A Report Less Ordinary: Part 1

Warning:This report may contain many offensive references to many offense-worthy people; so don't imagine submitting this to your Internship Coordinator, chances are she may kick your ass (yeah, even you get the same feeling when around her, huh?!)

Report: Field Trip- 27 May 2008

To: Jyotika Taneja Date: 27 May 2008

From: Nimit Kathuria

Agenda:

1. Visit the State Transport Authority office at Rajpur Road and/or Burari & find out the no. of buses at various routes, their owners & other related information.

Expectations:

I planned to just barge in to the State Transport Authority office at Rajpur Road and have a talk regarding the problem with the competent officer in charge of the Blueline buses & also ask him for the relevant statistics, while at it.

Actual Findings:

Every thing seemed to go according to the “plan”- I walked into the office, talked to a few people (bureaucrats by the way- but surprisingly very helpful!), who finally directed me to the Secretary-cum-Jt. Commissioner of Transport, Mr. S.S. Sodhi (Pascal, you are going to like this: he was/maybe still IS a Sardarjee btw; not that it matters. Much!). While waiting for him outside his office, my spirits were buoyed by the fact that a lady who was also waiting to meet him in relation to the extension of her bus permit (more on that later) told me something to the effect, “Oh! You’re here to meet Sodhi sir? Very sweet man, he’ll tell you all you need to know! Very sweet man!” Oh yeah! Thanking God (To picture me doing that, watch any of the Amitabh Bachchan movies where he talks to God. If you don't know where to begin: simply watch Deewar (salute to Salim-Javed) or Naastik), I read the sign at his office that announced “Visiting Hours: 12 pm (sic) to 1 pm”. I congratulated myself on reaching there at 12:30. But little did I know then that I’d be kept waiting for another half an hour, apparently because, “Saahab abhi chai pee rahe hain!” Chalo! Jaisi unki marzee! Afterall, pushing files all day long can get tiresome and even they need there chai (;sorry Mr. Vijay Mallya!). When finally allowed to go inside by the peon outside the room (who told a befuddled me, “Don’t tell saahab that I sent you in”), I found a meeting going on. Naturally he was annoyed to find me barging in like that, & needless to say I was embarrassed too! But then it was too late now (Murphy's law, anyone?)! When he had finished looking at me from head to toe & I had finished mumbling my purpose of visit, I got scared! Lol for all you want; you think you are invincible, eh? Try going to that sweet Sardarji Soddhi's office during a meeting; or at least don't make fun of me! Please.

End of Part 1

Keep watching this space for more...