Educating people on things that they don't know is a hobby for me. I enjoy it thoroughly whether the receiving party likes it or not. Whether it is solicited or not, I will do that job to the best of my satisfaction !
First things first. Let me start off by giving an important piece of information. Tomorrow, May/15 is my birthday. Let me educate you well, one does expect wishes from all on his birthday and I am no exception. So you need to wish me tomorrow, without fail !
But there are instances when one has to educate others forcefully.
The other day I was traveling from Bangalore to Kochi in the train, Kochuveli express. It reaches Salem by 10 PM and invariably it would prove two things as it stops at Salem station. People who board from Salem like to talk loudly. That too they prefer to talk in broad light. That day was no different. I had my dinner and just entered into sleep as there was nothing else to do. Suddenly the lights were switched on, yes the train had arrived Salem. I was waiting for people shouting "Unga berth keezhaya meleya ? ( your berth is top or bottom in Tamil ). As if the whole world is interested to know who is on top and who is on bottom !
But I heard some thing else this time.
"Show me the ticket ?" growled at me that thick mushy, stout, 100+ Kg Police inspector. From his uniform I could make out that he belonged to TamilNadu police and was no way connected to Railways. He, with his deputy - a thin stooping fellow, was probably on the look out of a worse criminal than me ! To me he looked like Yama with Chitragupta by the side.
I quickly took out my mobile from the pocket. "No need to call anybody, all I need is ticket" he shouted and made sure all my co-passengers who might have been immune to light but not that much to noise also woke up. "It is an e-ticket sent by sms on my phone" I whispered to him at the lowest voice possible. As Yama was giving me a dirty look, Chitragupta told him that these days mobile-tickets are also acceptable. He picked up my phone, and started scrolling up and down to find some information obviously which was not available in that sms. "It says Sundaresh + 4, where are the other names?". Yes, I realised it was time for me to educate him. I replied in a much louder voice ensuring that all other passengers in the coach woke up and got educated by me. "You may go and ask the Train Ticket Examiner ( TTE, no idea why we all call him TT and not the TTE ). He has all the names". Yama calmed down a bit by my aggression. Though I was ready to go for a identity parade of all my other 4 relatives in front of him, they were also woken up for the day anyways ! Instead Yama quietly asked me why it implemented like this and is there a provision of printing the paper ticket at all. I got golden opportunity to give fundas, I forgot all my sleep. I gave him all the info on nature, trees, preservation, online reservation, mobile tickets, sms et all to the best of my knowledge and capabilities. Yama was happy. Chitragupta was happy too, he didn't even open his small booklet ! I survived. I was happier that I managed to do something good in training sector which the Railways/police could not do.
"Orange bittu bidi, athu namathu" I shouted in Kannada. You may wonder why. Please read on.
This is another incident at Bangalore bus station a week back.
I was waiting at the bus stop like place in front of Bangalore railway station. Where the buses coming from Pune stop. Waiting for arrival of Airavat bus, the white elephant, bringing my daughter. I was struggling to "withstand" at the stop, one side being "pay and use" and the other side being "use without pay". As the bus approached, at least 15 or more auto drivers were already on the foot board looking for their "preys". This was usual and did not surprise me. But one more new thing happened. Advance booking also started. "Blue is mine, Black is mine". Each one was indicating that a particular passenger dressed in that color would be transported by him. Then I heard one of the drivers shouting "Orange namathu ( Orange is mine in Kannada ). I looked up and found that it was my daughter in Orange T-Shirt. I had to educate these drivers about two things. One, Orange clad lady is my daughter. Two, do not crowd around in front of the bus door which creates a lot of inconvenience to passengers, who are only half-alive after 14 hours of bus travel ! That's why I shouted "Orange bittu bidi, athu namathu" ( Leave Orange, it is mine in Kannada ). They all looked back, probably they heard a voice not familiar, I would not have sounded like one of their colleagues ! Any way, my education to them worked. They accepted that message with a grin, gave a little more way for my daughter to alight from the bus, a bit more peacefully !
Please do not hesitate to educate others when you get a chance, obviously on things which you know. It may not do any harm, but many a times it may benefit others. But, watch out the reactions and body language of the recipient. After all, wasting energy with no purpose is not good at all - one more education for you from me with a definite purpose !
