The team I am part of, has completed the current assignment we were on. It's walk through time and so a lazy week last one was. I hold back from doing all the stuff acting as a sort of trouble-shooter. No trouble -> no shooting -> No work! Gawking at the females who are part of the walked-through team was our main occupation. Me and my friend N, who is from Vietnam, exchange notes.
N: Dude! 'S' has a fiance!
Me: Hmmm...How did you know this? Thought you were executing scripts.
N: We "talk", dude!
A bit later,
N: 'A' is a bit skinny.
Me: I remember seeing a ring on her finger three months back, which is now gone.
N: Oh! Those things don't mean a thing. And she smiled at me today.
Me: Excuse me. I am the single guy here.
N: But I am the more aggressive one.
Me: So what? you are married, Man!
Unfazed, N continues,
N: I'll get 'A' to go out.
Me: What!!
N(mollifying): We'll go out as a team.
Me(ever the gawky tourist): I'll bring the camera with me.
N: No way! I don't want any evidence for my wife!
Here we stop and part ways for the weekend!
Monday comes.
A middle aged femme J is responsible for signing-off some of our work. Our team lead guy P asks, "Who wants to finish that walk-through?"
I, keeping quiet, let it go.
J(humorously): Oh! I have two guys competing for me? I like it.
N(acting as a big help): He is the single guy (pointing at me)!
I grit at the wise-crack.
I show P the responsibilities I already have and beg-off.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
Sweet home Chennai!
Today morning I was online chatting with a friend who was planning to move back to our hometown, Chennai. I didn't give the matter much thought then. I finished chatting and went about getting ready to go to office as usual but splashing cologne a little extra than usual(nothing) idly wondering about how today will fare.
Suddenly my inner voice screamed, "Chennai". I was suddenly day dreaming, lost in thought, mind in Chennai while body in Chicago. Chennai, my mind cried.
It's two years since I moved out of Chennai. All of a sudden I started missing my friends, my bike, the Chennai roads and traffic which I used to course through, Parry's corner, the downtown of Chennai, the suburban trains, the southern suburbs. How I wish to be back there.
It's not that I dislike the cities which I have lived hence, Indore and Chicago. Indore has it's slo-mo style inspite of it's pretence being a big town. It's not fast enough for a big city guy. And Chicago, I like the city, for everything it has. But still I miss my Chennai where the climate is abominal and one stinks in sweat like within one hour of taking bath. The city where water is liquid gold, in value as well as in colour. Chennai, the city where the rudest auto-rickshaw drivers of the country can be found. But I still love the city. So I'd love to go back there.
While on this moping mood, my mind opened another parallel stream of thought. I miss a silly thing as living in a city. Any city can be good as well in these days where mail, chat and mobile have made sure that you never miss out on your friends. Yes physical presence is something which cannot be replaced, but still these devices have gone a long way in keeping people together. I miss all my friends, though. It's hard for a person who is used to have gangs of friends (yes, more than one gang). But will I get the same environ if I get to go back? Probably not. Hmm...Definitely not. And another thing is that one's mind tends to blur out all the negative things and focusses only on the happy events of the past. So it's all a collection of experiences that I can recollect but which I will never regain.
Suddenly my inner voice screamed, "Chennai". I was suddenly day dreaming, lost in thought, mind in Chennai while body in Chicago. Chennai, my mind cried.
It's two years since I moved out of Chennai. All of a sudden I started missing my friends, my bike, the Chennai roads and traffic which I used to course through, Parry's corner, the downtown of Chennai, the suburban trains, the southern suburbs. How I wish to be back there.
It's not that I dislike the cities which I have lived hence, Indore and Chicago. Indore has it's slo-mo style inspite of it's pretence being a big town. It's not fast enough for a big city guy. And Chicago, I like the city, for everything it has. But still I miss my Chennai where the climate is abominal and one stinks in sweat like within one hour of taking bath. The city where water is liquid gold, in value as well as in colour. Chennai, the city where the rudest auto-rickshaw drivers of the country can be found. But I still love the city. So I'd love to go back there.
