I, Yousuf & my handicapped Bike

For sure, We all will miss this date for the next 4 years. This day(29.02.2008) will remain in my memory for long.

It was quite hectic day at office today, as it is for the past couple of months. Suddenly things have turned around bcoz of few unexpected changes. I hardly find time these days to play Pacman. But, LIFE GOES ON.

Our team will be in a weekend mood right from the time they step-in to the office on the friday morning(only). Colourful dresses, Beautiful, Charming & Fresh faces, fully energetic and enthu with fun filled ambiance. They hardly work post lunch and start counting minutes(& literally seconds also) for the clock to tick 6PM. and slowly people vanish. Today, it was only Me & one of my colleagues (two poor souls) who were slogging hard even at 9PM. I worked till 9PM and thought...... ENOUGH. What am I doing on a Friday evening @ office? We thought of calling it a day and leave office. We decided to come on SAT,SUN & wrap the things. It was about 9.15PM by the time we reached cellar parking.

We both stay at two different locations. He needs to catch an auto and I have my bike(partially handicapped). We both wished good night to one another and he left the place. I went to take my bike and realized that it got PUNCTURED !! F**K, man, it is already 9.15 PM. I asked the watch man if there are any mechanic shops nearby. He gave me the direction. I called up my colleague & luckily he didnot catch the auto till that time. I asked him to come back to parking. With his company I went to that mechanic shop which is some 200Metres from my office(luckily). Thank God ! It is still open. We asked the mechanic to stay there for another 10 mins, so that we can get the BIKE from parking. I had only 100bucks in my wallet that time. I thought of borrowing few more from my colleague & When I asked him, he said he has purchased a Quarter WHISKEY just now !! and he is left only with sufficient amount to reach home. We went to the ICICI BANK ATM in our office. This damn thing as always was not working ! We went to CITI BANK ATM on the opposite side of the road(hoping CITI BANK ATM for sure will have money). After waiting for 15 mins in queue we went IN. But even this was not working(amazing... only ICICI debit cards are not working!!). Then we walked a lil more(around 200 mts) and went to another ICICI ATM. Even this was not working !!! Shocked,Confused,Amazed,Perplexed.....& asked the watchman of ICICI ATM the reason. He said there is some problem with ICICI servers & hence no ICICI debit card will work.

We both looked at each other's faces faces and laughed at our fate for sometime. Helpless. I asked my colleague to leave to his home. I took my bike from office parking and went to the mechanic to check if he can fix the puncture without changing the tube, thus saving money. He said if the tube needs to be changed then it costs Rs.170. And I am sure the tube needs to be changed coz, I am facing this situation for the second consecutive day(forgot to mention Feb 28th night's experience. Bike had a puncture the earlier day also!!). And I had only 100 bucks.

I explained my current financial status to that kid. His name is Yousuf(around 14) .

This is how the conversation went...

ME: suno... koi ATM kaam nahi kar raha hai. aur mere paas ye 100 Rupees hai. Aap tube change kar dena, aur mera office ka ID card rakhlena. Mein kal subha office aanese pehle tumse leloonga.

Yousuf: nahi bhaiyya, mujhe account apne saab ko dikhana padega.

ME: bhai, mein wo jo company dikhraha hai na. usme hi kaam kartha hoon. Apna ID card ke bina andar jaa nahi sakhta hoon. Samaj rahe ho? agar chahiye tho ye 100 lo aur kaam suru karo. Mein baaki paisa kal subha dedoonga nad apna ID apse loonga. theek hai ?

Yousuf: bhaiyya, aap ab phir se ATM try karo. upar satillite ki problem hogi. mujhe bhi aksar hota hai. 15-20 mins mein theek ho jayega. Aap phir se try karo. Is baar pakka theek hogaya hoga.

ME: bahut late hogaya, mein ATM ke paas hi kaha khada rahoon, raat ke dus bajgaye. Agar karna hai tho, kaam suru karo aur ye lo mera ID. varna, mein apna bike office mein chod doonga aur auto se ghar jaonga.

Yousuf: aap kitne baje office aaoge?

ME: subha ke 11 baje.

Yousuf: aap pakka kal aaoge na? kal saturday hai na.

ME: kal saturday hai, isiliye 11-12 baje aaonga.

Yousuf: chalo, theek hai. mein tube change tho karoonga, lekin bike theek hone ke baad, ek baar ATM chalo. Agar paisa niklega tho abhi dedo.

ME: chal, theek hai. fatafat kaam suru kar.

He started the work. He is a kid and half of the work was done by ME !! Finally he opened the tube and said bhaiyya, nalli nikhal gaya. tube change karna hi padega ! ( my guess was right!).
Then, he said, bhiayya, tyre bhi bahut puraana hogaya, grip nahi hai. Naya tube daloonga tho bhi, agar chotisi phattar se bhi puncture ho saktha hai. woh second hand tyre jo dikhai dera, vuse replace karu ?

ME: kitna me milega woh purana trye?

Yousuf: Rs. 200

ME: Tyre + Tube = Rs.275 ??

Yousuf: chalo, Rs.300 dedo.

ME: OK

He replaced both the tube and tyre. Then we went to ATM again. and luckily this time ATM is working !! I gave him his 300 bucks and said THANQ BOSS.