AN EYE-OPENER ( .... BEWARE OF STRANGERS)

July 21 , 5 pm : I had a decently peaceful exit from the paying guest accommodation when the owner has agreed for the replacement of my place with a friend of mine and has paid back my advance. I took an auto to vivek nagar, which was within the mininum auto fare, approximately 1.5 km from the PG. I was waiting for the bus which goes to Majestic, the interstate bus station. The bus has arrived I was carrying 4 bags, and was struggling to get into the bus when the conductor came to my help. I got into the bus and sat in one end of the bus so that my bags wont disturb the normal movement in the bus.

6:10 pm: I got down and was heading towards the platform where my bus was supposed to arrive at 7 : 45 pm. After struggling through the overhead bridge, I reached the place I was supposed to wait. I had 1.5 hrs more and I was sitting watching at different people come and go. I had a lot of luggage, so could not even stroll. It was a hard bench where two persons can sit.

6:20 pm: An elderly person comes and sits beside me. A coolie brings his luggage and placed it next to him. He asked the coolie to wait and place it in the bus when it arrives. I was very hungry since I did not have proper lunch. I asked him to look after my luggage for 2 mins and went to a nearby stall to get something. Two persons were sitting at the shop. I asked how much the bananas cost. “3 each” said the shopkeeper. I asked give 2 for 5 rupees. Immediately, one said “No” the other said “Ok take”. J . They looked at each others face in embarrassment and one guy pulled out two bananas and gave them to me. I came back to my waiting place.

6:30 pm: The Garuda ( a Volvo bus of APSRTC which is heavier and faster ) arrives and the luggage was put in the bus, the old man leaves.

6:45 pm: A person of age around 35 years comes and sits beside me, closer than one would expect a stranger to sit. He was neatly dressed, his perfume was strong enough to aromatize his surroundings. He enquired if I am going to Hyderabad. I said “yes” and asked “what about you?”. He replied “Ya, I am also going to Hyderabad”. He also asked where I stay in Hyderabad and at what time was my bus. Then he was staring here and there, I did not encourage him much. After sometime, he was staring at my luggage. There was a tag that the AIR SAHARA has put to my bags when I was going to Bangalore from Hyderabad, and it was hard so I did not pull it. He was looking closely at it. In 5 mins, he gets up and leaves, stands here and there for sometime and vanished out of my sight. I smelled something wrong, but since he has left, I did not bother much about him.

6:55 pm: Another person who is also of the same age group as the previous person came and sat beside me. Just like the previous one, this person was also neatly dressed and had some perfume put on. He stared asking details, which place, what time is the bus, where I work. He said his brother works in a software company and has come to Bangalore meet him. He also enquired about how much I earn, I was getting suspicious. A person with a small handbag comes and leans over me and speaks to this person sitting besides me. He said “Sir, I have some costly sarees, pure silk from kanchipuram, I want to sell them, I will give at a less price, please have a look at them”. I said I am not interested and the person beside me said “What do we do with sarees, not interested”. Then he said to me “This fellow must have stolen them from somewhere and he is trying to sell them at some or the other price”. I smiled at him, nodding in agreement.

Then the person next to me said “I am into clothes business, I work at Chandana Brothers in Hyderabad”. I was surprised, wow then he must have a very good idea of the sarees and all.

This person with the bag comes again, asks to atleast see them once. Then the person next to me said “Lets see, if they are good, I can sell them at my shop and get some good profit”. The person opened the bag and there were around 6 sarees in it. He gave it to the person sitting with me. He took the saree and started biting it and was doing all kind of testing, he was looking like a very experienced person in that field. The person selling shouted “Arey sir, what are u doing? Don’t spoil my sarees”. Then he replied “I am into clothes business.. don’t worry” .. then he said “Oh .. then u must be knowing things better .. ok go ahead”. He was doing some tests and said to me “ This seems to be original zari .. if one keeps this saree for some years and sell it ,it will be as costly as the gold at that time is, in our shop(chandana) this saree will be around 13k .. if this fellow gives it for 4-5 K it is a very good bet, I can get around 5K profit on each saree .. but who will carry so much money, I only have 5k right now ” .. he showed me his purse .. he was having some 500 rupee notes

He started bargaining, the seller was going here and there coming back with a new price each time lesser than the previous one. He finally came down to 5k a saree. The person with me asked “Do one thing .. can you come to Hyderabad along with me .. I will buy all your sarees and give you the money on the spot” .. he replied “sir .. if you want take it now .. I wont come here and there .. I am also into business, but since we are in losses, I am compelled to sell it at a lower price otherwise each one will not be less than 13k”.

Then he goes somewhere and comes back again telling “sir, my bus is going if you want them tell me, I will give all of them at 5k each” .. the person next to me was telling to me “arey .. this is a very good opportunity .. if I had money I would have bought all of them” .. then a new person enters .. some stranger again .. he comes and sees the saree that the stranger1 was testing .. says “what sir some marriage at home?. . you seem to be buying sarees .. that too costly ones .. I recently bought them for my daughters marriage.” … then stranger1 replied “yes sir .. this fellow is selling them .. seems to have robbed them from somewhere, he is selling them at a very low price” .. stranger2 replied in excitement .. “Is it .. that is really great .. it is a very nice opportunity to make some money and he too took out some money around 5k” … they both decided lets take one saree each and they called that fellow who was still making rounds here and there. They said “we will take one each, give at 4k”. He took out two sarees and they hurried to pick a good colour. Then that seller replied “what .. only 2 ? .. no sir .. if you want all of them tell me .. or else leave me”. All this I was watching with a dull face .. I was hungry. I was just looking how greedy people can be .. to the extent of buying things from strangers at 4k !. The stanger2 asked for a rupee coin to conduct more tests. “They were worried, if they had some more money, it would have been great ..bolke”.

Then stanger1 asked if you have some money, please I will return it to you as soon as I get down at Hyderabad, you just come to our shop with the saree and I shall return you. I said I have only 100 bucks and moreover I am not at all interested in such things. Then he said .. “oh .. no .. do you atleast have some ATM card ..” that struck some cords in me .. I started being cautious about these people .. “I replied .. no I don’t have any cards and stuff” … now I was not even watching at what they are doing .. then I recollected .. first .. salary .. then money .. then ATM cards .. that is too much .. something is seriously wrong .. I wore a serious face and was on the verge of getting furious.

They both spoke to each other, “come on lets see if that fellow agrees for 4k” and they went towards that seller and they vanished among the buses. The series of events flashed in front of me .. 4 strangers .. 1 person looking at me .. then one guy coming and getting closer to me .. telling he was is clothing business .. then projecting the saree and a very good bet to make some quick money .. then one more person coming and deciding to buy it in 2 mins .. then they all vanishing in one go …

7:15 pm: I could see all the events to be linked up .. I was handicapped because of huge luggage .. I could not move around here and there .. otherwise I wanted to watch all of them together. I was waiting and ……….there comes the climax .. all the actors (seller followed by stranger1 and stranger2 and the person who was staring) one after the other move together out of the bus stand and all gather at some place.

For a moment ..I was not able to compile all that was going on .. I was happy that I did not fall in their trap and the words that my elders keep telling me echoed .. “Don’t tell personal things to strangers .. keep away from strangers” .. I always thought that they are over cautious .. why would someone come and ask me my details. And this event was an eye-opener. People can come and ask what your salary is, your ATM cards. So, now on be careful with the strangers and don’t go for tempting things like quick money. After all there is nothing called FREE LUNCH.