Hate on me, Sundays.

I really miss Bombay on Sundays. Bangalore is dead on Sundays. No kidding. Actually Bangalore is dead compared to Bombay on any day of the week but Sundays really make me go, "take me back to Bombay!!!" 


On Sundays, my Salsa class is from 1pm to 2pm and I usually take a bus to get there because I hate the auto-drivers here and they're extortionately expensive and most of the auto drivers don't believe in the meter system, they just name their price, take it or leave it. Gaw, I hate it. Makes me boiling mad, I tell you. That's why most of the time I don't bother even asking because I'll just end up having a fight with the guy or unnecessarily spoil my mood or burst into angry tears of frustration. Anyway, so even when Tashu was here I stood my ground and made her wait along with me for the bus to arrive whenever we went to Commercial Street to do some shopping. And that was fine because we weren't really in a hurry and we could wait but that's not always the case. Like on Sundays when I have to get to my Salsa class and I'm just standing there waiting and waiting and waiting... Ugh. All the while, my blood pressure is probably hitting the roof and I'm angry at the darn auto drivers who make taking an auto not-an-option, the bus drivers for being so darn lethargic (seriously, sometimes when they're driving it's like they're on some sort of leisurely ride and nobody really needs to get anywhere), the government for being so corrupt and short-sighted and then this country for being so skewed, the world generally for being such a horrid place to live in and God for not (apparently) listening to my little prayers. (Sorry, Lord.) 


Anyway, I usually have to just wait it out and reach my class late no matter how early I leave. There is really only one bus that can take me there. The other buses will take me to a stop that's too far to walk and too short to take an auto and the autos, well... I already told you about that.


Ugh! I just feel so paralysed in this freaking city sometimes and it's the worst feeling in the world. Especially when I know it's possible to not be in that situation because I've honestly never been in that situation in all my three years of Bombay (okay, there were maybe a few stray incidents - Taxi drivers at Grant Rd. station anyone?) And so many questions come up in my mind. Why is it like this? Why isn't anybody doing anything about it? Why is our government so corrupt? (stupid question, I know!) And how can we go on living like this?


I know it sounds dramatic and it's not like I'm stranded in the middle of a war or something and India is still better off than a lot of other countries but it's also about perspective, isn't it? I expect better because I know we're capable, at this point of time, to be better. We're not really a poor country. We're definitely not a resource-less country. We're not short of educated, clever people who can think of solutions to these stupid problems. We have the manpower. So what the hell is going on? Why doesn't it ever feel like anything is actually happening in this country? Or am I just standing in the 'wrong' place? Maybe from the vantage point of the backseat of a chauffeured Mercedes Benz you can see that shiny 7.4% growth rate. But from down here, standing out in the hot sun waiting on what should be a simple and convenient public transport system in this big and booming 'IT' city of Bangalore, I see zilch. And I suspect those people in the bustees see even less...