Murphy travels with me from Goa to Bangalore

First time in my life, the interstate bus which I was traveling in departed on time at 6 pm. I was celebrating the idea that my bus can beat Bangalore traffic by reaching early the next day and I would manage to reach office on time. But little did I know I had an adventurous trip ahead. My bus was full of people who had come to enjoy a long week end in Goa. I was busy admiring some of the nature’s beautiful creations surrounding me in the bus until a bunch of guys (10 to be specific) who climbed the bus in Margao started making hulla. First I wouldn’t understand what the fuss was all about because I couldn’t comprehend the language they where communicating in. Then suddenly I heard the bus conductor shout “If you don’t have tickets please get down!!!” And the bus suddenly came to a halt at Navelim. When I tried to understand the situation I realized this bunch of guys had forgotten their return ticket in Bangalore itself and now where caring a printout of the scanned copy which they had asked one of their friends to mail them. But the conductor refused to accept the scanned ticket and insisted on them presenting the original. This was the start of an endless argument which began eating patience of other passengers in the bus and others started to interfere to resolve the matter.

Argument which the bunch of guys made was:

1. We can’t afford to leave the bus has they had paid around Rs. 8000/- for it already.
2. The customer care person had informed them that they can present a scanned copy of the ticket. (On calling the customer care from the bus the new customer care executive backed off from supporting this statement).
3. This is age of IT and 21^st century and such provision should be considered reasonable.

Argument which the conductor made was:

1. If the passenger is not carrying original ticket he/she is not allowed to travel. This rule is universal across any mode of transport.
2. If he allows these guys to travel one of their other friends can go and get the original ticket cancelled and claim 50% of the money back.
3. If there is any checking done on the way for ticket less travel his job is on stake.

The argument went on for next half an hour without conclusion and the bus driver finally decided to turn the bus back to Margoa police station. Neither of the parties involved in the argument where ready to take into consideration that there are 30 other people who are getting delayed. It looked as if the other passengers had bought the bus ticket to watch their show and popcorns would be served soon.

The drama now shifted to Margoa police station. All the other passengers had now crowed the road near the police station and eagerly waiting for the verdict from the police officer. Who was going to win? I had just decided to start making others bet on the odds and evens that we suddenly heard a crash sound near by. A car with 2 boys and 2 girls had banged into a man riding his scooter. It turned out that these kids driving the car where tourists come to spend their long week end in Goa. The car had come from no entry side, it was fast and people inside it were drunk (Yeah a long week end in Goa might have had half their blood replaced with ‘feni’ and beer). One of the guys in the car started yapping to prove their innocence in the accident when a wise man in the crowd gave them an advice saying “Look boy! You are drunk, a tourist and more important at fault by coming from a no entry. The best think you can do is keeping your mouth quiet or get bitten by the crowd” Good from him the boy took the advice. ‘108’ Ambulance was there at the scene in just two minutes (Must appreciate the efficiency of this system) and took the man on the scooter to hospital as he suffered some bleeding on his head. Cops reached the scene next and took the guy who was yapping earlier in custody for rash driving. Let me mention one more heroic act by our yapping burger here, actually the person driving the car was one of the girls but like a true gentleman he took the blame.

We returned to the police station to check if our bus had left us. But it seems both the parties involved in the bus argument had decided to keep the cops entertained too. Finally after eternity the police officer came to a verdict. The group of 10 guys had to keep Rs. 8000/- deposit with the conductor which would be returned to them on showing the original ticket in Bangalore. Also the conductor had to give a written proof to these guys about acceptance of the money and it had to be signed by all the remaining passengers in the bus. Finally the bus left Margao at 8:45 pm. What an evening it had turned out to be. All I could do is acknowledge Murphy’s presence yet again!