While on this moping mood, my mind opened another parallel stream of thought. I miss a silly thing as living in a city. Any city can be good as well in these days where mail, chat and mobile have made sure that you never miss out on your friends. Yes physical presence is something which cannot be replaced, but still these devices have gone a long way in keeping people together. I miss all my friends, though. It's hard for a person who is used to have gangs of friends (yes, more than one gang). But will I get the same environ if I get to go back? Probably not. Hmm...Definitely not. And another thing is that one's mind tends to blur out all the negative things and focusses only on the happy events of the past. So it's all a collection of experiences that I can recollect but which I will never regain.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Meeting Mr.Murphy
Murphy does his thing (Part I)
We have a walk-through scheduled this week. And I have taken responsibility for a crucial area that has to be done first before anyone could start their work. We'll have to start at 9.00 AM and since another team is involved, my lead cautions everyone to be at 9.00 sharp. That doesn't matter to me as I come well in time always.
Last night my cold and cough after a week or so finally get my attention. I down two alka-seltzers, take a dash of cough syrup and lie down earlier than usual. Drugged I sleep for ten straight hours! When I get up it's eight already and in an hour I'm supposed to spear head a delivery.
8.00 - I get up
8.13 - Brushing, Shaving, Shower done
8.35 - I start my car, get on the interstate expressway, not minding the toll today.
8.59 - Reach office!
Murphy acting up - Part II
9.00 - I rush in like a whirlwind dump my bag, jacket and start the system. I ask my colleague whether the previous day's work by another team is done which we have a dependency on. I come to know that there has been an environment issue, which means baton won't come to me for another day!!
I need not have bothered getting up at all!
Murphy's world, after all!
We have a walk-through scheduled this week. And I have taken responsibility for a crucial area that has to be done first before anyone could start their work. We'll have to start at 9.00 AM and since another team is involved, my lead cautions everyone to be at 9.00 sharp. That doesn't matter to me as I come well in time always.
Last night my cold and cough after a week or so finally get my attention. I down two alka-seltzers, take a dash of cough syrup and lie down earlier than usual. Drugged I sleep for ten straight hours! When I get up it's eight already and in an hour I'm supposed to spear head a delivery.
8.00 - I get up
8.13 - Brushing, Shaving, Shower done
8.35 - I start my car, get on the interstate expressway, not minding the toll today.
8.59 - Reach office!
Murphy acting up - Part II
9.00 - I rush in like a whirlwind dump my bag, jacket and start the system. I ask my colleague whether the previous day's work by another team is done which we have a dependency on. I come to know that there has been an environment issue, which means baton won't come to me for another day!!
I need not have bothered getting up at all!
Murphy's world, after all!
Saturday, March 18, 2006
I miss you! *
I was totally wrong when I said sometime back that I won't be seeing any more snow. Yesterday, it snowed and how!
All day long, flakes flying fast and far.
To see they crash in the windshield of your car!
Wow! And on my way back from office, it was a thick white blanket all over with black snakes of cleared roads slithering through.
I was a bit irritated at drivers driving very slow :-). Now that was something new.
Today morning there was sun. And when I set out I saw all the trees standing happily with half-melted snow. They were all lined up fall-blown brown with streaks of white. It was like chirpy children running into the living area wet and happy after a bath!
Hmm..Some sight!
I MISS MY CAMERA!
* - Darren Hayes/Blink 182 - Take your pick
All day long, flakes flying fast and far.
To see they crash in the windshield of your car!
Wow! And on my way back from office, it was a thick white blanket all over with black snakes of cleared roads slithering through.
I was a bit irritated at drivers driving very slow :-). Now that was something new.
Today morning there was sun. And when I set out I saw all the trees standing happily with half-melted snow. They were all lined up fall-blown brown with streaks of white. It was like chirpy children running into the living area wet and happy after a bath!
Hmm..Some sight!
I MISS MY CAMERA!
* - Darren Hayes/Blink 182 - Take your pick
Monday, March 13, 2006
Take it easy *
It's Sunday.
Everything moves at a languid pace.
Morning, I had stepped out around 8.30, tooled to a friend's friend's place, handed over a thing which needed to be given to my friend. Then I had gone to temple, had darshan & lunch and then came back. A good movie had been followed by some browsing and then I realised our home needed another week's grocery supply. So I had come out again.
Now, here I am at the supermarket pushing the cart around, mentally checking out vegetables. "Tindori - No, had them just three days back. Potatoes - Oh yeah, they are our staple diet. Okra - sure, haven't had them in the past 10 days, Onions - three big bags because we put them in everything except coffee". And thus I decide on the menu for the week. I load them in the trunk, drive out to my next stop, the video rental where I have to return our weekend viewing and take out a next set.
