Everyday I open my blog stare my photograph for 5 seconds, read my blog for several times and then i remember, ooh i have to log in.. for intial few days the same sequence continued. Again, i used to wonder as to what should i write ? i used to look around, if anything inspired me ... but alas nothing. I used to quietly sign out and get back to my usual work and then for the rest of the day i used to forget that i have anything called as my own blog.
But one thing was on my mind - writing on my own Kokan, as i had recently visited my native - Kokan for Ganpati festival. wanted to write on its people, the small roof top houses with small 'Angan' and water well. The scenic mersmerizing beauty, tall coconut trees at times straight at times curved like an arc, the staple food, fishing boats, river streams etc etc etc. but i was jus waiting for the photos to be uploaded and then start writing over it.
Anyways, for two weeks i was in Thana staying with my vahini as my parents had not returned from village. I used to commute to my office located at Andheri by train as travelling by bus used to take a hell lot of time. It had become a daily routine for me. I remember, it was Wednesday, that means Non-Veg eating day. I told my vahini that i'll get Butter Chkn from one of the famous resto at Andheri (MIDC) called 'Gazalee'. After paying 286 Rs. jus for 1 butter chkn and 2 kokam kadi (it disturbed my entire budget), I was left with only 20 Rs. I thought of travelling by bus directly to Thane as i was tired of changing ten different mode of transport. So i decided to take non A/C 496 bus to thana. i got into a crowded bus with two parcels in my hand (one of buter chkn & other of kokam kadi). It was too uncomfortable but to my surprise i enjoyed that journey, well ofcourse for some particular reason.
No, there was no handsome guy travelling in that bus but a very unexpected person.
A BEST employee - Conductor. A very negligble post in the hierarchy of the BEST transport. The normal tendency of the conductors is too bad, making people annoyed when they deny to cut tickets for passengers just coz they dont have change and famously known for their rude and foul mouthed, though at times we forget that these poor guys have to stand continously and manage to reach every passenger to give them their tickets so that their travel becomes valid. So sometimes their anger is also justified. But the conductor about whom I am writing was a jolly good fellow and hilarious. His gentle approach made the passengers forget their irritation. though i got a seat later (reserved ladies seat) but i was still listening to him. His smiling face made that hectic and packed crowded journey wonderful. Who says that only people who have climbed the stairs of schools can solve the tedious maths ? His words, statements, the pitch and tone of his voice, his timing of passing some hilarious comments were like a perfectly calculated mathematics.
We take management degrees just to learn how to communicate with your customers and attract them with your kind words. There are big big case studies in the books of MBA's written in wonderful American english language with smooth touch of French words like creme da la creme or derived words from Italian or German language. But this conductor being an illiterate could prove a very good case study for all. With his simple Ghati language he could divert the attention of the public which otherwise would have been cursing their co-passengers. I desparately wanted to tell him that we actually read books to learn this tactics but you proved that big fat books does not necessarily mean big skills, it needs to be within. The skill of convincing your customers and target audience, the art of playing with your words should be in-built. Books are just for the additional knowledge.
Well, though i could not express my thoughts to him, as to be frank I did not have that guts to walk towards him and appreciate but I can never forget this person; short thin built middle aged human being who had a good lesson to teach, especially the Communication Professionals, that includes me too.
