Lately, I've been facing some trouble trying to get an auto rickshaw to go back home from school. This is ironic because my school is located on one of the busiest streets in the area, and I tire my legs every single day just to hail myself an auto.
Why don't I walk home? Because it's four long kilometers which is going to take 56 minutes. Why 56? Because I checked it out on Google Maps. Why don't I cycle? Danger. Why don't I ride my electric scooter? Danger. What isn't dangerous? Auto. But what is hard to get? Auto.
I can just hail an auto, which is what I usually do. But to hail an auto, an auto must stop, as I cannot just jump into random auto rickshaws already hired by someone else. If I did what my intrusive thoughts told me to, I'd be falling straight out of a speeding auto, probably kicked out by the person inside it. Well, if it was a nice person, they'd make some small talk at the guy who just jumped in like Tom Cruise.
This happens every other day, and one day, I thought the universe was testing my patience, because a million vehicles were passing through and none of them were autos. And I remember it was getting quite late, too. So if I didn't get an auto, I don't know what would have happened. Sometimes I do like to comfort myself by thinking that the universe is just playing with me. I believe it's a good thing, because patience is one of the most important skills that a person can possess. So, the fact that I get free patience testing every other day itself is what I'd consider a boon.
Sometimes, it's hard to see if someone is actually there in the auto, so I just put my hand up, and to my dismay, it would be occupied, and I'd be there waving my hand like one of those giant inflatable dolls you see at restaurants.
Now here comes the funny part, when I do successfully manage to call myself an auto, I say my location, and guess what? They don't want to go there. Well, in their defense it is a pretty hard place to find customers as it is a bit distant from the city. But in my defense, I am just a guy who wants to get home.
So at the end of the day, trying to hail autos is like rolling dice. It has to land on the right number, as the auto shouldn't be occupied, and the auto must be willing to go your drop location.