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The Auto Wala
"That will be eighty rupees, madam", Ramu said with a smile.
The young woman didn't reciprocate his smile. She paid the fare and went away immediately. This was not the first person to do so. Every morning, everyone who took Ramu's auto rickshaw to the office had a melancholic expression. However, that never discouraged Ramu from wearing that bright smile on his face.
"Auto, auto!" A man screamed the next morning as Ramu was returning after dropping a passenger.
"Where to, sir?"
"How much to the metro?"
"Fifty rupees"
"Okay, let's go"
This man seemed different. He looked fresh and lovely unlike every other passenger Ramu has seen. He had a sense of enthusiasm on his face and made Ramu's heart feel warm and happy. What was different in him than others?
"Sir, can I ask you something?" Ramu said, without looking away from the road ahead.
"Yes?" The man said.
"Everyone who takes a ride in my auto is sad and tired for some reason. But you look more enthusiastic"
"Ha.. haa", the man laughed. "It's not your auto that's the problem. Most people coming to work travel in a crowded bus or metro for hours. They are already tired and the thought that they need to spend another 8 hours at work does drain their energy even before reaching their workplace. That's why almost everyone is sad in the morning.
"I don't feel like thinking about what the rest of the day will be like. I just enjoy the moment and try to make the most out of it"
"And how do you do that?" Ramu asked.
"I have a friend who shares a few songs with me every morning. I listen to them and reply to him with more songs. This way, both of us spend our travels to work listening to what each other has to say through music. I really enjoy doing it", the man replied.
When the auto reached the metro station, the man took out a 50 rupees note from his wallet.
"You don't have to pay me, sir. You made my day and that's worth much more. Thanks", Ramu said with a wide smile.
That evening, Ramu got hard at work to make his passengers' days much more interesting. His son was studying computers in a small college. He asked him about web development and APIs. Although it was difficult for Ramu to understand the intricacies of the software world, in the next two days, he had exactly what he wanted.
…
"Auto!" A woman called Ramu's auto rickshaw.
"Global tech park", she said.
"Eighty rupees, madam", Ramu said with his usual smile.
"Alright", she said and got into Ramu's auto.
When the ride started, the woman noticed a poster on one of the walls of the auto rickshaw that said, "Listen to what the previous passenger has for you"
Then there was a QR code below it. The woman scanned the QR code with her phone. Immediately, her music app opened up and a song started playing. The woman started enjoying the song. The song went, "Gazab ka hai yeh din, gazab ka hai yeh din, gazab ka hai yeh din dekho zara…"
She started to gently move her body as if she was dancing to the music. Ramu could see her enjoying the song through the rearview mirror.
When the ride ended, the woman scanned another QR code to pay the fare. Before her payment app opened, a pop-up appeared that said, "Have a song to recommend to the next passenger? Share it here to make their day!"
A smile appeared on her face. She immediately shared a song and paid the fare. Then she thanked Ramu for such an amazing experience. Ramu's already bright face lit up brighter seeing her smile.
While anyone can add a music system to their auto rickshaw, what Ramu was doing was much more deeply personal. Every passenger was given that piece of music by a real person. That is what made the whole thing much more interesting and memorable. Every time you got to listen to an enthusiastic song, you would know the previous passenger wants you to feel energetic for the day. Every time you got to listen to a sad song, you would know the previous passenger was depressed about something. Every time you got to listen to a motivational song you would feel as if the previous person read your mind and wants you to feel better. Those were not just songs in Ramu's auto. Those were emotions that were transferred from one passenger to another.
Soon, Ramu's auto rickshaw became very popular. Eventually, all other auto-walas started copying Ramu's music-sharing technique. Ramu didn't mind. It was not a race to become the richest auto driver. It was a way to spread happiness. And Ramu succeeded in doing that.
Since that day, every passenger smiled back at Ramu when he smiled at them during their ride to work.
© arpan
The young woman didn't reciprocate his smile. She paid the fare and went away immediately. This was not the first person to do so. Every morning, everyone who took Ramu's auto rickshaw to the office had a melancholic expression. However, that never discouraged Ramu from wearing that bright smile on his face.
"Auto, auto!" A man screamed the next morning as Ramu was returning after dropping a passenger.
"Where to, sir?"
"How much to the metro?"
"Fifty rupees"
"Okay, let's go"
This man seemed different. He looked fresh and lovely unlike every other passenger Ramu has seen. He had a sense of enthusiasm on his face and made Ramu's heart feel warm and happy. What was different in him than others?
"Sir, can I ask you something?" Ramu said, without looking away from the road ahead.
"Yes?" The man said.
"Everyone who takes a ride in my auto is sad and tired for some reason. But you look more enthusiastic"
"Ha.. haa", the man laughed. "It's not your auto that's the problem. Most people coming to work travel in a crowded bus or metro for hours. They are already tired and the thought that they need to spend another 8 hours at work does drain their energy even before reaching their workplace. That's why almost everyone is sad in the morning.
"I don't feel like thinking about what the rest of the day will be like. I just enjoy the moment and try to make the most out of it"
"And how do you do that?" Ramu asked.
"I have a friend who shares a few songs with me every morning. I listen to them and reply to him with more songs. This way, both of us spend our travels to work listening to what each other has to say through music. I really enjoy doing it", the man replied.
When the auto reached the metro station, the man took out a 50 rupees note from his wallet.
"You don't have to pay me, sir. You made my day and that's worth much more. Thanks", Ramu said with a wide smile.
That evening, Ramu got hard at work to make his passengers' days much more interesting. His son was studying computers in a small college. He asked him about web development and APIs. Although it was difficult for Ramu to understand the intricacies of the software world, in the next two days, he had exactly what he wanted.
…
"Auto!" A woman called Ramu's auto rickshaw.
"Global tech park", she said.
"Eighty rupees, madam", Ramu said with his usual smile.
"Alright", she said and got into Ramu's auto.
When the ride started, the woman noticed a poster on one of the walls of the auto rickshaw that said, "Listen to what the previous passenger has for you"
Then there was a QR code below it. The woman scanned the QR code with her phone. Immediately, her music app opened up and a song started playing. The woman started enjoying the song. The song went, "Gazab ka hai yeh din, gazab ka hai yeh din, gazab ka hai yeh din dekho zara…"
She started to gently move her body as if she was dancing to the music. Ramu could see her enjoying the song through the rearview mirror.
When the ride ended, the woman scanned another QR code to pay the fare. Before her payment app opened, a pop-up appeared that said, "Have a song to recommend to the next passenger? Share it here to make their day!"
A smile appeared on her face. She immediately shared a song and paid the fare. Then she thanked Ramu for such an amazing experience. Ramu's already bright face lit up brighter seeing her smile.
While anyone can add a music system to their auto rickshaw, what Ramu was doing was much more deeply personal. Every passenger was given that piece of music by a real person. That is what made the whole thing much more interesting and memorable. Every time you got to listen to an enthusiastic song, you would know the previous passenger wants you to feel energetic for the day. Every time you got to listen to a sad song, you would know the previous passenger was depressed about something. Every time you got to listen to a motivational song you would feel as if the previous person read your mind and wants you to feel better. Those were not just songs in Ramu's auto. Those were emotions that were transferred from one passenger to another.
Soon, Ramu's auto rickshaw became very popular. Eventually, all other auto-walas started copying Ramu's music-sharing technique. Ramu didn't mind. It was not a race to become the richest auto driver. It was a way to spread happiness. And Ramu succeeded in doing that.
Since that day, every passenger smiled back at Ramu when he smiled at them during their ride to work.
© arpan
