"Can you read?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I said c-a-n y-o-u r-e-a-d?"
"ummmm....yes-s-s of course....why?"
"Coz you don't look blind!
And now you claim you can read
Then please will you tell me what's written on the notice just above this counter?"
That's what this is all about then.
"I am sorry" I mumble " I'll just check for the change"
I hunt about frantically in my purse
"Stand aside please " says the irritated voice once again "others have a train to catch u know!
Others who are considerate enough to actually read when they can!" he growls
I step aside, face flaming.
The man behind me steps forward and slips in his coins, casting a sympathetic eye on my flushed cheeks..
I am headed to the hospital.
I take the Metro everyday to work.
And this has never happened before.
That's largely 'coz I have never come across this ticket counter guy before.
He's new here.
He's into his mid forties I guess
A lean thin man with thinning hair and a fast receding hairline
He has a face criss-crossed with wrinkles or worry lines or frown lines more like [ if there's any such thing in the english vocabulary. And if not, I hope you still get the picture]
His eyes are slitlike with irritation and he has an unkept pair of moustache with a equally horrid beard to go with it.
He's fast though unlike other counter people I have come across
And he frowns in concentration everytime he enters data into the computer.
His light blue shirt, a part of the Kolkata Metro Services Employees' Uniform is crumpled and just as criss-crossed with worry lines as his face.
He glares at me as I meekly slide in the required change after the next person leaves with his ticket.
I am adequately rebuked.
And thereafter I always make it a point to carry the exact change for Crumpled-of-the-Counter
Always.
I see him every morning now
He never misses any oppurtunity to browbeat change-less offenders to a pulp
And if you argue back you end up not only missing your train but also being the recipient of very dirty looks from all the fellow commuters behind you who misses theirs too because of you.
Soon his ferocious reputation spreads far and wide.
All daily commuters now save up their last coin for Crumpled
Afterall very few people can afford to miss a metro during the office rush hour not to mention afford to start a perfectly good work day with Crumpled's ill will.
So we all stand in a neat line every morning and meekly turn in our changes as Crumpled glares us down anyways and puts the fear of God into our blemished souls.
This becomes a dreaded routine until one fine day a stranger arrives in our midst.
The first thing I notice about him is his camouflage patterned cargos with innumerable pockets and even more numerous chains, zippers and padlocks (!!!)
He wears a white V-necked T-shirt and a camouflage patterned vest (?!!) over it, again with innumerable zippers zigzagging hither and thither and Almighty knows serving what purpose!
Two dogtags hang from a silver chain at his neck
White ipod earplugs firmly in place.
He stands just ahead of me in the line and occasionally nods his head in tune with what I assume is the music playing on his ipod
I instantly know he spells DISASTER
IN CAPITAL LETTERS
And right on cue he slips in the fatal 10 rupee note through the semicircular window!
Snap comes up Crumpled's head
Eyes flaming with hell fire
Nose breathing the same.
"Can you read?" he snaps at Dogtags
Dogtags just nods and holds out 4 fingers on his right hand indicating the fare he seeks
" CAN YOU READ?"
I expect the glass screen to shatter any second now
"Huh?" is all Dogtags volunteer
Crumpled now furiously rap the glass screen and indicates his ear.
Dogtags is mystified with all this arm-flailing and finally curiously removes one of his earplugs
"Huh?" he goes again.
"C-A-N Y-O-U R-E-A-D Y-O-U-N-G M-A-N?"
"Yup! Why?"
Dogtags sways to his music
"READ THE NOTICE THEN. R-I-G-H-T T-H-E-R-E!"
Crumpled positively explodes now
Dogtags raises his eyebrow
"Oh! That!
Chillax Dude
You may keep the change my good man" he winks
Thunderclouds gather, lightning crackles
And then it starts to rain!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Sweet revenge!
A secret smile sneaks out on every face.
Until that is Crumpled's over-bright eyes and his more-crumpled-than-ever-before face is noticed!
All accusing eyes turn in unison upon the nonplussed Dogtags
"Why did you have to do that?" they all demand
"The guy was only doing his job for a change" we all defend unanimously!
