Have you ever had extreme
feelings about a person? Have you ever felt intense anger and loathing for
someone only for the rage to transform into compassion and kindness the very
next moment? How can the heart do such frequent flip flops? It is basic human
emotion or just some exceptional scenario I personally experienced in a one off
case?
The person in contention here is
my driving instructor at Maruti Driving School. He would be around 35 to 40
years of age, average in height and build. A loudmouth and rough talking guy,
he symbolizes the average lower strata individual of the society. He mentors
well - strict when it comes to his role as the teacher, but friendly when he is
the acquaintance. When I started my lessons with him, he told me that there
would be 10 classes over the course of which he would be going from the very
basics to somewhat advanced tricks in driving. Knowing that parking and
reversing were the most difficult aspects of driving, I asked him when he was
planning to teach me that. To this, he replied in his usual brusque way that I
needed to learn to drive forward first, and then think about going back. He
said those two exercises could be learnt only after I had become proficient in
handling the clutches and brakes and hence would be covering those towards the
end.
And so the classes went. He criticized
me when I was reckless, complimented me when I was steady. At the end of the
fourth class he told me that I had picked up the basics very well and from then
on it was just a matter of practicing. I asked him whether it was time for me
to learn the two most prized skills, to which he replied affirmatively. I was
happy that I was just one step away from becoming a complete driver.
But it all went downhill from the
next class onwards. I had expected him to teach me reversing and parking that
day, so I was surprised when he asked me to drive on the same highway in the same
manner that I had been doing for the past four sessions. His idea was that I
should have a bit more practice. I was disappointed, but also willing to
achieve perfection in what I was doing. But then he said something I had not
expected him to. He asked me if I had a personal vehicle so that he could
conduct some personalized classes with me. I realized instantly that he was
planning to squeeze out a few extra bucks from me over and above what I was
already paying for the course fee. Not in the mood to spend a single penny
more, I immediately refused. I made it clear that I didn’t have a car and might
not buy one before the next month.
I wished he would not broach that
subject again. But in the very next class, he mentioned about a female student
of his who had taken some private classes. The woman had gone through the ten
lessons with him, thinking that she had learnt everything about driving. Then
she had faced many problems and had even managed to violently scratch the side
of side of her brand new car on a pillar while parking. As per the instructor,
she had then called him up in tears, requesting him for some additional lessons.
I knew he wanted to frighten me into agreeing to have the extra sessions with
him. But I was resilient. I listened to his story intently, but neither
commented nor showed any signs of interest.
And so the classes went – fifth,
sixth, seventh, eighth – everyday the same routine, the same road, the same
exercise. I was always in a hurry to reach office after the classes so never
got the chance to discuss in detail what the plans for the subsequent classes
were. Then, in the night before the ninth class, I recapped everything that he
had taught me thus far. After going over my thoughts several times, I came to
the conclusion that this person was not going to teach me any additional things
unless I took the extra sessions with him. I was outraged. I realized that the
person whom I was addressing as ‘Sir’ for the past couple of weeks was just a
thug. I wished him all the ill will I could possibly think of. I went to sleep
that night, deciding that if he was not going to teach me parking and reversing
the next day, I would escalate the matter to the higher authorities in the
company.
And then, it finally happened.
The instructor announced from his side that he would be teaching me about
parking and reversing that day. He told me the tricks, made me practice the
moves several times. I was not just satisfied, but also relieved that I would
not have to take the steps I had contemplated the night before.
On our way back, while chatting,
he suddenly asked me whether I could do a favour for him. He said he was having
classes during the daytime, but after 4:30 in the afternoon he was free. He was
having financial issues so wanted to take up some part time work in the
evenings to make ends meet. His demeanour had changed from bossy to almost
pleading. He asked me if there was
anyone in my contact who wanted a part time driver in the evenings. He told me
that he used to work as a part time driver for some rich guy – but the person
had moved out of the city recently.
The word ‘driver’ struck me as a
cold bullet. It suddenly dawned upon me that this person, whom I had initially
respected as a teacher, then deplored as a cheat, was in the end, just.... a mere
driver – a low income individual who takes orders from people like me, who gets
bossed around, who gets paid to do chores for someone like me.
At that moment, all my hatred
melted away, and gave way to sympathy. I understood that if this individual was
taking private classes, he was doing so to feed his family. He was not
compromising on his duties as an instructor of the driving school in any way.
Moreover, he was willing to work during whatever free time he was getting to
earn that extra money for his wife and kids. My respect for the person
returned, this time, not for the teacher, but for the human being in him.
I have decided to help him out,
do whatever is within my means to provide him with the work he needs. I don’t know why my perception of the person has
changed so suddenly. Is it because I am weak at heart; because I am easily
emotionally blackmailed? Or is it because I want to make amends for the ill
will I had wished upon him the night before? I am not sure. But one thing I am
sure of is that this change in my thoughts has been for the better. I now feel
that I can achieve something in life just by helping out a person I barely
know. I have finally understood why the great sages and gurus say there is no greater
happiness than that which is derived from helping out people in need.
