My Auto Walla

Its 6:00PM. That time of the day when I feel liberated. Free. I have 15 hours to let lose. Then I'm back at 9:00 AM next morning... only to count the number of hours left until the clock strikes 6 again. I turn off my laptop, I wear my jacket and brace myself for the cold winter wind to come in the auto ride back home. I greet my auto driver who patiently waits for me each day. It has become a routine now. He lives where I do, and comes each day to pick me up so he has a 'savari' to take back home. But now I think he comes because we have found a friend in each other. We talk about our lives, about what bothers us, about what makes us happy, about his family searching for a suitable bride for him and about racial discrimination at my workplace.

Eye contact, and then a warm smile. I know now that i've broken free. I hop on. Today we talk about his past. He was a salesman working for Blue Star. He had a good job, he was a successful man with big aspirations. One fine morning his boss found a missing stock of 30 Lakhs. This, his office claimed, happened under his shift. His top management accused him of theft and asked him to pay 30 Lakhs in cash. He smiles, "What could I do? They put me in jail." I stare with my jaw open. "Why didn't you file a court case? Why didn't you stick up for yourself?" I shout, wanting to make my voice heard in the blowing wind and blaring sounds of engines and horns in the traffic. "I didn't have any proof. There was no one to back me up" comes the calm reply. He tells me about how he spent 3 months in jail, and finally when he was discharged he ran away not wanting to ever been seen. He's happy now. He tells me about destiny and explains how this is what he was meant to do. He came to Delhi and bought an auto with the money he had and lives this life now. "Today i'm happy. I'm free. I ride when I want to. I take off when I don't feel like going. I don't have fixed timings, and I don't have a boss I need to be scared of. I'm at peace."
Just as I am thinking about the money, he says, "and guess how much I make per month. Between 20,000 to 25,000 a month!"

I smile. He's a lucky man. Happiness doesn't come so easy for everyone. He tells me about a girl he saw a day ago who his family is considering marrying him off to. We talk about marriage and how it changes your world. I can see his eyes twinkling in the rear view mirror... excited and full of hope. I ask him if he will bring his wife here. He laughs and says, "No way! Not this dreadful place. I will go to my village. Work in the sugar cane fields with my family. I want to lead a peaceful life for a few years..." He tells me about the trees and the fresh milk and the lovely home in his village. What a wonderful life he has. Free. Simple. Beautiful.

I'm almost home now. Enough time to make dinner, clean up the house and sleep. And then, back to another day in prison. I'm almost considering becoming an auto driver now.