I know this post may result in a 'virtual-life threat' to me by the delhites but cant help taking risk :) Bad habits die hard, u know...
Well, I dont know why, but I feel I have a strong connection with Delhi. The reason....., we share a mutual emotion with each other, you see... And if I am forced to name it, ummm...I would say its a love-hate relationship. Of course, I love to be in Delhi(for several reasons) and it hates me(enough evidences to prove it) .
So, after my past bruises, I had decided not to leave any stone unturned to make my stay in Delhi comfortable(memorable it anyways becomes!) but Delhi had already planned something grand for me this time !! Infact, everytime I try to make peace with it, I get a new wound to lick.
What happened this time is a history now and has been a tea time snack for many of my "fall-into-well-wishers". It went like this, I went to deli to be a part of my best friend's engagement in Haridwar. And since I had only 2 days to spare, I had no option, but to go through Delhi. I did plan to stay in deli with one of my 'shorts buddies' and carry him along till Haridwar. So, as usual I had well-planned (as I call it....)everything or ill-planned(as my Mom calls it..) to nullify chances of error. I had taken directions to get to my friend's place. Infact I had packed also as per weather forecast of delhi (courtesy: my friend) to carry my woolens and drop one of my party wear I had taken for the occasion.
I was damn confident that I ll shut rather shoot my critics down with a silver arrow by successfully completing this journey without any pitfalls. So I got down at airport and took a cab directly to nearest Dwarka metro station as directed by my friend. Though I had landed late, but I was sure to get to the metro station just-in-time. But my cab-driver made my jaw droop, when he stopped to ask somebody the way to Dwarka metro station ! Well..this wasnt in any of the clause of my travel plan... Anyways, I kept smiling and mumbling allz..well (thanks to Amir..) till I reached the station. My watch was waiting for me to get down and ticked 10:00 pm, the moment I stepped out of cab. I thanked the cab-driver and rushed inside to catch the metro at 10:10 . Waiting in the line, cursing the guy ahead me, who was arguing with the man at the counter for a ticket although his last metro had departed. Damn this guy....I was left with no choice but to overpower him to get to the counter. But by the time I reached counter, the last metro had bid good-bye for me as well. Now it was me, who was arguing with the guy at the counter.....But it was of no use ! Well...this was definitely not even in any of the sub-clause of the plan... Anyways, I kept mumbling allz..well ! I tried calling my local contact to ask for abatement plan and was instructed to take a ride direct to Noida. So I walked back out of station like a batsman, out for duck, and felt as if everybody was staring at me, kind of you feel when you are in a unfamiliar terrain at awkward hours with baggage in your hands... Outside the station, my cabbie had dissappeared as wallet does when you are in hurry. I searched for another cab, but there was none.. All I could see was, some autos and rickshaws. One rickshaw-puller was generous enough to ask me for a ride till Noida. But I politely refused because I wanted both of us to see the next day's Sun ! It was evident now, all wasnt so well afterall !
It was cold outside, the wind was biting in my face (thanks to Delhi's winters). However, I was sweating inside my pullover because of tension as the auto-driver told me, it would take an hour or so to reach Noida. Yes, I had hired an auto to get me home. My mobile was dying of hunger and so was I.. Though the thought of gobi-manchurian as promised by bhabhi and a charger comforted us both definitely, the conversation of auto-driver on his phone was kind of killing that comforting thought. If you ve ever paid heed , you would ve realized that your mind works like a super-computer if you ask it to enumerate the ways, things can fall out of place, in short to generate scary thoughts when you are in middle of nowhere. In this case. my autodriver was asking somebody to meet him beside some highway and we were supposed to go on that highway (as directed by my friend). But I dared not ask him as I was on his mercy to drop me home as I did not remember the route, thanks to bournvita-overbridges of Delhi, which grow faster than any of their counterparts. However, the Auto-driver summit went well and we proceded on our way. But I was still suspicious as I did not hear to the outcome of that meeting and so weird thoughts were striking my mind like US strikes on Iraq. And I was working on defense strategies to mitigate the risk in case I had to face any contingency. But nothing such happened.
I felt really relieved when I saw the Municipal corporation board of Noida (thanks to Mayawati ji oops Sis Mayawati ji). Well..lets not discuss about my age here to call her sister in interest of time. So, I called my friend to give directions to reach his home but considering my incapablity to interpret his directions to the auto-driver and questions of auto-driver to my friend, I handed over my phone to the auto-driver. They talked like old friends do, when they meet on Orkut. And I was wondering..ooh..whether I am going to meet him or this auto wallah ? And then I saw the watchman of a building waving at us to stop, the name of the buiding read as..the same as told. I jumped out of joy, I mean auto to realize that it wasnt the watchman but my friend itself , his monkey cap had fooled me !
Finally after 3 hours of non-stop fun, I was at my destination and I was in such an inebriated state to even celebrate it. Never mind after spending some more time in worldly formalities, here I was in front of gobi-manchurian, and thats all I cared for at that juncture !
