PAGLU-2

After a long tiring day at work I plunged into the cab with one of my colleagues who happen to share the same cab drop that day. Exhausted by the long Mid year goals discussion with my supervisor, I slammed the door of the ambassador and sighed. It was late and the weather looked promising enough to give us a tough time along the 1 hour journey especially the first 30minutes.

We started our usual frustrated conversation cursing the person whose idea was to build a office at this remote location, the government of neglecting the roads and accidents in Basanti Highway, the client for not enough onsite opportunities, even the cab driver  for being late and making us wait. Just then it started pouring and we cursed out luck too.

We saw the cab driver rush from one of the small “Jhoops”, a small hut type tea stall, stuffing a Bapuji Cake in his mouth. The mobile phone battery was running low and I thought it would not be a good idea to turn on the Radio.

 "Cholo , salt lake hoye laketown”, Lake town Via Salt lake, I purposely try to sound restless and irritated by his punctuality.

“Dada, garite gaan ache?”, can you play some songs, I Ask him. Just then I looked closely at him. A skinny boy,  appeared not more than 18. He wore a red Tee with black collars with – PAGLU written in neon at his back. I wondered if he had a valid driving license.

“Naa”, he replied back regretfully.

“Jai hok”, whatever, I sighed and start the conversation with my colleague about the poor lighting condition on the roads. It had started pouring heavily by then, making it very difficult to drive.

We were progressing at a mere speed of 20km/hour along a road lined by tall trees and dense bushes.

We were crossing the local village market when he suddenly stopped the car and got down hurriedly. Not a single human being was to be spotted around. Almost all the shops had their shutter down. The heavy rains had made the visibility very poor to spot the boy’s whereabouts. Both of us were equally tensed and I literally freaked out ten minutes after the boy vanished. I was just about to call the office transport desk for help when he appeared....Drenched…with a CD in his hand!

 “CD chilo na Sir”, he said while inserting the CD. Our jaws drop, but we were really touched by the gesture.

The first song starts. Some peppy romantic Bengali song which I have not heard before.

“Ki gaan eta?”, which song is this, I ask my colleague.

“AWARA, recent movie ta”, he answered confidently. “Never heard before?”
Suddenly the driver turned back and said, “Na na, eta PAGLUr gaan, Dev ache..”
“Ki??”
“Haa ami to onekbar dekhechi, hall  e…PAGLU-2 o berochhe.. ”
We are quite amused by the response and continue the conversation with the self proclaimed Dev-fan..

 He eagerly tells us that his favorite actor is Dev, but he likes watching Jeet’s films too. He doesn’t like Koyel being paired with Dev and that he has promised to take his wife to watch PAGLU-2!

What! Is he married!! Anyways…

 My colleague starts enquiring him about how long he has been in this profession etc etc.

What seemed to be a boring journey after the long boring day at work, turned out to be a small adda drive, in the backdrop of the heavy rains and Dev hits.

Both of us equally refreshed and re-charged as we reach our respective drop points.

“Good night Madam..”

"Good night…Pore dekha hole bolo PAGLU-2 kemon laglo..”

He blushed, as he sped by.