his shiny head under a warm green berret.
We saw thick glasses that day, each a pair. They were thicker than Lal’s, Babu’s and Vivi’s lens put together with my glasses. The only one with good eyesight amongst us was Kapil.
These men walked in and their attitude made us believe that they weren’t new here. The conductor, who is normally not-so-friendly, smiled and cracked a few jokes with them, shared a laugh or two before he sold them their Rs.4 tickets to get off 3 stops from here. I was awe struck. Always admired oldie tricksters. These were ones I could see our future in.
Their mocking tones and inside jokes, I know its bad manners to eve’s drop, but they were so beautiful to watch. We all have that something in us that yearns to see the future, they seemed so much like it. It, being our future.
“I guess they’ve been friends for quite sometime now.”, Vivi said upon noticing my fixed gaze. “The gray and the green. They’re alot like us too, don’t you think?” I guess I wasn’t the only one who saw our future in them, I guess. Didn’t wanna seem so lame so I let her do the talking, “What makes you say that now?”, I said in a lame detached voice. “They finish each others’ sentences.” She said. That’s true, this girl is only one I know who can do the same for me.
“Haha, we’re women, do you forget that sometimes?”, I tried so hard to not make the day a tearful one. “Do you have to ruin the moment, Lekha? Do you HAVE TO?”, which clearly meant that I was successful.
“What are you little girls batting your eyelids at old men for? Gosh have some limits.” That was Kk. Obviously him. Lal and Babu began mocking us, so aloud the men in the back got the picture. “Will yal shut up, loud is a frikkin’ understatement.” She says in an irritated voice tryna keep the volume low.
‘Creepy kids’ they must’ve thought. Thank god, they were exiting at the next stop. They got off their seats, clanking their sticks again, walked right toward us, we psyched out of course.
“Listen here, mister. You better treat them girls right. You remind alot of myself. In fact you all remind me a lot of the way we were when we had all our teeth. And you lil miss, of my own lady love.” He said the last line, tapping my back.
They got off leaving behind a lot of things to think about and mostly lots of smiles.
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