Disclaimer: This story is based on true incident and bears serious resemblance to couple of guys. The incident has been modified for the sensibility of Indian audience.
So here goes the short story:
It was a fine Thursday morning. Bangalore, err, bengaluru was up and running. The barking of dogs, gush of drainage smell and the blaring noise from the vehicles were all too irresistible for Manish. His eyes had barely opened from the late night shift at office. He was more than eager to go back to that charming ‘shithole’. Ishant, was engrossed in his dreams pleasantly unaware of real world.
“Sahab chai” came the hissing voice of Deva. Deva is the housekeeper cum manager of our house. With the dream of being marooned on a lonely island with Salma Hayek shattered, Ishant woke up cursing, his eyes bloodshot from a busy day in ‘Cybercafe’. Before I forget, Manish and Ishant work in the same office and live in the same house. Yes, I agree, even I pity them.
Office was boring, however, Ishant and Manish were loaded with work. One look at them from a distance would prove everyone wrong – Consultants do work!. “F#@!, Gtalk is so slow today” wrote Ishant to Manish. “Change the proxy dude” pat came the reply. I repeat – Consultants do work very hard!. It was 5.30 in the evening and the gallons of caffeine had become inactive. Manish’s energy had been sapped by the ‘load’ of work done over the entire day. “Hey, let’s go to 13th floor” came a message from Ishant. Manish was more than happy to oblige.
“What a view dude! Wish I had a girlfriend” , said Manish sitting in the balcony of 13th floor. The view was incredible. One could see MG Road gushing with traffic, angry husbands returning home from a brief flirt stint at the office, sad wives cursing the working hours to be so short. Three pegs down, Ishant, as sober as ever, asked Manish if they should head back. After all, how long could one spend time bird watching in a pub !
Well, for the larger benefit of Indian audience, two firangs from UK were leading the bird watching count.
“Hi, where have u been”, came a melodious voice from one of the tables, just when Manish had got up from his table. Manish’s eyes lit up. “Here’s my chance”, he thought. A female as fat as a grand canyon, was sitting with one of her friends on the adjacent table. “She’s Anu, my school friend”, introduced a grinning Manish to Ishant. I once heard that friendship is above all relationship. Believe me, it’s so true – Ishant had to stick around with Manish, who was happily talking to this “Big Momma”.
Another couple of pegs, and still Ishant and Manish were sober. With phone numbers exchanged, plans for tomorrow fixed, Manish being a true gentleman offered to ‘drop’ the girls home in an auto. Of course, Bangalore is unsafe for women in the night. As usual, Ishant had to tag along. If you ever wonder how traumatic it was for the four people in the auto, think about the poor auto! Well, Anu’s friend was dropped first and Ishant sighed with relief, for his bu$$ were hurting. “Sahab, paanv neeche karo” came the auto driver’s angry voice. Manish immediately relinquished the royal posture.
Well, the standard auto fare in Bangalore is, err, dependent on the driver’s mood. Anu was also dropped on the way. If you didn’t know, commercial street is on the way to Koramangala from MG road!. Ishant was looking at the marooned roads pondering over the number of pegs he had drank and whether he should drink more. Manish was in dreamland. 13th floor had been lucky for him, he had found a girlfriend. With differing thoughts in mind , it was only the sudden brakes of auto that woke Ishant and Manish. Home was here, and it was almost time for Ishant to complete unfinished business with Salma Hayek. Manish just wanted to crash and wanted Friday to start. He had a date with the devil!
“ 160 hua hai”, shouted the angry driver. With the lousy auto meter reading 96 and one and a half rate, Manish had paid 150 to the driver. He wanted more, may be he could easily make out that these guys were consultants. Manish and the driver were arguing for reasons other than money. Driver had become upset over Manish’s brief royal posture and Manish was arguing against the same. Well, I must sympathize with the auto driver for his poor auto had taken a battering because of the stress it was put under, albeit for half the distance. With things not getting resolved, Ishant, as always- a friend in need is a friend indeed, shoved Manish behind and told the driver to make a move on. Security at the front gate, meanwhile, was admiring the dramatization of a scene straight from a B-grade Kannada action movie. Nothing more was left to argue so Manish and Ishant turned back and passed the front gate. “Wham”, came a thundering noise from behind. Manish was hit on the back with a bamboo stick by the driver and had fallen on the ground. Ishant in his courageous attempt to rescue put his wrist in the line of fire. Another round of bamboo swinging and “Wham”, Ishant’s left palm was in serious pain. Well, unity is strength, so Manish and Ishant finally managed to get hold of the bamboo and just when Ishant got his chance, Manish turned God and said “We don’t want to fight”. Ishant muttered all the possible curses, but as u see, friendship is the most important relationship. Security, till now realizing that this isn’t a John Travolta movie’s fight sequence caught hold of the driver and pushed him in the auto. Well, Manish and Ishant entered the flat. Deva made ice packs for Ishant’s palm and Manish’s back. The auto driver was paid the extra 10 bucks.
It’s the Friday morning. Ishant and Manish are ‘working’ in the office. Chatting is a trouble for Ishant with only one hand free to type and Manish cannot rest his back on the chair. However, Ishant has overcome the pain for Salma Hayek would admire his machoism. Manish has got a scar to show off to his new found love.
Hats off to these real life heroes !!
