Time

‘Why couldn’t he wait another 10 minutes? Where does he have to rush off to at this hour?’ I asked, annoyed. Our designated cab driver had left 15 minutes after our scheduled pick up. This meant we’d have to take an auto to work again. Who wants to inhale all that smoke and dust?

This all began a few days ago when our old cab driver changed. He didn’t mind waiting around for us and our working hours were fairly flexible. Then in came this new guy who kept calling at the unearthly hour of 7.20 AM and then actually left by 7.45 AM!

We got the auto to work but every time the auto chugged through a pollution filled junction I cursed our cab driver.

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7.22AM – Gave the sahib’s an early missed call. Just in case they’re meandering along, unaware of the time. Oh God, please let us leave on time.

7.31AM – Got to their house a bit late but of course the Sahib’s are not ready. I really can’t afford this today. I’ve got to get to office by 8.15AM and report there. Any earlier and the Transport Coordinator will send me off on another ‘quick errand’. Then I need to get to the UBS manager’s pick up. How he shouted when I reached his house a bit after the 9.00AM pick up time that day. He definitely does seem the type to carry through his threat of getting me fired if I’m late again. Then traffic permitting I can get to UBS by 9.45AM, drop hip off and head off to Bittu’s college to see him get his award (bless him!) before getting some lunch and reporting to normal daytime duties at 12PM.

7.45AM – They aren’t here yet. I really have to leave. Can they cause a fuss and get me fired? No, I don’t think so, but that manager sahib can.

8.21AM – The TC spent an agonizing 5 minutes asking why I hadn’t picked up the guys and still was late. He seemed to ignore the fact that I’d had a puncture and told me to get to office earlier tomorrow!

9.04AM – Drove all the way back to UBS manager’s house at brake neck speed only to find his watchman say he’ll be late. Need to fill up petrol but I dare not leave here.

9.25AM – Manager sahib finally turns up and we set off. I’m watching the petrol needle closely.

10.15 AM – Traffic was terrible. And I kept trying to drive in the higher gears to save on petrol. Was hoping to go in and ask for an advance on month’s salary (UBS TC is famously accommodating) to give dear Bittu a congratulatory present but now I don’t have the time!

11.20 AM – Damn Minister went past on the other side of the road but they held us up for 10 minutes plus! I must have missed the award ceremony I’ve looking forward to ever since Bittu told us he’d topped in his 2^nd year college exams a month ago. Now he’ll never forgive me. He doesn’t understand that I don’t work 3 jobs because I love driving but because it’s the only way to afford his college education.

11.30 AM – Got a message from Bittu saying he waited for me but now he’s treating his friends and his mom to Biryani. I should’ve been going with them but it better get to my regular 12-6 job. Least the boss here let’s me go only late, and I miss the 7PM Google drop offs and it becomes an 8 PM drop off. Then I’ll never get to be in the front of the UBS drop off line and I won’t see my son again today.

12.12PM – Got to my regular job only to find in all the disappointment of getting to the college late and missing out on lunch, I’d completely forgotten about the petrol. Now I have passengers in the back seat and will have to push the car a kilometer before getting to the next pump. And boss ji hates this happening – I may just lose my best paying job…..