Remarkable Mr. RAY

 

It is completely dark outside and I turn to check the time on the mobile phone… it is 4.25 am. I quietly slip out of the room after switching off the two alarms set for 4.30am…one on the mobile and the other on the small clock on the dressing table. This has become the norm to wake up before the alarms go off, be it at home or hotel, where you’re generally awake to take the wake-up call from the front desk. After all, I have to take the morning flight out…. that’s life in a metro, for me and many like me in the rat race for what no one knows but we never stop running.

The geyser switch is turned on and after a quick shave and shower, you slip into the clothes kept ready since last night. Everything happens one after another and by 5.15 am you are ready to leave even though you had planned for 5.30 am to take the 7.30 am flight to Hyderabad. By now the wife is up and she does the last-minute check box….

Tickets and boarding pass… Check.

Money and change…Check.

Medicines and an extra set of clothes…Medicines yes but not the next one.

Shall I make you a cup of tea? ...No, not required.

Let me call the Uber…No don’t, they badly over charge.  I will take an autorickshaw to airport.

Should come down with an umbrella…. No, it is not raining now.

Why don’t you book the office transport? Why do you go in a rick?

Before the talk went any further and louder, I picked up my suitcase and bid her goodbye with a broad smile on my face…Aashchi… that is coming in Bengali…. Funny way to say I am going now but will be back soon.

I come off the lift and go to the main entrance to the building and in no time the magic buddy in yellow and black on three wheels stops and I hop in….Airport… T2 chalna hai.

The reason why I prefer the auto are three-fold: 

Firstly, I find the Uber exorbitantly priced. They charge anywhere upwards Rs 400 where my auto charges me a paltry Rs 165. The office booking would have cost Rs 1000.

Secondly, I do not feel like billing the office for the short airport rides…. Lazy… careless or damn care, you may say, but it is fine by me considering I get to enjoy so many other luxuries thanks to the office credit cards and bookings and, it goes without saying, the car that is provided at the destination for the entire stay. 

Thirdly, and most importantly, I get to talk to the men driving the autorickshaws. These according to my wife are politically most literate people in Mumbai for they predict if Yogi will win or Nitish Kumar will win with proper reasoning. I, too, enjoy my early morning conversations with them. 

Here’s one of the latest I had a week ago on way from home to airport on a rainy Mumbai morning. 

You drive very carefully and not like the others who speed away.

I have to be careful. I had a major surgery a couple of years ago. Look here, I always sit with one leg crossed on the seat and have this bag hanging from the steering. This contains my medicines I may need at any time.

Oh…what happened?

I was returning from Mumbra at night when I saw a lady trying to run cross the street. I pressed the brakes of my auto and somehow managed to evade hitting the lady but the truck from behind crashed into me. I was later told that the truck fellow took me to the nearby hospital where they found my identity papers and called my people at home. I was later shifted to Ambani Hospital where they estimated the cost for my surgery and hospitalization at about Rs 85 lacs, which my family were willing to pay, but the doctors were not giving any guarantee of my getting fully fit. So, my son then took me to a well-known civic hospital where he works.

Achcha, you son works in a government hospital?(assuming him to be in the administrative or nursing staff)

Yes. He is a doctor there. I was operated and treated there and could resume driving after six months. My son ensured I got the best care in the hospital and was operated by his Head of the Department.

Wonderful… my daughter is also a doctor. She is presently at US completing a Fellowship. From where did your son do his studies?

Uttar Pradesh. After that he came here and, thanks to some political clout, he got his placement at this hospital.

Where do you stay?

Premnagar.

Where does your son stay- somewhere close to the hospital?

No, he stays with me at Premnagar.

So, he must be taking the train to Dadar and then changing?

No. He drives his car to work…. Wagon R.

I was looking at the man on the rear-view mirror and was amazed how this man migrated to an unknown city where he built his life and gave his son such good education despite driving an auto and living in Premnagar, which is a mini-Dharavi at a walking distance from my house.

My daughter is also studying medicine at Pune. She will complete here studies next year.

Arrey wah… two doctors in the family. That’s remarkable.

My youngest son is no good. I did not give him much attention. He is into body building.

You work so hard every day and have given your children the opportunity to study and live a life different and better than what you have experienced. I am completely at a loss of words to express my happiness and respect for you. Please do not mind but how much are you able to earn in a day?

Two thousand…. I start work at 6.00 am and by the time I reach this figure, I stop and return home.

You must be driving ten-twelve hours a day to earn two thousand a day?No, it does not take me so long. A couple of good long trips and a few small ones in the morning and the money is made. I also have twelve auto rickshaws that I give out to others. Each auto is given on two shifts and they have to pay Rs 200 each shift. Any repair up to Rs 100 is theirs plus the cost of gas. These things are pretty sturdy and do not require much maintenance.

As I sat and started doing mental mathematics on how much the man driving the auto makes in a single day…. 2000 of his own plus 200 multiplied by 2, the sum of which then multiplied by the number of autos makes it six thousand and eight hundred all of which is in cash and tax free. With my retirement not too far away, I was getting investment ideas better than the sahi hai advisory and the bloodbath I face on the Dalal Street every day!

I came to Mumbai in 1993 and bought this kholi at Premnagar for just thirteen rupees after getting the local owner drunk. I now have one house at Ram Mandir Road and one at Nalasopara. Our slum is also going for redevelopment very soon.

By now the auto had reached the Airport gate and stopped. I saw the meter in front and pulled out the exact change to give to the driver.

Aapka naam kya hai.

Ram Avtaar Yadav.

I have met celebrities from Shilpa Shetty to Anil Kapoor walking at the airport but never bothered to run after them for an autograph or selfies but today I made a departure for once.

Can I take a picture of yours?

The man smiled and posed as I took out my mobile and clicked.

As I boarded the flight, I kept thinking of the man and his achievements and I said, What a Man!

SS