Manoj


From the hotel to office is a short distance. Walkable. It's a 15 minute walk. Rickshaws refused to go yesterday.
The walk is not a problem. It never is. But the road is dirty and puddled.
Having struggled yesterday I did not want a repeat today. I also had a suitcase with me. I checked with the hotel if they can drop me. Vehiclenotavailablesir, they told me.

I walked out, a little miffed. Found a rickshaw waiting. The driver was middle aged, balding, small frame. He was reading his newspaper and folded it just as I asked him, “Wakdewadi?". I began to explain how the place is really nearby at Wakdewadi, will be drop me. He smiled a wry smile possibly thinking why is this guy offering so much explanations. I told him, well, yesterday, people refused to come…He said, sit...

We went off. I have been wanting to eat Street Poha in Pune since I reached here yesterday.

Hesitantly I asked him, have you had breakfast? He said no. I asked him will you have? He said, no, you have, I will wait. I told him I wanted to have poha - which you dont get at these hotels. He agreed that hotels dont serve local food.

I told him, if you can stop at one of these wayside eateries, wait for 5 mins, both of us can have poha. He did not say anything. He drove off and I thought he wont stop anywhere. Just then he stopped at a small place and he said, first ask if they have poha. They did.  "Don plate Poha."

Chai, I asked him. No...din main bahut chai ho jaata hain, he said.
He dropped me off. I paid him.
And just as I took my luggage and went off... I asked him name.
Manoj, he said. I asked him again, suna nahi theek se...
Manoj...What a coincidence...

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