I had recently lost my keys with a beautiful pre-Colombian replica as the chain so a unique one with the ohm symbol was my first purchase for 50RS, about $1.20US. I later haggled with a person I found out was the craftsman of a beautiful silk scarf (no wonder he wouldn’t budge from his asking price—I don’t blame him!) & wasn’t fazed in the least when I walked away. How much did he want? 150RS about $3.50 US at the time. I wanted the scarf for a gift & when my little show didn’t work, I marched right back to get it LOL! Then once you’ve bitten, they see what else they can get you to empty your wallet on & I ALMOST went for it, a magnificent cotton & silk bed cover for 1500RS, about 35 bucks. I mean, I don’t need a bed cover so I decide to wait. If I don’t see anything to top that one in the next couple weeks, or if it starts calling my name, then I’ll go back.
But of course the thing you pass on ain’t there when you go back! I didn’t know the merchants change after a fortnight. I was heartbroken when I didn’t see it on a subsequent visit but ended up with a most beauteous one bought in Janpath (another mad crazy place to shop located in Connaught Place or C.P. as it’s called) a week later.
My last purchase was a lovely shawl to the tune of 300RS about $7.00US! I mean this thing is GORE-JUS! Boasting inwardly about my acquisitions, it was time to meet Gautam who was more than happy to sit this spree out. He was sitting at the food court with 2 of his buddies where I met him & had to make the decision of what to eat. Like the merchants, the food vendors are from the various India states & it’s a challenge choosing something when you have no idea what you’re choosing from. After much deliberation but not too much ‘cause I was hungry, I opted for Kashmiri, why I don’t know. Maybe because it was right in front of me. Kashmir is the northernmost state of India & currently, there is a travel advisory not to go there due to the fighting. The politics involved is beyond the scope of this blog but like everything, it always boils down to ‘IT’S MINE! YOU CAN’T HAVE IT’ & MONEY.
Jolt #2 came when I found out that not only would we have to cross the six lanes yet AGAIN, I was about to return home by auto rickshaw. Because the car we arrived in belonged to a friend of Gautam who had to leave, we would be transported back by a little buggy open on both sides with the driver seated in the middle of the front, the passengers in back. Now it can only sit 2-3 folks tops, but I’ve seen up to 9 people in those suckas! The contraption reminds me of a Coney Island Amusement Park ride. Feels just like it too.
In my mind, a very pleasant voice says, ‘inhale deep Bird & remember to exhale while still in the vehicle.’
Either Gataum forgot ‘cause I know I told him, or he didn’t hear when I announced I was an auto rickshaw riding virgin. As the madman behind the controls bobbed & weaved on the bad roads & around other vehicles at break neck speed, Gataum was blissfully chatting away but noticed I wasn’t responding, my hand turning white as I held onto what?—I can’t believe I found something to grab onto but the boy was cracking up when the auto rickshaw lurched to avoid one of the many potholes in the road. Man oh man oh man oh man twuddent nothin’ exhilaratin’ ‘bout dat! Think bumper cars on the road wheelin’ & dealin’ dashin’ & puh-lease I hope not crashin’! Gautam laughed so hard his jaws started hurting. Hell, I didn’t care he was laughing because I so was worn out by that ride & too focused on willing the driver to a) slow down, which was a joke in & of itself & b) to just get me where I was going safely!!!!
The third jolt of the day, which I talked about at the top of this posting, came directly after a victory. Kali & I finally found an internet café in the neighborhood. On the way from the goldmine of a discovery to get my laptop so I could really enjoy the discovery, crossing the street directly in front of the cafe was when my plans were almost changed by the speeding auto rickshaw. Quickly putting that near disaster aside, I marveled when I saw a cow family a few blocks down—mom & dad on one side of the street, the rebellious tween on the other. Of course I didn’t have my camera. A few hours later, my internet bug satiated, the heavens open & our exit is delayed by a butt kickin’ thunderstorm so we stay put for an extra 40 minutes. Still raining & a bit of a hike, we take of all things an auto rickshaw back because it’s the only game in town.
It’s an interesting dance one must do to get into those things. The driver is like a god, you have to bargain with HIM, telling him where you want to go & giving him a price, then you wait as he reacts to what you’ve said. It could be a shake of the head, flat out refusal or you go back & forth with him on price. Sometimes there are others around who jump into the bidding fray, out do you & then triumphantly climb into the doggone auto while you stand there watching it leave even though you got there first . If it’s just you, sometimes boyfriend is slowly driving with you holding onto the sides, the negotiation dance still going on. As Spock would say, ‘Fascinating.’ As Bird would say, MADDENING, CRAZY, INSANE. Yet fascinating. Unless it’s raining.