Yesterday outside Nampally station a man with a huge suitcase asked me how to reach Salar
Jung Museum. His phone map kept pointing him towards a wall. He was sweating through his
shirt. I told him to take an auto, 80 rupees at most. He said, they're asking 300.
So I stood next to him and bargained with the next driver until it was
90. The driver kept looking at me like I was the tourist. I said, I'm
a local, brother. He said, then why are you standing here? I had no answer.
I was late for an appointment anyway. The tourist offered me 100 rupees. I refused. He insisted.
I refused again, a little louder. A woman selling jasmine at the corner laughed at the whole thing.
He kept saying thank you the whole time, with both hands joined, which embarrassed me. It
took 4 minutes of my day. He talked about it like I'd found his lost wallet.
He was from Kolkata, here for a cousin's wedding, and nobody had picked him up. I watched
the auto until it turned the corner at the end of the road, just to be
sure. I was 10 minutes late to my appointment and the client didn't mind at all.
I told him the story and he said the same thing happened to him in Mumbai once.
A stranger helped him find a hotel, and he still calls that man every
Eid. I haven't given anyone my address, but I've still checked the post box twice.