The engine died with a sputter. Kavita was afraid of this. Her car had been groaning and growling for a week. She meant to go to the mechanic but never found the time. Journalism can be a demanding career. Kavita had little knowledge of cars and their engines. So, she knew that popping the hood open and peeking inside wasn't her job at all. The only thing she could do is take a taxi to the nearest mechanic and have her car towed to the place. She would then go home and wait like a good little customer. At least, that was the plan. 

Kavita was familiar with the road where her car had broken down. It encapsulated a residential area on the south side of the city. A personal favourite, it helped her avoid the traffic congestion on the main road, two blocks West. She walked in the direction in the hopes of finding a taxi. It could be near impossible this time of the night and the year. After all, it was late, almost twenty past eleven. And Kolkata had started to feel the chill sting her skin whenever the sun was off-duty. Not to mention, this wasn't the liveliest part of the city either.

Three taxi drivers refused without a reason. The fourth taxi driver seemed to have better things to do. And the fifth taxi driver did not want to run the meter. Kavita was jelly. Now, if there was one thing she did not want to do was call someone...