There is a drizzle showing off its percussion talents on my car. Traffic's slow, everyone having wound up early to start a new week fresh. And suddenly for me it's a moment of self-reckoning. I ignore Santana filling the car. I am immersed in looking back. What have I achieved so far, I wonder. What am I doing here and what have I done to be here, I mull. My life at present, looks to me like a string of chances and nothing else. Nothing has happened as planned and nothing that has happened was
planned such. I am not one of those who live life according to a plan, achieve goals that are aimed and in general lead life in a focussed manner. And as Unforgiven goes,
"What i've felt
What i've known
Never shined through in what i've shown "
I ponder whether the life lived so far had been a success or failure. I know for sure it is not a success. For a dose of luck at appropriate times has helped me. Or it could have been god's way of showing his presence to an ex-mild atheist of me. Nor my life can be called a total failure. Bar certain important events of life where I've been a loser, I've done quite well, thank you.
And then I proceed to think why a life should be evaluated, rated or ranked in terms of success or failure? Maybe we are in this game to see who gets maximum things wrong, and by succeeding we might be actually failing! Who knows! Or life may be merely a roller-coaster ride of a reality show where we forget the reality once we get on the ride. Mine's been a true roller-coaster so far!
"Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before "
- Don Henley
But as the doorman said, I relax as I can't leave any sooner.
* - Eagles
Everything moves at a languid pace.
Morning, I had stepped out around 8.30, tooled to a friend's friend's place, handed over a thing which needed to be given to my friend. Then I had gone to temple, had darshan & lunch and then came back. A good movie had been followed by some browsing and then I realised our home needed another week's grocery supply. So I had come out again.
Now, here I am at the supermarket pushing the cart around, mentally checking out vegetables. "Tindori - No, had them just three days back. Potatoes - Oh yeah, they are our staple diet. Okra - sure, haven't had them in the past 10 days, Onions - three big bags because we put them in everything except coffee". And thus I decide on the menu for the week. I load them in the trunk, drive out to my next stop, the video rental where I have to return our weekend viewing and take out a next set.
There is a drizzle showing off its percussion talents on my car. Traffic's slow, everyone having wound up early to start a new week fresh. And suddenly for me it's a moment of self-reckoning. I ignore Santana filling the car. I am immersed in looking back. What have I achieved so far, I wonder. What am I doing here and what have I done to be here, I mull. My life at present, looks to me like a string of chances and nothing else. Nothing has happened as planned and nothing that has happened was
planned such. I am not one of those who live life according to a plan, achieve goals that are aimed and in general lead life in a focussed manner. And as Unforgiven goes,
"What i've felt
What i've known
Never shined through in what i've shown "
I ponder whether the life lived so far had been a success or failure. I know for sure it is not a success. For a dose of luck at appropriate times has helped me. Or it could have been god's way of showing his presence to an ex-mild atheist of me. Nor my life can be called a total failure. Bar certain important events of life where I've been a loser, I've done quite well, thank you.
And then I proceed to think why a life should be evaluated, rated or ranked in terms of success or failure? Maybe we are in this game to see who gets maximum things wrong, and by succeeding we might be actually failing! Who knows! Or life may be merely a roller-coaster ride of a reality show where we forget the reality once we get on the ride. Mine's been a true roller-coaster so far!
"Last thing I remember
I was running for the door
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before "
- Don Henley
But as the doorman said, I relax as I can't leave any sooner.
* - Eagles
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Faith! *
The latest issue of Rolling Stones carries a special report on Scientology, which it calls the secret church.Every one knows that Tom Cruise is into it. All along I've been thinking that it's some zany idea of his. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, the Scientology cult was founded by L.Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer in 1954.
The Scientology "religion" espouses that 75 million years ago, an evil galactic warlord named Xenu controlled over populated 76 planets in this galaxy. To reduce population, Xenu rounded up 13.5 trillion beings and then flew them to Earth, where they were dumped into vulcanoes around the globe and vaporized with bombs. This scattered their radioactive souls or thetans until they were caught up in electronic traps set around the atmosphere and implanted with false ideas like God, christ and organized religion. These "thetans" attach themselves to human beings and cause emotional and physical problems.
Some theory this is! Whew!!
Rolling Stones reports that before starting his religion, Ron Hubbard was into black magic and sex rituals. After his death in 1986, David Miscavige leads this cult now. Apart from Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kelly Preston and some more Page 3 (or Page 6, depending on the country) mainstays practise this "religion".
