Chapter 9- A
Lost On The Way- 1
Journey had begun. It was first one hour of the journey which went in a peace and without much of the discussion. BUT, moment Raghav saw a board indicating "Express highway", he started off with his plan, "Take a right from next signal next to Mc.Donalds," he ordered Kalpana sitting next to her. Kalpana looked at him, "But sir... If we have to reach Palghar, we need to go straight, because..." her words were cut by same demanding tone of Raghav, "Just take RIGHT! Because I told you so, I have a relative and friend to meet and I know their way..."
Kalpana: (while completely focused on driving): "Sure sir, but can I please see the address?" she requested.
Raghav: "What's your problem? Don't you get one simple thing in your head, if I say right, I want you to take right ...!! And If I know there is Mc. D here, means I know the route for our travel..." He said angrily glaring at her and pointing at Mc.D.
Left with no other option, Kalpana followed his instruction and took right...
As they travelled further ahead, Raghav told her to take right yet again, which confused Kalpana as she again started questioning Raghav,
Kalpana: "Sir, but that side is a complete market area, and it leads to central hub, and not western where we need to travel..."
Raghav: "Just keep quiet... Even I know where I want to go and how I want to travel."
Kalpana rolled her eyes as she steered the taxi to right while driving. Post this without any further arguing closing her mental Mumbai guide, she just kept on following every instruction which Raghav gave. Then she took left, when she felt there had to be turn, he made her go straight, then a northwest road, finally till Kalpana completely lost track of her own routes and city, following his instructions and now being highly confused and controlling her anger.
It was after sometime, that Raghav suddenly felt a need to take a break and he asked Kalpana to halt the car while he got his refreshment break... Kalpana looked at the place and was irritated now...!!!! She had known this place and it had much faster and easier way to come then whatever stupid and circles root they had taken... "Grrr... Why the hell am I even travelling with this man..." It was already 11 now... and this break would mean more delay in reaching, and Sahil had booked a small place for her stay in Vasai, where she would be after dropping Raghav... Kalpana didn't wish to waste time this way as much she just wanted to reach the place and finish off this driving quota for the day. Raghav had his tea and snacks... As Kalpana too took her mini break, "Who eats so much at night???" Kalpana thought while seeing Raghav from other end of his air-conditioned hotel as he munched on some chips, samosas and biscuits, along with tea. Kalpana rolled her eyes as she settled herself in the car, and stretched back the driver seat and rested for a while.
It was almost around 12.15 that Raghav came outside, after taking his short break. Kalpana opened her eyes, and excused herself as she got down from the car and went near the tap and splashed some cold water on her face, making Raghav just stand there in a position of statue and watched her actions. She came back wiping her face and grabbed her seat ready for more twists and turns.
Raghav: "Now from here we have to go straight... And then take a right, there would be a huge tower called ADT builders and constructions, we have to slight turn towards right and go on straight... Till bus-stop... and then take a left..."
Kalpana: "But sir... There is a constr..."
Raghav: "No buts... Just follow as I said."
Kalpana just nodded her head and started her car, she was definitely impressed by Raghav's knowledge about streets and areas, I mean, knowing about ADT buildings after turns, is not too simple thing, the office was located in one of those far away areas from regular routes. She hence didn't argue much on it... "maybe that road has been constructed now, let's see..."... As Raghav continued guiding the route, Kalpana started once again locking her brains and follow his instructions like a robot ... She had once again lost touch with her mental guide... And completely lost the control to even speak or question his routes.
"SCREEECHHH" the car halted, giving forward jerk to Raghav and Kalpana, thankfully they had worn seatbelts or else, they would have surely hit their head injuring themselves with front glass.
Raghav: (angrily): What the heck?????
Kalpana: simply looked at him and signalled his attention to the board ahead, "Under Construction", and looked at him, "Sorry sir, I still wouldn't mind travelling ahead... but Maharashtra development do not work according to your requirements... and your routes..."
Raghav was shocked... "Ok, then take reverse..." and Kalpana hit the gears in reverse mode and started riding backwards, till they were on main road, and stopped and looked at Raghav. Raghav: "Now take a U-turn, and go straight, then take a right... We will use next street to catch the Station lane. Kalpana took the U-Turn as per his suggestion and then right only to be met with "DEAD END" in front of car. She once again looked at Raghav, who was now confused. He looked at Kalpana, kind of embarrassed... (Just kind of...)...
Raghav: "Fine! Drive back to ADT offices and then will re-route ourselves."
Kalpana: (smiles) "Sure sir, please tell me how to reach there???
Her words shocked Raghav... as he looked around it had buildings on one side, and trees on other, dead end in front and only one way out, i.e. reverse. But undoubtedly, his over smart revenge planned seemed to be fouled back very badly...
He doubting his own directions for now with hesitance asks Kalpana to reverse the car. Kalpana does and stops. "What??? Why did you stop?" Raghav asked angrily. "Well, you didn't tell me where to go ahead... So where do I gear my Taxi?" she asked curiously...
"Well... Um... Take straight now..." he ordered, and Kalpana does that ... she keeps driving straight, till they reach a dead end, and almost nearing a road with trees on both sides and far away from real city's hustle bustle. "Now?" she asked ... "Now Take right..." he said... still not wishing to lose against Kalpana.
