Taxi rides are always eventful when one starts talking to the drivers. One such ride happened recently, which also happened to be my last ride in Mumbai before we moved out of that city. My husband and I were super impressed by the squeaky clean interior of a very basic cab. It even had a Bisleri drinking water for passengers, which is usual in a hotel cab but unheard of in a passenger taxi.
The driver, lets call him Sardarji, came across as an extremely well educated and slightly better placed financially than other drivers. What led me to believe this is that he had a number of taxis plying in Mumbai and also some inter-state trucks which he mentioned during the conversation.
Being from the same community I comfortably started talking about our horrible experience in Kharghar near Mumbai. He just couldn’t believe it. I might not have mentioned here on this blog but I have stayed in Ludhiana, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad and of course, New Delhi over the last 15 years. I can safely say that Mumbai experience has been the worst which is why we just left the city within seven -to-eight months. Nothing against Mumbai but clearly it doesn’t work for us...
The started talking about the impact of Ola and Uber on his business. He mentioned that he had lost a few regular customers but majority still preferred his service because they had a relationship with him. Women especially preferred him because, he believed, they perceived him as safe. Sardarji also believed that Ola and Uber will find the going tough and might even close down. He believed they cannot offer good quality taxi service as per the rates charged by them.
In spite of the fact that Sardarji was clearly well educated and was doing well in his business, he came across as a very contented soul with `Guru da banda’ being a constant phrase to refer himself. I am generally in awe of people who are contented and totally satisfied with their lives and who don’t feel the need to compete in this big bad world.
The husband also felt the same and we ended up talking about this chap during dinner that night. Try as I might I cannot help but be ambitious and trying my damnedest best to do something with my life. And when I achieve that I go on to the next thing...frankly, I really don’t know any other way to live. But I do wish I was content with what I was doing without striving for more...
The driver, lets call him Sardarji, came across as an extremely well educated and slightly better placed financially than other drivers. What led me to believe this is that he had a number of taxis plying in Mumbai and also some inter-state trucks which he mentioned during the conversation.
Being from the same community I comfortably started talking about our horrible experience in Kharghar near Mumbai. He just couldn’t believe it. I might not have mentioned here on this blog but I have stayed in Ludhiana, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad and of course, New Delhi over the last 15 years. I can safely say that Mumbai experience has been the worst which is why we just left the city within seven -to-eight months. Nothing against Mumbai but clearly it doesn’t work for us...
The started talking about the impact of Ola and Uber on his business. He mentioned that he had lost a few regular customers but majority still preferred his service because they had a relationship with him. Women especially preferred him because, he believed, they perceived him as safe. Sardarji also believed that Ola and Uber will find the going tough and might even close down. He believed they cannot offer good quality taxi service as per the rates charged by them.
In spite of the fact that Sardarji was clearly well educated and was doing well in his business, he came across as a very contented soul with `Guru da banda’ being a constant phrase to refer himself. I am generally in awe of people who are contented and totally satisfied with their lives and who don’t feel the need to compete in this big bad world.
The husband also felt the same and we ended up talking about this chap during dinner that night. Try as I might I cannot help but be ambitious and trying my damnedest best to do something with my life. And when I achieve that I go on to the next thing...frankly, I really don’t know any other way to live. But I do wish I was content with what I was doing without striving for more...
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