Random Delhi Love Story

It was Earth Day. She was rushing to the metro station to catch the metro. To lead her ‘Earth Day’ walk – where Delhi-ites were going to appreciate trees and talk about things they would do to be green. She took her eco-warrior role very seriously. That it was insanely cheesy to make people stand in a circle, under a tree, and take a pledge to turn ‘green’, was something she did not get. So she was driving really fast – the metro station was not at a walking distance from her home. It was early morning and there was no traffic. Which is why she did not see the SUV that she banged into.

 It emerged from a corner at a speed much slower than her car. Her tiny car just about reached its monstrous tires but yes, there was a perceptible scratch and a very loud screeching stop.

She waited for the arrogant, eco-insensitive, gelled hair, pot-bellied individual to emerge and maybe shoot her. It was Delhi and this was an SUV. Obviously she would be shot. When the befuddled, scrawny, bespectacled geek emerged to stare at her in bewilderment and managed to request her to “look out” the next time, she started her tirade. Did he not KNOW how eco-damaging his dumb vehicle was? Diesel cars were the single largest contributor (she knew she was lying, but did he) of Total Suspended Particulate Matter <2.5 (she forgot the unit) in Delhi air, which was causing everyone to die? Just everyone was in throes of death because of his irresponsible SUV driving behaviour. EVERYONE.  “Microgram”. He said. “Less than 2.5 microgram of TSP. Also PAHs. Among other things”.

Scrawniness belied a deep voice, backed by smugness, backed by amusement. Thick spectacles could not hide the obviously smiling eyes. Very nice eyes. Deep and intelligent.  A shade of…… is where she suddenly stopped her inexplicable train of thought. Thinking of eyes of eco-damager was not the call of the moment. She must deride him till he sells his SUV for scrap. Today. And pledge his life to becoming green. Maybe as part of her walk today. Under the tree….. NO. She was not taking eco-violator on any walks.

But she told him how she was rushing ONLY because she was doing this walk for Earth Day and because she cared so much for the Earth, unlike irritating, arrogant SUV drivers. And that they were going to name all the different species of native trees in Lodi Garden ( “Ya, almost around 15, last time I checked”- he intervened ) and birds, because Delhi has the second largest….How did HE know how many native tree species were there in Lodi Garden?? “Second only to Nairobi..” said he, as he opened the trunk of his SUV, to give her a Jamun Sapling. There were hundreds of saplings. And a cycle. Apparently the “SUV” ( he imitated the sneer so well) was used ONLY as a transport vehicle, for eco-preserving activities like sapling distribution. Else there was a Cycle. And a Metro Card. Said he, as they shook hands and she immediately visualized him taking pledges with her under trees. They were very nice images.