The Size of Trouble

When it was far
Insignificant and small
I laughed with glee
Ignoring the loud footfall
Nearer as it loomed
Growing bigger and bigger
With every step it zoomed
In my heart, fear it triggered

On my head
The sky was falling
I cowered and shivered
At the troubles appalling
Sobbing and whining
Wishing it away
'Why me' the question
Didn't help anyway

When I stood up straight
The troubles dispersed
My steady eye it met
And looked away in despise
It didn't vanish
Nor did it grow
Meeting its match
It just sank low

Never fear
For help is near
Right in your heart
If you let it say its part.
No greater friend
No greater foe
Your mind is where it is
If you really want to know.

Our Own Knight Bus

I have a sneaky suspicion. The Knight Bus... You know about it, right? The Knight Bus from Harry Potter. It is driven madly, making the wizards traveling by it fly around inside the bus or cling on to whatever for their dear life.

• Hey, that's what Chennai autos do too! They swing you around and you cling to whatever you can to save your skin! If you protest, they go so slow that you wish you could ask them to speed up. But you don't because you don't know how fast is fast!

When the bus speeds and is hindered by two muggle vehicles ahead of it, does the driver slow down or put the breaks? No! He just squeezes in the space available.

• But that's what happens to the auto too. In a physics-defying moment, an auto is able to squeeze in tight spots and come out unscathed!

It turns corners at the same speed and yet remains on its four wheels!

• Bingo! You read it right. That sounds exactly like our auto, right? Nothing called - slow, wait and then turn - for the autos. They just turn and keep moving even as the vehicles coming straight down fly out of their paths!!!

The Knight Bus does not meet with any accidents!

• I am glad I can say that about the autos too. Despite the crazy speed and the 'never-say-slow' attitude, the Chennai autos continue unscathed, getting on with its job of reaching you to your destination, not necessarily in one piece.

The stranded wizard just has to wave his wand and, presto! the Knight Bus will materialise.

• You can wave your hand, you can press the right buttons in you Ola App, but no, unless your destination is right, the auto can leave you high and dry.

There is no payment, or maybe some standard payment. I don't remember.

• It depends on the driver. For the joy ride and the near death experience, he will charge you some per cent over the meter, which is already tampered with. So hold on to your life and part with the currency...

Though there are these points of dissimilarities, I have a sneaky suspicion that the Knight Bus was inspired by our very own Chennai autos.