AutoWala's advice

"Auto! Auto!” Praveen was calling out at a passing by autorickshaw.


It was a Saturday evening. His roommates both from TamilNadu have gone home for a long weekend. Yeah, Monday and Tuesday were declared holidays for Pongal. He is from Pune and he did not plan his trip home. So he had to spend 4 days alone at home. Praveen is working as a Software Engineer for a MNC for the past 2 years.


"Tidel Park. How much?"

"Forty Five rupees, sir"

"Forty"
"Okay, sir"

In five minutes, they were at Teynampet signal caught up in a traffic jam.

"This signal always like this sir!. "Your cell phone ringing, sir".

"Hello Amit!" ... "Long time man. Where are you?" ... "Oh man! I read the reviews. They say the movie is good. Got some work at office?" ...

"No, nothing serious. But have to go and do it today" ... "Sorry, I wont be able to join you guys for the movie today. Another time, okay?" ...

"Aish Kar. Chal, bye!"
"You work for computer company?" asked the Auto Wala.

"Yes! How do you know that?"

"Neatly dressing, smart, having cellphone, going to Tidel Park. I am running auto for 15 years sir. I know people by seeing only."

Praveen is dulled at people outlining software engineers the way they do. "It is never easy as said. It is not the apparent money and ostensible looks that make up a software engineer," he thought. "There is more to it project, deadlines, quality, pressure, bonus, stress, onsite, and the list is long."

"Computer companies are good sir, giving job to youth. You all work very hard. I drop people from Tidel Park at midnight."

Praveen was maintaining his silence.

"Now people work like you very early. When I was youth I have many friends. We see many films. Ten, fifteen film one month. Saturday, Sunday we play cricket in Marina beach. Bet match sir for 50 rupees, 100 rupees. We win, then we will go to film or drink. I am big fan of Rajni. I see all films upto Sivaji. Now I see Ajith films also. He acting very good. That time was really enjoying sir. You dont like film-a sir?"

"No, I like watching movies. I am planning to go to ‘Om Shanti Om' tomorrow"

"Where running sir?"

"Sathyam"

"You go alone? No friends? Friends are important sir. No enjoyment without friends sir."

"My friends are going now. I have some work to finish today. So I am going tomorrow."

"Work will be there everytime sir. Youth will go sir. If you dont mistake, I say something sir?"

Though looking uninterested, he had an urge to let him go. He nodded his head, "Mmm."

"You have more money but no time to spend money. You work more and get more money. Then time is very, very less to spend money. Then why do you need money sir? See sir, it is enough if you earn as much as you can spend. My father tell it to me. I follow it sir."

Praveen was deep in thought rewinding through his senior school days with Amit. Amit was his chum in class. They had been reading together from class VII. The last movie they saw together was 'Hum Aapke Hain Kaun' during their final year at school. Both being Salman fans, they watched almost all of his movies together. Now that they both work at Chennai, they call up rarely and chitchat for sometime.

The auto came to a stop. "Tidel Park, sir" "If I talk something wrong, sorry sir."

"Thats okay. Can you take me to Sathyam theatre? Fifty rupees?"

"Okay sir. Going to film sir?"

"Yes. With my friends."

Calling Amit..Connecting.."Hello Praveen!"

"Hey Amit! I am joining you guys for the movie. Can you guys get a ticket for me? I am on my way to Sathyam."

"Good that you called me. I bought a ticket for you too before I called you up. Now I was trying to sell it out."

"Thanks man! Keep it for me."

"Come soon. See you!"