What i felt for the past 2 months (Chapter 3)

Third day in Rourkela, I went to CCD alone! It was a nice experience I must say. If I didn’t explore this part myself, I guess I would be like those tourist being cheated on the price. I was told if I go to CCD (Café coffee day) on a single Auto, I would have to pay around RS 150. It may be quite reasonable for me or to say cheap but I’m a Indian you see, so I couldn’t afford seeing myself spend that money, so I ask for a alternative way.

Mukul: “You can take a Auto from sector 2 jerman club, they have shared Auto there, tell them you want to go to the station, it will take only RS 5, when you reach the station, take a shared Auto again from near Nottee, tell them you going to Mayfair, it will take another RS 5, and you will reach your CCD.”

Suraj: “Sounds complicated, but let’s see.”

Around 6pm, I set foot to the journey of so called: “Journey to CCD”. I walked to sector 2, getting some Air tight containers for the coffee I brought from starbucks in Singapore for them. Then I walked all the way down to Jerman club, there was auto there but none look like shared auto to me.

Suraj: Bhaiya, shared auto na?
Bhaiya: “There, stand there and wait.”

So I went to stand by the roadside thinking, what the hell I’m doing?

2 mins gone, 3 mins gone, 4 mins gone, 5 mins gone.

What am I waiting here?

A auto stopped infront of me.

Suraj: “Bhayia, Station?”
Bhayia: “RS 60”
Suraj: “Share auto na?”
Bhayia: “Thik hai, RS 5”

So I boarded the auto successfully, and feeling a little proud that I make it to the station for RS5.

Reaching the station, I was once again trying my luck, standing near the auto place getting a share auto to CCD. A auto driver approach me, I told him CCD but he didn’t know how to go, he went to ask and told me it cost RS 110,I told myself if I want to spend the money, I wouldn’t have walked all the way to Jerman club to get the share auto. I reject his offer. I was standing infront of the station, and no auto was there, no share auto. I called mukul again and told me, there was no share auto and god how am I going to go CCD? By the time, I know I can’t tell the auto driver that I’m going CCD because none of them know, so an alternative was Mayfair.

Mukul direct me to radhika hotel, nottee to get the share auto. I walked my way to Nottee and stand infront of the restaurant by the roadside. Within 5 mins, I boarded an Auto and manage to get to CCD all by myself. And the main thing is that, I spend only RS 10, okay maybe RS 11 because the auto driver has no change so I said leave it. For a Indian in a Chinese body to spend RS 11 getting to CCD wasn’t easy, try asking a Chinese in a Chinese body to do that. He/she would probably give up and give that RS 150 to get to CCD in a single Auto.

By the time I reached CCD, it was like 8.30pm, I looked at the menu, I wanted to order what gaurav had order in BBSR but I can’t seem to get that in the menu, struggling for like 10 mins, I finally give up, ordering some chocolate shake and a chocolate chip. And they serve me but didn’t put any more attention on me guess they must be thinking: he comes alone and just order two items, not a big customer, don’t have to focus on him, let’s focus on the bigger group.

10 mins later

I went to the counter asking for bill and after which I started to roam at the gift corner, from the start, I wanted to get a coffee maker so it wasn’t because I was given less attention then I wanted to buy stuff, it’s not like that. I went, and ask the waiter to help me with the coffee maker, I asked them how it works. If you visit CCD you will know they sell 3 types of coffee maker. I bought the glass steel coffee maker, I brought a cup thinking I may need that as I’m staying for 2 months, I bought chocolate chip too, a 150g chocolate chip costing RS 115. I also ordered 2 hot chocolate, as they are mugging for their exams, so I thought Hot chocolate from CCD would motivate them, so I bought 2, 1 for gaurav and 1 for Akshat.

The trip to CCD was a long journey and I was tired to repeat it all over again, so I asked mukul.

Suraj: “How am I going to come back?”
Mukul: “Same procedure or you can spend RS 150 back.”
Suraj: “I’m tired, maybe I will take the second choice.”
Mukul: “HAHAH, sure :D”

I was standing at the road side, waiting for a share auto, so I get cheaper going back NITRKL but I couldn’t get any. Walking further down, and further down, a few auto slow down, but thinking I didn’t want to board, then they left. I was left in the dark road side all alone. I wasn’t scared. Just feeling tired.

Finally a auto stop, I told him NITRKL, he called me to board the auto, within seconds another customer which was on board alighted. Then the auto driver starts to speak in Hindi. If you guys know, I have not fully control this hindi in me, it’s in me but yet to develop, so I couldn’t communicate well.

Bhaiya: “NITRKL?”
Suraj: “Yup bhaiya.”
Bhaiya: “$%^&* (Not foul language, it’s in hindi)

I know I couldn’t communicate with him, but at least I have to understand what he talking, so I calm myself down, and open my heart to listen.

Suraj: “Bhaiya, NITRKL, it’s in sector 1, S-E-C-T-O-R 1”
Bhaiya: “Sector 1? Nahi.. Nitrkl Sector 2.”
Suraj: “Sector 1 bhaiya.”

There was this chotu sitting in the front seat and I guess he’s the auto driver’s son.

Chotu: “%^&*”
Bhaiya: “$%^&”
Chotu: “@#$%^”
Bhaiya: “!@#$%^”

Chotu turned to me

Chotu: “@#$%”
Suraj: “NITRKL, Sector 1..Sector ek..”

Silent was what took over next.

A friend called me

Arun: “Hey, where are you?”
Suraj: “In the Auto.”
Arun: “Oh, where you went?”
Suraj: “CCD”
Arun: “With friends?”
Suraj: “Nope, alone, actually I’m kind of lost, cause I can’t communicate with the Auto driver.”
Arun: “OMG,pass the phone to the auto driver, I will talk to him.”
Suraj: “It’s ok ya, I told him it’s at Sector 1, should be fine.”
Arun: “You sure? I can talk to him in Hindi.”
Suraj: “It’s fine no worries.”

15 mins later
Suraj: “Oh man, I think he goes the wrong way”

Auto driver going the new route to NITRKL

Arun: “Pass the phone to the auto driver!”
Suraj: “Wait, I see where he going first.”
Arun: “Right way?”
Suraj: “I think so? It’s the new route I think.”

I figure it out it’s the new route later when I see the new gate.

The auto driver drive me all the way in front of hall 5, after which I gave him RS 105 thinking at first he told me it’s RS 103.

Bhaiya: “No, it’s RS 130”

I gave him 10 more rupees, and I say: Take it bhaiya or RS 105. Then I left, the auto driver didn’t argue and left. I realize you have to be tough, if not they will ask for more.

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