Its the matter of principles...

This morning when I gestured this auto rickshaw to stop…. I was mentally prepared for an aggressive negotiations that we usually have do with the auto rickshaw drivers on the streets of Delhi and Noida

But something unusual happened. I asked the guy

Me: Bhaiya Gol chakkar se hote hue Okhla Phase 1 jana hai

Auto wala: Chalenge madam

Me: Kitna lenge

Auto wala: Kitna lenge ka kya matlab hai …aap meter se nahi jate kya?

Now that was surprising!!! I hopped in quickly before I thought he can change his mind. I explained to him that usually no one agrees to go by the meter from where I catch auto and it was a surprise for me.

He then started driving the auto and we started chatting and more to my surprise he was emoting my emotions as a consumer then the one as a service provider.

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 According to him:

The auto walas usually ask for two times of the actual cost and they will sit around looking for someone who will actually pay that much. On the other hand he says, I drive by meter and usually I make more money from the ones that are sitting and waiting for the one or two travelers who agree to pay more.

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Then I started taking a few pictures and we chatted a little more, he told me about his previous job where he use to be a DTC driver and use to drive school bus. He shared two stories about the time when he was working with the school kids.

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I asked for how many days you have been driving DTC school buses and pat came the reply 25 years and 4 months. I said to myself     Boyhhhh… that’s a log time to keep on driving..

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Then I asked him to look back so that I can get a picture of him with his auto and he said… "meri photo leke kya karo ge beta"

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And a cute little smile came after the picture was clicked: D

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 So meet Mr. Shakti Singh, Rtd DTC employee, currently drives auto and lives in Rohini… An honest man….. Whom I have come to respect during this short interaction….

I wish his lot grows so that we have more and more socially responsible citizens, consumers and service providers.

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And for you I wish you get a chance to ride with him and have a pleasant conversation as I had.