#3 Moments - For a few coins more...

Once, I was returning from the Train station to my home in a Shared Auto-rickshaw.
On the way, a lady who had got in at college road, got down at Blue-star stop.

She gave the driver 10 and was about to leave.
The driver demanded 15 as the fare.

She argued that all auto drivers charge only 13 and questioned why he was charging 15.

The auto driver did not budge. She had to give 15 and left cursing.

Now...I myself have taken the trip between College road and Blue-star many times... and the fare was always  13.

I knew the driver had overcharged her...but i cant help but ask myself the question "If she herself knew that the fare was 13, why did she try to leave by giving just 10 ?"

#2 Moments - A Companion...

It was ten days since I bought my shoes...
And a week since I decided to jog...
And It was the third day of my jogging...

Some day. 4:30 AM.
Thirumangalam - Mugappair Road.

I put on my shoes, dressed all like an athlete...and started jogging.
Sections of the road were alighted, while the rest were pitch dark.
Not all of the lights were supposed to work in that road. It was an unwritten rule.

Jogging in such a road, was not only an exercise for my leg muscles, but also to my iris adjusting its pupil in rapid succession between the dark and bright sections of the road.

It was then I noticed...that I was being followed...
And that it was a dog...

I did not panic, for I could tell from its demeanor, that it was enjoying a jog itself.
I ignored it.
After I reached the allowable jog-radius from my home-center, I took a round trip.
It was when I reached my doorstep, I noticed that the dog had followed me all the way home.
I ignored it.

I had to take my bike to college that day, since I was too late for the train. I took the highway.
That was the first time , I found shredded rotten carcasses of street dogs meshed with the texture of the road... filling the air around with a stench that lingers in your nose and mind... long enough to disturb a stone.

The next morning. 4.30 AM. I looked back quite a number of times while jogging.
No dog was jogging with me.

#1 Moments - A seat for a seat...

A Monday Morning.
Nungambakkam.
7:20 AM.
Tirumalpur Express.
A Very Crowded Compartment.

A seat equidistant from me and an another gentleman got vacant.
I was in a good mood. If it was any other day, I would have gone for it... fighting.
That day was different.

The gentleman glanced at the vacant seat and then looked at me, enquiringly. I signaled him to take the seat. He occupied the seat with a smile.

The ever-increasing crowd pushed me away from the gentleman.
After two stops, the gentleman started gathering his items, indicating that he was about to get down in the next stop.
His seat was about to get vacant... but this time i was far away.
There were many potentially eligible occupants for that seat, nearby.
To my surprise, the gentleman called out to me like a friend and made me take the seat.
I realized that i had earned a friend with whom i had not shared a word...whom i might never meet again.
In the next stop, an old man got in and stood next to me. I let him take my seat.

The train was crowded. It was a happy morning.