After the whole 2 weeks of vadapav and thali
I decided to go for Thane to my Valyamma (mom's elder sister, who inherited all the firm hand from their military father), just to get myself some Kerala fish curry and if lucky some mutton.
I texted my ex-girlfriend to book me a uber since I had debt on ola and uber, from previous ones, and she did, after 20 minutes of her usual cloak and dagger, she got me a cab. And texted me a screenshot of the same. I sat near a tree at the star market with a bottle of Pepsi, while trying not to seek eye contact with a dog sat near me, (no offense, I am afraid of dogs).
After a few minutes, 0541 a grey Datson Go came for me. I kept my backpack at the rear seat and sat in front like I usually do in Mumbai.
Back home I don't get to sit at the front, Dad keeps the front row for him and mom.
I wanted to take a seat a little bit back, the young driver was happy to help me.
The person who booked the cab for me, was on phone with him reading out the OTP, while he was about to cut the call I kind of added a thank you to her, he just laughed to that,
To show my two-year Hindi, I asked him, " ye payment kitna dha ".
Patha nahee m sir, madam ji ne ye online se pay kia dha sir, he replied with a cheer
While I was thinking that whether I should pay her back, or respect her gratitude, he reminded me about the seatbelt.
Since I didn't have any battery left on my phone after the usual updates and stories on Instagram and Snapchat, I wished to test my Hindi on the young skinny man next to me.
"Aapka Naam kya he bhai ? "
" Nayi sir , me keval driver hum "
Since I don't exactly knew or understand his Hindi
I am gonna keep this in English.his Paapa’s special Ranchi Chicken.
His name is Kumar, A Ranchi boy, but according to him, he is from MS Dhoni ki Ranchi. Since I was not good geography of India, he explained to me where Ranchi is, Jharkhand, and how Bihar is different, and why Jamshedpur is better.
He is part of a kisani family, Mainly chaval, where only his father is doing farming, while he, his brother, and his sister's husband work in Mumbai,Calcutta, and Jharkhand. His brother stays with his aunt at Calcutta as a helper in their family business, which was something related to the masala. And the sister's husband (Aliyan in Malayalam) was working as a tile mesthiri back in Jharkhand.
He came to Mumbai searching for a job after completing 12th in the science stream, with good marks. He started his earning as a panipuri salesman in some hotel, which he was not so good at, Later so asked one of his friend, a delivery driver to the same hotel, to teach him driving. Kumar was able to learn to drive so fast. After he got his license, the hotel manager himself helped him to get a driving job with a *Setah from Gujarat who owned more than 45 cars.
He loved his new job, where the *Setah only care about the 9000 Rs that Kumar is paying every month. Setah is also kind enough to carry out all the maintenance works.
Kumar is able to help his Paapa to find the money for his elder sister to continue her college education. The only person who went to college after the 12th in his family. He, his brother, his other elder sister( who got married after her 10th standard ) ,Maama, and Paapa is always proud of the college-going sister.
Kumar is the youngest, when I asked him “ tho thu chotta he ? “ he replied “Ha Sir me he Chottu” with a laugh.
On our journey there were a lot of laughs, we shared our criticism against the Mumbai Police, and the traffic, How panipuri tastes better in any place rather than Mumbai, and the fact that you can get a fish curry meal for 30 rs in Calcutta.
He had a lot to talk about when he was talking about his Paapa, that how he loved having a dog around him, and his love for his five cows at home, his sorrow that none of his sons are at home to help him with his farming. And the love story which ended in marrying from one of the prominent families in his village.
Talking about love, Kumar has a love in Calcutta, whom he met whenever he visited his brother there. A Bengali girl, that Kumar’s sisters only know. When I asked him, if he spends his free time on the phone with his, Bengali girl, he replied me “No. And that he needs to be successful in his career, first.
Kumar being in his 20’s already had a plan to set out his career, that he had a passion for business, and that he wants to start a business in his village, again something related to the masala, I didn’t get his business, but I wished him all the best.
He was happy to share with me his love for Kerala, which included stories about Nariyal Pani, a mallu passenger he dropped off at Andheri, and a front who works in a tire company in Kerala. Also, he was so grateful when I offered him a stay if he ever wants to visit Kerala.
The Ranchi Guy had his passion for cricket and Dhoni. When asked about Dhoni, he went the same as when he was talking about his paapa, He was so obsessed with Dhoni that he wants Dhoni to be the Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
I kind of loved his innocence. Well we both agreed on one thing that both of us who knew every playing eleven of
India, till there was Dhoni and Yuvaraj playing. And the fact that now we don’t.
When the ride ended, he told me with a laugh that “ Sir Madam ji ne ye cash me add Kiya dhaa, apko pay Karne chahiye. I couldn’t resist my laugh too, I paid him online, and he asked me for a photo. I was happy to take it, I took his number and told him that I will pay a visit to his marriage, and will surely come for his Paapa's special Ranchi chicken.