Premanathan

This is from some time in late 2003 - early 2004. I was travelling back from IISc to Indira Nagar, to get back home. Thought it is worth a recall. Read on for the entire thing that I wrote immediately after.

Yesterday I left IISc at 9:40, it was too late to get buses I thought, but before I have got buses. I waited for 10 mins and still none. One of my friends had very concernedly asked me not to take lifts from cars and bigger vehicles so I spurned a couple of them. Finally it was getting late, and on came a spacious Qualis, I got in. "To Shivaji Nagar". Couple of more guys were there, but they were dropping off at TV Tower and Mekhri. Finally one guy was there, he wanted to go to Nandidurg road and so he wanted the driver to drop there. This meant a longer way to Shivaji nagar and I reluctantly agreed. After that guy dropped, I was slightly scared for my life and security, because some of my friends had already told me to be cautious.

I told him to drop me at Shivaji Nagar and not to trouble himself so much, he was a sharp guy, looked brash and rowdy type, talks well in Kannada, Hindi and very good in English as well for a taxi driver, he figured out that I was scared and told me not to worry. All this made me more apprehensive, and put me in a fix. He tried to reassure me saying that it is his own vehicle, and has to report at some office on the way Kensington Town or somewhere and then can drop me at Airport Road. I was really shit scared, kept on saying no no. He asked my name and place. As luck would have it, he turned out to be a Malayali. He did not speak Malayalam so well, accent worse than some people I know. He insisted and I finally agreed. He went to the office to sign. Came back and I told him to drop me at places closest to 100ft road or airport rd, whichever is more convenient. His wife called him on his mobile, and he was telling her about me, jokingly, and I am scared and his not fluent Malayalam was even more scaring me. His wife spoke to me, told me that her hubby is a nice chap, she is from Kottayam and she speaks native Malayalam properly. She told not to worry, and he takes care of me properly. Finally he takes only 5 rupees, less than bus charge, despite my insistence, drops me at Ulsoor Police Station. Got a Domlur bus, but dropped off at CMH road for yet another long walk on the 100 ft road.

There are much more good people in this world than I think, meeting Premanathan has been a refreshing experience.

Still I realize that I should be more careful about my life, and better still make sure that I leave IISc earlier or stay back, and not take similar chances, at least late night.