It was a fascinating article which details how the organization revels in having their own jargon and how it is very secretive in nature.
Reading that, I could not help wondering how seemingly normal people join this obviously abnormal groups. This is not an one off group, I am sure. The world over we can see money being made in the name of some religion or bonding, whatever.
I guess all these cults play on an individual's insecurity at some level. Also they feed on the human being's social needs. All rituals and invokings of any group can be seen to provide a feeling of belonging to the members.
Also surprising to me is the ability of a single individual who leads the organization to hold in thrall, the people who are actually no different or no lesser than him. Such is the power of the mind. It can dominate everything around it or it can be so submissive.
In our country, where religion is a big draw, I have seen clean shaven personalities lead organizations in the name of religion. What struck me was they need not have to grow beard and morph into scraggly sadhus, to convince others. Such is the power of the spoken word. Seeing them i've always wondered, "In what way this guy is different from me?". But not everyone does and hence they thrive.
And I thought Tom Cruise was a normal handsome guy like me having a string of beauties as girl friends! Ofcourse on Penelope, I have reservations. But when the guy ditches someone like Nicole Kidman, I should've known!
* - This song from the eponymous album is by George Michael. A Grammy winner which went platinum, I absolutely love this album. All the songs are good, to say the least!
The Scientology "religion" espouses that 75 million years ago, an evil galactic warlord named Xenu controlled over populated 76 planets in this galaxy. To reduce population, Xenu rounded up 13.5 trillion beings and then flew them to Earth, where they were dumped into vulcanoes around the globe and vaporized with bombs. This scattered their radioactive souls or thetans until they were caught up in electronic traps set around the atmosphere and implanted with false ideas like God, christ and organized religion. These "thetans" attach themselves to human beings and cause emotional and physical problems.
Some theory this is! Whew!!
Rolling Stones reports that before starting his religion, Ron Hubbard was into black magic and sex rituals. After his death in 1986, David Miscavige leads this cult now. Apart from Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kelly Preston and some more Page 3 (or Page 6, depending on the country) mainstays practise this "religion".
It was a fascinating article which details how the organization revels in having their own jargon and how it is very secretive in nature.
Reading that, I could not help wondering how seemingly normal people join this obviously abnormal groups. This is not an one off group, I am sure. The world over we can see money being made in the name of some religion or bonding, whatever.
I guess all these cults play on an individual's insecurity at some level. Also they feed on the human being's social needs. All rituals and invokings of any group can be seen to provide a feeling of belonging to the members.
Also surprising to me is the ability of a single individual who leads the organization to hold in thrall, the people who are actually no different or no lesser than him. Such is the power of the mind. It can dominate everything around it or it can be so submissive.
In our country, where religion is a big draw, I have seen clean shaven personalities lead organizations in the name of religion. What struck me was they need not have to grow beard and morph into scraggly sadhus, to convince others. Such is the power of the spoken word. Seeing them i've always wondered, "In what way this guy is different from me?". But not everyone does and hence they thrive.
And I thought Tom Cruise was a normal handsome guy like me having a string of beauties as girl friends! Ofcourse on Penelope, I have reservations. But when the guy ditches someone like Nicole Kidman, I should've known!
* - This song from the eponymous album is by George Michael. A Grammy winner which went platinum, I absolutely love this album. All the songs are good, to say the least!
Friday, March 03, 2006
Hasta Manana! *
Today morning I start for office. It's a 35-40 min drive from my home.
Today as I start my car, I notice that's the climate is very cool, after being around 40 - 50 degrees (fahrenheit) for the past 10 days.
And when I come out onto the road, there are flurries!
It's nearly 3 weeks since we had snow! Usually I become careful when it's snowing! A bit tense and watchful while driving!
Today I was happy at seeing the flurries falling on the windscreen and with reluctance set the wipers to work.
I daily pass through a forest preserve on my way to work. Usually I never relax to notice. Today it's different. Because I know that probably I may not be seeing the snow again this season and so wanted to enjoy.
Climate chilly
Vishnu Sahasranaamam by Smt.Vedavalli playing in the car
Flurries falling
And Nature by the roadside trying to regain its beauty after the autumn shedding.
One never appreciates something which is always beside oneself. Only at the prospect of getting separated from something, one realises its value!
I was bidding farewell to the snow before I see it again.
Hasta Luego!!
* - Good old ABBA!
