Between the Devil and the Deep Sea

A few days back, while walking on a busy road, I saw an old friend of mine; Zain, standing alone near his car. It was parked awkwardly, creating restrictions for flow of traffic on an already congested road. Zain was looking real upset. I walked up to him and asked, " What is the matter?"
Fuming with rage and kicking his flat type, he said, "Hell.... I am going to sue the damn...". His last words dissolved in the air. Thinking that the flat tyre was the cause of his agitation, I tried to cool him down, "Its okay Zain. I shall help you in changing the tyre."

"Changing with what?" He asked me looking into my eyes.

"With the spare of course. Don’t you have one?" I asked him.

"My dear, this is the third spare used within the last 12 hours. Don't expect me to carry four spare tyres for local journey of a few kilometres". He replied.

" O, I see. Anyway, don’t get worked up, a gas station is just round the corner. Let’s push the car and get the tyre fixed," I suggested.

"You think you can push?" Zain asked sarcastically, I was surprised at his question, yet I said smilingly, "What is wrong in pushing?" Trying to appeal to his sense of humour, "I would rather love to be called a "car-pusher" as against the in fashion of being called a "drug-pusher."

Ignoring my quip, Zain tried to show me a deep trench across the road, a few yards behind his car, "You see that?"

"Yes.. Probably, a cable or pipe had been laid by some department across the road. It is just a cutting, which I am sure will be taken care of by the road maintenance people". I replied.

Zain did not like my reply and again flared up, "It is not JUST a small pothole. It is an anti tank ditch, deliberately made to trap motorists. Yesterday it was not there".

Understanding his point. I said, "So this has damaged your tyre!"

"Not only the tyre but the whole damn suspension. Look at this," he said pointing towards a hanging, broken iron part, "The whole suspension is gone and you are talking about pushing it."

Realising the grave situation, I started looking around.

"What are you looking for?" Zain asked.

"A traffic cop and his fork lift"!

"My dear, I am here for the last half an hour. Your cop passed me thrice without even looking at me." He said sarcastically.

"Well, maybe he didn’t see you. You see, this is his "business hour", I mean, busy hour. He is too engrossed in "car-lifting" or "car-clamping" for wrong parking. How would he know that you need help, unless you ask him." I tried to reason out.

" Yes I agree with you". Zain replied calmly.

"See, you got to ask for help. They are all out to help the public". I said cheeringly.

"No dear, you got it wrong. I agree with you only that they are good car- lifters". Then added thoughtfully, "I don’t know why they didn’t bother to lift my car, "parked" so wrong? Maybe because it is too old!"

"Here you go again". I said annoyingly.

"What do you mean? The cops are not blind. If they can locate and lift a car with only half a wheel in the No-Parking-Zone, they can also see this car stranded on the road, creating a hindrance for the traffic. Why should I ask them to clear the road? Aren’t they paid for this?" Zain asked tauntingly.

"Yes, I see your point. But ....."

"Now listen before you start pleading their case"! Zain interrupted me.

"Haven’t you seen them stopping "suspect vehicles" in the middle of the road for "checking" thus causing traffic jams? One of my relatives had almost kicked the bucket, while entangled in such "checks and searches" en-route to the hospital. You know, they ensure that the blockades are created at peak hours and on already constricted roads!"

" I think you are being unfair to them. They merely do their duty". I told him.

"Their duty is certainly not to cause inconvenience to people." Zain retorted.

Seeing his mood I tried to change the topic, "But Zain, our immediate problem is your car. It, in any case, is not damaged by poor cops."

"Yes I know". He said calmly, as if understanding my point. "This is our tragedy!!" Zain started off philosophically. "We are funny people. We keep bottling up our problems and suddenly, when the breaking point comes, we let all hell loose at whosoever comes in sight. This is the reason that most of our reactions to problems are either delayed or look irrational. We do not voice our protest when pinched and tend to ignore, may be under duress or some kind of fear. However, everything gets imprinted in our minds, in a suppressed form. This makes us very edgy, sensitive and at times, insane. Unfortunately this state, is misused by the hunting elements of vested interest, even without our knowledge. The pent up feelings need nothing but a needle prick to explode. We only realise when it is too late and then repent." "I think you are right." I said.

Encouraged by my remarks, he went on to say. "Many are murdered every day, but nothing happens. Then suddenly, half of Faisalabad is destroyed on the death of one person. Hundreds of innocent people are killed under wheels by reckless drivers, nothing happens. But then, public transport and property is destroyed for a minor road accident. Look at our delayed action on "Satanic verses". We awarded prizes and honoured the author of books like "Mohammad" and "A lamp spreading light", Containing highly derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), but got people killed for a fictional work! You see, now look at me. My car is damaged by the negligence of some buffoon in the road maintenance department and I am cursing the poor cops." Zain said smilingly. Then added quickly, "But they can not be exonerated for mismanagement of their part in organising the traffic. Honestly, I am cursing the day I bought my car". Zain looked hurt.

"Now, come on. Don’t say that. There is nothing wrong in owning a car. In fact it is a symbol of status in our society. I wish I had one". I tried to cheer him up.

"Don’t wish it! You are not aware of the problems linked with owning a car".
"What problems?" I asked him.

