Sitting on the edge

Sitting on the edge. Do I like sitting on the edge? Do I… why would I like it? It’s full of danger, anticipation, doubt vying towards self-doubt, anger, quick thinking, and of course, injury-prone!

So why am I sitting on the edge? I am sitting on the edge of the auto seat, with all the aforementioned feelings. Autos or tuk-tuks, as they are called in Sri Lanka, are the most famous means of transport. When you want to go anywhere, they are omnipresent in all corners in very vibrant colors like electric blue, blood red, or deep green, contrary to autos (not tuk-tuks) which we see in India in boring black and dirty yellow. So they can never be missed, and they seem to be the most economical and prevalent means of transportation. All of them are driven by men.

Now, the scenario of a foreign female hiring this. The minute you sit and get comfy, and the tuk-tuk starts moving and jostling you. The driver becomes your tourist guide, local guardian, and charmer all at once. My sitting on the edge was major because of his last avatar. Once the lady sits comfortably, he needs to know where you are from or he would be confirming that you are from India. They are fascinated by Indians, I assumed, until then I am enjoying the other avatars. But now the next question is, are you married? I am not joking; all of the tuk-tuk drivers had to ask this. I was baffled. I answered affirmatively, thinking that this information might keep him off the charmer avatar. No, that piece of information makes him bloom. So the next question comes, are you alone here? With this question, I am moving to the edge.

So now my antennas are super ON, and you lie that you are with family or friends here, whatever is blurted out at that moment. Thinking that he would tone down his avatar. But that does not seem to dither him; instead, he seems a bit disappointed by that information. So now the only time left in the ride is the time he has been given, this golden opportunity to get as creepy as he can be. Let me look at this female from all angles, even when my tuk-tuk is wading through traffic. Why do we have rearview mirrors? To adjust and to gape? By now the bags are gathered, and the contact list is opened for the home dial, although that contact is a thousand miles away.

Otherwise, a beautiful land, just tarnished by this attitude.