Today as I start my car, I notice that's the climate is very cool, after being around 40 - 50 degrees (fahrenheit) for the past 10 days.
And when I come out onto the road, there are flurries!
It's nearly 3 weeks since we had snow! Usually I become careful when it's snowing! A bit tense and watchful while driving!
Today I was happy at seeing the flurries falling on the windscreen and with reluctance set the wipers to work.
I daily pass through a forest preserve on my way to work. Usually I never relax to notice. Today it's different. Because I know that probably I may not be seeing the snow again this season and so wanted to enjoy.
Climate chilly
Vishnu Sahasranaamam by Smt.Vedavalli playing in the car
Flurries falling
And Nature by the roadside trying to regain its beauty after the autumn shedding.
One never appreciates something which is always beside oneself. Only at the prospect of getting separated from something, one realises its value!
I was bidding farewell to the snow before I see it again.
Hasta Luego!!
* - Good old ABBA!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
All that she wants!
Why do females get what they want for gifts while men get what the females want to gift?
A burning question in my mind. The females get perfumes, cards, accessories, all those pink and lavender stuff they need (they think) while men get shirts (n+1 th, come on! we can do with max 3, 4 shirts and that's too much), cards (!!), men's perfumes (Deo is ok, but perfumes are yuck)....such stuff. No man except a few metrosexuals lurking around need such stuff. Why don't anybody gift trousers to a man? Every man needs that and all he is given is shirts and some more shirts. And what about razors! They get blunt easily with everyday use and they are always needed.Why can't they be given as gifts? Socks! Don't we ever need them, like a thousand pairs! To me razors, socks,jeans, coffee powder (yes!!) make the most thoughtful gifts. Ofcourse I don't mind the occasional iPod or a metal CD. :-)
* - I like Ace of Base for their smooth sound. They make for very good light listening.
A burning question in my mind. The females get perfumes, cards, accessories, all those pink and lavender stuff they need (they think) while men get shirts (n+1 th, come on! we can do with max 3, 4 shirts and that's too much), cards (!!), men's perfumes (Deo is ok, but perfumes are yuck)....such stuff. No man except a few metrosexuals lurking around need such stuff. Why don't anybody gift trousers to a man? Every man needs that and all he is given is shirts and some more shirts. And what about razors! They get blunt easily with everyday use and they are always needed.Why can't they be given as gifts? Socks! Don't we ever need them, like a thousand pairs! To me razors, socks,jeans, coffee powder (yes!!) make the most thoughtful gifts. Ofcourse I don't mind the occasional iPod or a metal CD. :-)
* - I like Ace of Base for their smooth sound. They make for very good light listening.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Fools rush in *
We were in the Chicago auto show last weekend, touted as the biggest one in the US. Wait, I am getting ahead of me. Here by "we", I meant me, my room-mate P, my friend from Ohio G and G's friend V. We having drooled over Ferrari, taken snaps with Golf then were roaming amidst the Lexus and Bentley cars area. It was more than an hour since we were in. And we had completed inspecting, around 5 percent of the cars on show, by then. Everybody know of certain objects that when had a mere look at, make one forget his friends who would be with him. Everybody would also agree that cars are one among them, those unlisted objects mentioned as a class.
There we were ogling at those cars oblivious to everything else. So it was sometime before, we realised that V was no longer with us. After that it was with difficulty that we went around watching cars having had to keep one eye for that lost guy. Ofcourse the part about keeping one eye for that guy, we didn't do it very well. So we in haste wound up our tour, had a team meeting (!), decided that we should go separate ways in search of Mr.V and come back and wait for another meeting in fromt of the Bridgestone stall. Meet again, we did, but without Mr.V. Then a casual look at my mobile told me that V has been trying to contact me. My friends P and G were mildly irritated at me (because they were only mildly interested in the search for V) for not listening to my mobile.
Cutting a long search short, we finally found our lost guy. But he was holding a bag bursting at its seams. I politely enquired whether he had managed to get hold of one of the car engines on display. That was not to be. It was full of only pamphlets and brochures. That's what we thought until he pulled out one tee shirt out of it. The tee shirt had the auto show's logo emblazoned on it. And our lad said he got it for free! That was it.
