Thane, even though it's right next door, never ceases to confuse me. It's a gargantuan, noisy, complicated (what with the new skywalk and human walk and rickshaw stands and even the damn railway station confounds me) metropolis that amazes and disgusts me in equal proportions. But lately I've been throwing myself right OUT of my comfort zone- and I was determined to reach a particular building someway, somehow. Asking strangers is no biggie... but there was a female elephant on the street today. Yea, I had seen her during lunch and I was hoping I wouldn't see her again but surprise!(of course not) she was right there 3-1/2 hours later. And there is something about elephants in a gargantuan, noisy, complicated metropolis that scares me. No wait, there is something about a female elephant ( probably in or just out of her mussth) in a gargantuan, noisy, complicated metropolis at peak rush hour near the railway station that scares the living daylights out of me. Ever since I saw some really scary videos of raging elephants on youtube (I can't bear horror movies, but gory reality glues me to the screen) I've been scared of meeting them on the road. They are gentle creatures sure, but putting them in a city with noises, lights, humans, dogs, sirens... are we having a little endurance test here? **Let's see ellie, what'll push you to breaking point?**
So today I was in a hurry ot get out of the way of the elephant before something happens. I was scurrying around like a mouse trying to put as much distance as possible between me and the elephant and trying to get into a building (the building I was looking for), as if that'll save me in case the elephant blows off. Who am I kidding...that totally won't. :D. Anyway, I managed to overwhelm a petite lady with my massive frame (I feel I'm sooo bloody huge when I see such a doll of a lady) and mumbled my question. "How do I get to Siddharth Academy? The one where they teach CA??" And while she boredly told me to go off in the same direction I came from... a young guy walked past us. He was wearing headphones (obviously rocking to the latest Munni or Sheila song) but he caught the word 'CA'. And he waited for a couple of seconds until I thanked the lady for her dummy information and then said "You want to go to CA classes? Well, Mahesh Tutorials has CA and its right down the road... this way..." Between my nerves about the elephant and the mild shock that someone who had headphones on heard my question and deigned to help me out, I did'nt give much thought to the helpful nature of that young fellow until after he had gone away and I was walking alone down the street. He looked like he would be a 11th or 12th standard and it really was very very nice of him to help someone out like that. Especially when I did'nt ask him... he just heard someone asking for directions and thought to help me out. That does'nt happen much in Mumbai... where everyone is so caught up in their own world. Who would go out of their way to give someone directions when you could rather blast music through your ears and bitchface the world!
Why don't have more people like him in my life? Why can't I be friends with him?? Come on... wanting to be friends with him just because he gave you directions? It's NOT the fact that he gave me directions... it's his nature... going out of his way to help someone who did'nt even ask him in the first place! That's the factor! But... well... there is something in what you say after all... He is after all one of those many people who suddenly float into our lives like a bubble. They grab your eyeballs, make you smile! But if we reach out to stop them, make them stay with us for a little longer... they burst, the fantasy ends... and that would be just heart-breaking, it's better that never happens. So just let them be... let them float away on their merry path... smile at the memory and move on......