He walked towards the footpath, and while sitting on its edge, said, "Come and sit down". I sat beside him. "You see, I was very happy as a simple commuter", Zain started off with a deep sigh. "Although, commuting by "Yellow Devils", always scared me to death, yet there was a great consolation in reaching the destination well ahead of time and with little expense. I never realised that our "beautiful" roads generally remain broken or suddenly get blocked due to pitching of "tents" for some "reception," heaps of building materials, vendors, extensions of showrooms or shops and ‘spot-checks’ by cops. I didn’t even know that traffic in the city had increased many folds, thus making the existing roads inadequate. And you know, for these blissful feelings all credit goes to the "pilot" of "Yellow Devils." His skilful handling of the wheel at tremendous speed always made everything look easy and simple". Zain paused with his eyes closed as if remembering the good old moments.

"If it was so nice, then why did you stop commuting"? I asked.

"The inevitable happened. The "devil" or van, whatever you call it, was burnt by angry "law-abiding citizens" when our ‘racer pilot’ went in hiding after hitting a young boy. I got real scared." He shivered.

"So that was the day you decided to buy the car?! I asked him.

"Yes and since then I am repenting. I deliberately spent a lot of money to buy me trouble." He paused and then said, "The very first day of owning the car, I started of from my home for office, keeping in mind the same time frame, as that of ‘Yellow Devil.' And you know, I was, first time in my life, late on duty and that too by one hour. Funny. Isn’t it"?

"Strange! Why, what went wrong"? I asked.

"Everything went wrong. The moment I brought my car on the road, all went for six. My driving lessons including the traffic codes, rules, regulations, working of travel times, and above all my self acquired sense of superiority of owning a car, everything went down the drain. I found myself all alone, helpless and lost in a thick jungle of lawlessness." He stopped to light a cigarette and then said, "I owned the car and paid road tax to use it, but there was no road to use.

"What do you mean"? I asked.

"Most of the road was occupied by the vendors and pedestrians."

Before he could proceed further, I interrupted, "Wait a minute. Almost all roads are flanked by footpaths. So why pedestrians should walk on the roads."

Zain smiled and said, "That is what I thought. But the footpaths have been occupied by petty traders and big shopkeepers as extension of their shops. At one place, a big tent was being erected on the road for some "jalsa," thus compelling a long detour. Yet another place, the road was being repaired, while a few yards away, the carpeted road was being broken to lay the water pipe. After a couple of minutes of free drive the traffic again started crawling at snail’s pace". "Why?"

"Three fourth of the road was occupied by heaps of building material of a sky-scraper. Any way, later on the "three lane-two-way" main road, situation was different and worse. The fast lane was occupied by super-heavy-vehicles, without indication, as if playing polo on their horses! I, some how, reached my office and parked the car on road side along with other cars. By then I was already late on duty by one hour!" He kept quite for a while and I though this
story was over. So I said in a consoling tone, "That must have been a real bad experience".

"Listen to me. The agony in not over as yet. After office hours, I received another great shock when I found my car missing. I was not prepared to bear such a big loss and that too on the very first day of owning the car. People around, while showing ignorance regarding the where about of my car, were trying to console me over the loss. Some one suggested to report the theft immediately to police before it was too late. So, I dashed to the nearest police station to lodge missing report. To my utter surprise and pleasure, I found my car parked in police station. Courtesy; ever vigilant fork-lifter Cop. Actually, once upon a time, a No-Parking sign was fixed at a place where I had parked my car. Now only the angle-iron was erected, while the sign had been stolen, by some drug addict! However, it was fruitless to debate with the ‘law’. I paid the ‘service charges’ and drove home".

I felt sorry for poor Zain. "Well, it was a bad day for you".

He was in a mood to talk, so he went on to say, "Not just that day, but all days since I bought the car. It is not traffic cops only. We all are to be blamed. I don’t know when are we gong to mature! Why can’t the things be done systematically and with careful planning? Why can’t the pipes or cables be laid first and roads carpeted later? Why can’t the roads be widened by removing the redundant structures and encroachments? Why can’t the parking sites be prepared, before dishing out every inch of land for commercial multi-storeys?" Zain raised his voice a little and added in the emotional tone "What is the idea of constructing costly structures or fountains on cross roads, when the roads are broken and there is no water for drinking even? Why can’t the people who erect ‘Shamianas’ or dump building materials or encroach public thorough fares be arrested and punished? You cannot imagine the irreparable losses, which are suffered by the poor law-abiding citizens on the hands of such characters. It seems that the ‘law’ has given up". "No, law has not given up. I feel that instead of blaming the ‘law’, we should also fulfil our obligations as citizens of this free nation. We should not do anything which could cause inconvenience to others". I also tried to sermonise.

"Well, if those who refuse to recognise their obligations and deliberately ignore the law, must be ‘manded’ by Law". He said.

It was getting hot and the discussion becoming lengthy, so I said, "Any way, let’s do something about your car".

"Forget it. I am fed up of it. It is going to be sold as and here". He said.
"What are you going to do without it"? I asked.

He looked at me and said, "Commute the way I used to".

"What if the ‘Devil’ is burnt again"? I asked.

"I shall start walking!". He replied smilingly.

"And what if some ‘Devil’ runs you down"? I asked.

He got up and while walking away waving his hand said, "Then see you in HELL"!