Dud Sea Scrawls The Writing, clearly, is not on the wall!

Took me almost 2 hours to travel 300mtrs last evening ! Scary …….worse !!

The auto guy refused to drop me off home as all the approach roads to the place were flooded. And just when I was going to argue with him, the lorry in front of us reversed and CRUNCH ! The Auto’s rear-view mirror lay in bits n pieces. The auto guy hollered for him to stop and there ensued an argument. I knew that there was no point in me now insisting the guy take me home, so I got off , paid him and started walking home. Now I was walking along the Ulsoor lake road (I was heading for the road parallel to it). I tried taking the by lanes but there was knee deep water . I walked further ahead to the war memorial (near the Bengali Association junction) and …..suffice to say, it seemed Ulsoor lake had just moved in. The whole road was flooded and there was a major traffic jam…….mother of all jams . Now it is a different story how I got back home . Thanks to one good samaritan Kamaraj , a jawan of the Indian Army and no thanks to that lousy Colonel of the Indian Army …..didn’t get his name, the @##$@#$!@.

Next morning, all headlines screaming about poor infrastructure in Bangalore, about big companies opting out of the city and setting up base elsewhere, about why it was a very bad idea for people to head for Bangalore. All I could think of was : Bangalore has taken in as many people, cars and autos as it can. We need a metro system urgently. Yes, for people opting out of Bangalore : wish you all the best, and thank you for going.

Bangalore : In spite of the corrupt Government , Deve Gowda and the rains it will survive. There is hope for this city.

For every 10 uncouth, nasty auto drivers I come across, I meet a soft spoken and considerate one.

For every 10 corrupt, irresponsible traffic police I see, I meet a diligent and upright one
( ah ..U should see this one, a gorgeous looking lady cop who stands at the Brigade road and Residency road junction every Saturday afternoon and books all autos who refuse to take the people to wherever they want to go…. dark glasses, svelte , the works…Bhanupriya style: P).

For every 10 narrow minded fanatics who insist on keeping their women-folk in purdah and illiterate, I meet a forward looking visionary, who has made it his life’s mission to educate his employees, females especially (yes Mr Zakaullah, talking about you).

For every 10 cars that over speed, there in that one car that would wait and give way to the pedestrian.

For every 10 people(incl me) who would walk past a sickly, poor, mentally deranged, half naked woman sitting in the middle of a busy road (Brigade Road), there is one person (lady on the kinetic) who will stop and pick her up and take her to safety .

For every 10 inefficient, corrupt government official, there will be one upright, principled official (Mr Narayan )

For every 10 persons who shrug and say, “It does not concern me ” when a person asks for directions, there is one person who will go out of his/her way to help, and travel a few kms to point out the place to them.

For every 10 autos that demand extra fare, there will be one who takes you without an extra paise.

As they say, every cloud has a silver lining ….so next time our ribs jangle while we travel on Bangalore roads, we should remember to take the rough with the smooth. Where is the smooth you ask me ? Wait for them to tar the roads next summer. Until then, experience the moon here down on earth. Stop cribbing please and by next monsoons, get yourself a lil motorized boat for heaven’s sake !