We forgot all the tiredness in our legs. Suddenly fresh energy flowed through every tired muscle and sinew of our bodies. Hearing the words "tee shirt for free" had that effect. We asked him the stall which gave them away. It was located in a remote corner far away from us, obeying Murphy's law. Undaunted, we all set on our quest for that tee shirt dragging that guy with us. There were two stalls having the t shirts on display. I rushed in one, asking for, actually demanding for that tee shirt. The salesperson told that we have to apply for a credit card to get one! Our heads turned in slow motion towards our wise guy standing behind holding the tee shirt. When we asked him whether he did apply for that credit card to get that tee shirt, he replied nonchalantly that the store people asked to put down some details for giving the tee shirt and he had done just that. Mr.V had'nt even realized he was applying for a credit card when he filled up the form for the tee shirt! We started kidding him a bit, just to get the jealousy out of our system.
The kicker came in last. Walking together later, suddenly something dawned on me. I turned towards V and asked how come he filled up for the credit card form when he didn't have a SSN number. The guy, casual as ever, replied that he just skipped that field. So much for the stall scrutinising the applications! Seemed the guy's been smart after all!
* - I dig the UB40 cover than the Elvis' one.
There we were ogling at those cars oblivious to everything else. So it was sometime before, we realised that V was no longer with us. After that it was with difficulty that we went around watching cars having had to keep one eye for that lost guy. Ofcourse the part about keeping one eye for that guy, we didn't do it very well. So we in haste wound up our tour, had a team meeting (!), decided that we should go separate ways in search of Mr.V and come back and wait for another meeting in fromt of the Bridgestone stall. Meet again, we did, but without Mr.V. Then a casual look at my mobile told me that V has been trying to contact me. My friends P and G were mildly irritated at me (because they were only mildly interested in the search for V) for not listening to my mobile.
Cutting a long search short, we finally found our lost guy. But he was holding a bag bursting at its seams. I politely enquired whether he had managed to get hold of one of the car engines on display. That was not to be. It was full of only pamphlets and brochures. That's what we thought until he pulled out one tee shirt out of it. The tee shirt had the auto show's logo emblazoned on it. And our lad said he got it for free! That was it.
We forgot all the tiredness in our legs. Suddenly fresh energy flowed through every tired muscle and sinew of our bodies. Hearing the words "tee shirt for free" had that effect. We asked him the stall which gave them away. It was located in a remote corner far away from us, obeying Murphy's law. Undaunted, we all set on our quest for that tee shirt dragging that guy with us. There were two stalls having the t shirts on display. I rushed in one, asking for, actually demanding for that tee shirt. The salesperson told that we have to apply for a credit card to get one! Our heads turned in slow motion towards our wise guy standing behind holding the tee shirt. When we asked him whether he did apply for that credit card to get that tee shirt, he replied nonchalantly that the store people asked to put down some details for giving the tee shirt and he had done just that. Mr.V had'nt even realized he was applying for a credit card when he filled up the form for the tee shirt! We started kidding him a bit, just to get the jealousy out of our system.
The kicker came in last. Walking together later, suddenly something dawned on me. I turned towards V and asked how come he filled up for the credit card form when he didn't have a SSN number. The guy, casual as ever, replied that he just skipped that field. So much for the stall scrutinising the applications! Seemed the guy's been smart after all!
* - I dig the UB40 cover than the Elvis' one.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Paradise City *
Last week, an accident happened to me.
It is thursday, a very cold and wet thursday. Sleet has been predicted for the evening and everyone is driving slowly. I am very cautious as ever. Since it's the route I take daily and the traffic is smooth, I lean back and enjoy the drive listening to the music. I am crossing a traffic light. Just one more traffic light and I'd be home. Suddenly there is a thud. My car is hit from behind. I stopping the car then and there, take my time to get down. And then I saw a big vehicle and a really young driver behind. She, in her teens, quivers and asks me whether everything is all right. I reply yes, eventhough I was in a daze. Seeing her state of tension, I just point her the damage to my car and exchange phone numbers and let her go.
I manage to drive the car home and call my friend immediately. First thing he asks, "Where are you?"
"Back at home"
"You shouldn't have let the girl go. You should've dialled 911 then and there. Let's see what we can do"
He comes to my place, and then in my "shaken but not stirred" car we go to the cops. They say that we need to bring the perpetrator too, to get the police report that I need for insurance.
We call the driver's father. We just inform that my car was hit on by her daughter not yet asking him to come down to the cops. We learn that he is a doctor.He asks to wait at a store front nearby, for him.We drive there and wait. And he comes there immediately after.
He takes one look at me. Figures me as one new to the city.