First things first. Let me start off by giving an important piece of information. Tomorrow, May/15 is my birthday. Let me educate you well, one does expect wishes from all on his birthday and I am no exception. So you need to wish me tomorrow, without fail !
But there are instances when one has to educate others forcefully.
The other day I was traveling from Bangalore to Kochi in the train, Kochuveli express. It reaches Salem by 10 PM and invariably it would prove two things as it stops at Salem station. People who board from Salem like to talk loudly. That too they prefer to talk in broad light. That day was no different. I had my dinner and just entered into sleep as there was nothing else to do. Suddenly the lights were switched on, yes the train had arrived Salem. I was waiting for people shouting "Unga berth keezhaya meleya ? ( your berth is top or bottom in Tamil ). As if the whole world is interested to know who is on top and who is on bottom !
But I heard some thing else this time.
"Show me the ticket ?" growled at me that thick mushy, stout, 100+ Kg Police inspector. From his uniform I could make out that he belonged to TamilNadu police and was no way connected to Railways. He, with his deputy - a thin stooping fellow, was probably on the look out of a worse criminal than me ! To me he looked like Yama with Chitragupta by the side.
I quickly took out my mobile from the pocket. "No need to call anybody, all I need is ticket" he shouted and made sure all my co-passengers who might have been immune to light but not that much to noise also woke up. "It is an e-ticket sent by sms on my phone" I whispered to him at the lowest voice possible. As Yama was giving me a dirty look, Chitragupta told him that these days mobile-tickets are also acceptable. He picked up my phone, and started scrolling up and down to find some information obviously which was not available in that sms. "It says Sundaresh + 4, where are the other names?". Yes, I realised it was time for me to educate him. I replied in a much louder voice ensuring that all other passengers in the coach woke up and got educated by me. "You may go and ask the Train Ticket Examiner ( TTE, no idea why we all call him TT and not the TTE ). He has all the names". Yama calmed down a bit by my aggression. Though I was ready to go for a identity parade of all my other 4 relatives in front of him, they were also woken up for the day anyways ! Instead Yama quietly asked me why it implemented like this and is there a provision of printing the paper ticket at all. I got golden opportunity to give fundas, I forgot all my sleep. I gave him all the info on nature, trees, preservation, online reservation, mobile tickets, sms et all to the best of my knowledge and capabilities. Yama was happy. Chitragupta was happy too, he didn't even open his small booklet ! I survived. I was happier that I managed to do something good in training sector which the Railways/police could not do.
"Orange bittu bidi, athu namathu" I shouted in Kannada. You may wonder why. Please read on.
This is another incident at Bangalore bus station a week back.
I was waiting at the bus stop like place in front of Bangalore railway station. Where the buses coming from Pune stop. Waiting for arrival of Airavat bus, the white elephant, bringing my daughter. I was struggling to "withstand" at the stop, one side being "pay and use" and the other side being "use without pay". As the bus approached, at least 15 or more auto drivers were already on the foot board looking for their "preys". This was usual and did not surprise me. But one more new thing happened. Advance booking also started. "Blue is mine, Black is mine". Each one was indicating that a particular passenger dressed in that color would be transported by him. Then I heard one of the drivers shouting "Orange namathu ( Orange is mine in Kannada ). I looked up and found that it was my daughter in Orange T-Shirt. I had to educate these drivers about two things. One, Orange clad lady is my daughter. Two, do not crowd around in front of the bus door which creates a lot of inconvenience to passengers, who are only half-alive after 14 hours of bus travel ! That's why I shouted "Orange bittu bidi, athu namathu" ( Leave Orange, it is mine in Kannada ). They all looked back, probably they heard a voice not familiar, I would not have sounded like one of their colleagues ! Any way, my education to them worked. They accepted that message with a grin, gave a little more way for my daughter to alight from the bus, a bit more peacefully !
Please do not hesitate to educate others when you get a chance, obviously on things which you know. It may not do any harm, but many a times it may benefit others. But, watch out the reactions and body language of the recipient. After all, wasting energy with no purpose is not good at all - one more education for you from me with a definite purpose !
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