Kalpana follows his instructions, and not expecting herself to now at all reach to any familiar place no matter how she tries her best to open her mental map... and bring themselves out from situation where their sir's superb geography knowledge has put them.
FINALLY GIVING UP HIS PLAN to never accept defeat and find way out after almost 2 more hours of confusion and at late night like 1.45 a.m.
AND Not before, Kalpana who was now equally confused refused to now move ahead as she finally broke her silence in frustration, "What the heck are we doing here!!!???? We seem to be just taking rounds and rounds and tangling on roads even more..." she shouted finally exploding at irrational direction tips.
"FINE!" shouted back Raghav looking at her, "You can take your own way to Palghar now... anyways it's too late to go to any other place", he completed with equal loud tone.
"I can take???" Kalpana confirmed not believing, what she heard after being confused as she turned to him completely moving herself to side, while he looked ahead blankly... "Mr. Raghav Singhaniya,,, that is Prem's sir... I think, you are the one who now needs to be sure of directions, because I seriously HAVE NO CLUE where we are???" she said. Raghav looked back at her with equal rage, "Why?? Why don't you... after all this is your city... Your home town, your love and whatever... You should know where we are and how do we go about..." as he said these, Kalpana stared at him with mouth open and eyes smaller, "Sure sir, had this been my city and my route, we would have been at decided place by now! But it seems it's going to be your way... Who had trapped us in this trouble...!!" Kalpana answered back.
Raghav as casually replied, "So what you are the driver, and you should be able to guide ahead from anywhere... Afterall you are the guide of Mumbai right..." Kalpana smiled back sarcastically, as she again sat straight on her seat, "Mein sirf guide hoon, koi GPS nai... ki mujhe pata ho, ki hum kahan and kaise jaaye..." (I am just the guide and not GPS system to find out where we are and where to go...) She said with irritation... Raghav rolled his eyes, till something striked him, "Omg... Yes... GPS..." he said... as she pulled out his phone from his pocket and started stretching his hand out in several direction to get apt. network... just to find out where they are and some way out... He got out of the car just to find that one piece of information, as Kalpana just looked on. After few minutes of worries on his face, Kalpana observed sudden spark of happiness, as he came near taxi with fast pace, "We are near some Bhuigaon road!" he exclaimed, as he handed over his phone... no.. IPhone to Kalpana, who had good look at area figuring out the location. "Come, and have seat..." She said, as Raghav joined next to her, feeling happy as if achieved something. "This whole area is like a small village sir... And you might not find too many vehicles here, it's still like a developing area." Kalpana provided bits of information to Raghav. "So how do people travel here?" he asked, to which Kalpana replied, carriages, cycles, motor cycles, as in bikes are common, but look at the size of roads here, it's too narrow for cars to pass, specially imagine two big cars passing, one of it might just be bumped off ..." she said laughing making him laugh too... Both of them continued talking casually about the place around as she informed, how proper village will also be around soon... And that it is soo much different from city life they have seen of Mumbai so far... "Sir, do you realize distance between Vasai and Palghar?" she asked curiously after some moments of silence, "It is about another 2-3 hours by car... and now would you still like to halt at Vasai?" Kalpana asked curiously, to which Raghav denied, "Not really maybe while returning I can just drop these parcel at home of dad's friend." He said with smile and looked at her. "In that case, we will reach Palghar now, by 6.00 am in morning..." Kalpana informed... "What? But my meeting is at around 9?" Raghav asked her indirectly, "What will do ?" Kalpana let out small laugh, "We will have some breakfast and food and roam around the city! I will show you some good places there as well... these may not have huge malls but they have some good things to look at .." she informed...
Travelling was smooth... Till it was around 4.00 a.m. in the morning... And Kalpana stopped the car... with few jerks as she tried putting steady mode gearing it... While jerking forward, "What? What happened Kalpana? Why did you stop the car?" he asked...
Kalpana smiled... a smile which indicated like a new troubled... it was dangerous... and sarcastic laughs... "He..." "Hee..." "Hee.." she laughed it...
"Sir... yeh jo Taxi hai na... woh solar energy par toh chalti nai..." (Sir this taxi do not run on solar energy) she looked around at sky, "I mean, Solar par chalti toh bhi kya... Lunar energy par bhi nai chlaegi... It works on diesel... Jo iss vahan mein samapth ho chukka hai... arthat... Khatam ho gaya hai... Thanks to long rounds jo humne raat bhar liye free adventure ke liye, utna diesel nai tha..." (It also won't work on Lunar energy... It works on diseal which is no more... thanks to long rounds we took during the night...) Kalpana said... Looking at Raghav... Naa... Also blaming him as she looked at him with angry glare... "What???" came the quick reply from Raghav...!!! As he agaped... (i.e. open his mouth wide with shock).
{READERS DON'T KEEP HIGH HOPES for their TOUR... it's not Happening...}
Precap: Bail Gadi... (Bufallo Carriage)
Edited by ILoveRagNa - 10 years ago
Ishaani
Cricket