Pointing at the damage, he starts, "This looks like an old damage to me"
I shocked, say, "This happened just now"
He: "No way it could have been my vehicle that hit yours"
Me: Speechless, give an angry and shocked look.
We very reasonably ask him to call his daughter and verify the identity of the car, for I made her note down my car number too.He does that. The girl must have vouched for me. He asks her to talk later and cuts the call.
He continues, "I am here since before you were born. I can haul you up in jail for trying to cheat me".
An argument ensues. My friend intervenes here and takes all of us inside the store as it's freezing cold in the open. There that doctor tries some more brow-beating.
"I need to see that you are the owner of the car"
I show my documents.
" I need to see your passport. I can put you in jail for this"
I enraged, staring him down, say, " That I'd very much prefer. Let's go to the cops. There we will decide".
My friend sends me away on a pretext and starts drivelling the fact that I happen to be the victim. The fact that we are ready for the cops and not scared calls the father's bluff.
Then he gives his game away and admits that he doesn't want insurance to come into the picture. Eventhough he doesn't say, we know, and he knows that we know, that his girl is not legally qualified to drive.
And a lot happens after. The doctor haggles for the settlement, even offering a discount for his medical services as a payback, which we politely refuse. I am yet to receive the money, but have received a very good lesson. Never ever allow a person to leave the scene of an accident.
"If we were the ones to hit another car, would we have behaved in a similar manner?", I bemuse to my friend much later. He says the decent thing is to settle the damage. But people do stoop to such levels, I figure.
* - Guns'n'Roses were belting out this song for me, at the time I got rear-ended.
It is thursday, a very cold and wet thursday. Sleet has been predicted for the evening and everyone is driving slowly. I am very cautious as ever. Since it's the route I take daily and the traffic is smooth, I lean back and enjoy the drive listening to the music. I am crossing a traffic light. Just one more traffic light and I'd be home. Suddenly there is a thud. My car is hit from behind. I stopping the car then and there, take my time to get down. And then I saw a big vehicle and a really young driver behind. She, in her teens, quivers and asks me whether everything is all right. I reply yes, eventhough I was in a daze. Seeing her state of tension, I just point her the damage to my car and exchange phone numbers and let her go.
I manage to drive the car home and call my friend immediately. First thing he asks, "Where are you?"
"Back at home"
"You shouldn't have let the girl go. You should've dialled 911 then and there. Let's see what we can do"
He comes to my place, and then in my "shaken but not stirred" car we go to the cops. They say that we need to bring the perpetrator too, to get the police report that I need for insurance.
We call the driver's father. We just inform that my car was hit on by her daughter not yet asking him to come down to the cops. We learn that he is a doctor.He asks to wait at a store front nearby, for him.We drive there and wait. And he comes there immediately after.
He takes one look at me. Figures me as one new to the city.
Pointing at the damage, he starts, "This looks like an old damage to me"
I shocked, say, "This happened just now"
He: "No way it could have been my vehicle that hit yours"
Me: Speechless, give an angry and shocked look.
We very reasonably ask him to call his daughter and verify the identity of the car, for I made her note down my car number too.He does that. The girl must have vouched for me. He asks her to talk later and cuts the call.
He continues, "I am here since before you were born. I can haul you up in jail for trying to cheat me".
An argument ensues. My friend intervenes here and takes all of us inside the store as it's freezing cold in the open. There that doctor tries some more brow-beating.
"I need to see that you are the owner of the car"
I show my documents.
" I need to see your passport. I can put you in jail for this"
I enraged, staring him down, say, " That I'd very much prefer. Let's go to the cops. There we will decide".
My friend sends me away on a pretext and starts drivelling the fact that I happen to be the victim. The fact that we are ready for the cops and not scared calls the father's bluff.
Then he gives his game away and admits that he doesn't want insurance to come into the picture. Eventhough he doesn't say, we know, and he knows that we know, that his girl is not legally qualified to drive.
And a lot happens after. The doctor haggles for the settlement, even offering a discount for his medical services as a payback, which we politely refuse. I am yet to receive the money, but have received a very good lesson. Never ever allow a person to leave the scene of an accident.
"If we were the ones to hit another car, would we have behaved in a similar manner?", I bemuse to my friend much later. He says the decent thing is to settle the damage. But people do stoop to such levels, I figure.
* - Guns'n'Roses were belting out this song for me, at the time I got rear-ended.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
