Rickety ride
Screeches, honks, maneuvers, signal breaking; all these goes in the making of a rickety ride in a rickshaw. Throughout the day, the meter clinks many a time as it goes down and down again ride after ride. ‘Passengers’ of varying creeds and categories hop in and out. The rickshaw ‘chalak’ uses every known trick under his sleeve to get you to your destination as fast as possible. This mini-“matador” on road has become symbolic with the city. They will tread on the unchartered route, use short-cuts you’ll never have thought of existing, give you the sudden unexpected jerks and sometimes if you happen to be seated in a First-class auto, you’ll be greeted with blaring music right behind your ears. But still we like our rickety rickshaw ride. But what about the driver? His meter never goes down. His ride remains bumpy all the time. Like on roads, he has to change lanes, squeeze amongst cars to support his family. He always has to honk consistently to declare his essential presence in society. The speedometer pointer doesn’t move; neither of his rickshaw nor of his life. When it rains heavily, he has to manually move the wiper to see clearly ahead. So, it turns out that the rickshaw becomes synonymous with its driver’s life. He and his rickshaw push their way forward through the busy city traffic while you are seated behind and complaining. Then, whose ride is more rickety?