It was the fourth std when I first went by an auto..I still remember the auto driver (as I call autokaar(sounds silly!)) used to "stuff" us into the auto along with our bags.We were 11 people and he has got an another trip which also includes another set of 11!A great number according to him n not for us.I still remember some moments.Our daily routine is to go to a girl's house where we wait a long time before her house..seeing from a distance she still brushing her hair cooly making us wait..With a loud shout from autokaar,then she comes and we go to a colony through a narrow road..Its not actually a road,its a dirt path made by the people.We used to hang our bags and lunch bags on either side of the auto.And it has become a sort of "rule" that one of our bags gets hit by the side wall in the narrow path and the person sitting by the side of autokaar has to go n pick it.After that we take off with loaded children and its really surprising me, how that three little wheels bore the weight of the 11 ppl.
Speaking of wheels,I went by another auto for nearly 5 years.That was when I really started loving going by auto.The autokaar is real kind and he still remembers me and never forgets to ask about me to my parents.I dont know his name till now cos I used to call him "Vijayaganth autokaar" cos he looked like him!And now coming to the wheels,we should be really careful about them.Twice,my legs have learned about them.
We used to fight(virtually) for the seats and esp for the corner in the baby seat so that we could enjoy a view and also to take a breath!!And the place with the most demands go to the place near the autokaar.I have experienced a lot more times sitting there and its real fun to be there for 2 reasons.One to escape from the crowd back there,2 is to get a thrill as though I m riding the auto.I was real calm in those autos and people actually thought I am a silent girl :)...my 10th std went by an another auto,where I was the senior among the group.It was ok!!
And atlast comes the auto of my 11th and 12th std.I swear I did go to the school regularly on my 11th and 12th not because that I liked it,but I liked the auto.I got an auto mate who was also my class mate and we all enjoyed the 10 kms ride to the school.It was fun..fun...nothing but fun..Pestering the autokaar to get us to a bakery(Its like a National Anthem,asking him daily to take us there)..shouting at him for silly reasons..always asking him to change the songs..singing aloud with the song and sorry people we were really loud that we scared away many of the other riders in the road.We,by the auto goes to the CD shop,whenever a new film is released and buy the CDs.Talking non stoply about something and everything,laughing out loud on every silly jokes coming on the way,nick naming everyone in the auto,Waving a lot of good byes when we get down from the auto as though we are not going to meet tomorrow.It was awesome.These situations were not stable throughout the year.Exam times!!Everyone will be sitting with our books and "mugging up" some questions..our faces would be chalk white and for us its the hard time of the year and for our autokaar its the calm part of the year and ofcourse he knows,there is always a 'calm' before the 'storm'.:)Our autokaar is a person with such a patience cos every evening is a "hunting time".Someone from our group would go to the canteen to get something for us for our ride back home(We saying to autokaar:"Its a long trip home..we could die of starving..we wont last that long!!"..autokaar: "God help me from these creatures!!!!") and mysteriously always getting lost somewhere(meeting her class mate and talking to her) To find this girl,another person is allotted to find out her and she always finds out the other one and her friend n automatically she also joins the chattering and they both return to the auto very late..ending up with the furious face of the autokaar..(For us its nothing..A day of 8 periods seeing the different facial expressions from our teachers,we go numb by the expressions and the face of the autokaar went always unnoticed!!)We used to enjoy the trip back home..ofcourse every school going child would love that only..
I havent gone to the school by a bus.My friends who had come by the bus used to say a lot of stories.I felt bad that time about missing those things.But now,when I think about it..I really really had the greatest time by going by auto.There are many beautiful moments and the above was some from my past which I wanted to share.
