Malbari Hotel....An Old Man's Day dreams

Stuck in a Traffic Jam...!!!

by Abdul Sattar Lakhana

We were sitting at the malbari hotel as usual wasting time but our quartet was not yet complete .Siddiq master had not arrived.We were a little bit worried about master’s being late but we just killed the time any way.

At last master came almost an hour late. He was tired and perspiring in this cold weather. He settled down and sat breathlessly for a few minutes. At last he was composed enough to tell us his story. I asked him why he was so late. This question worked as a fuse of a bomb.

Master told us that Pakistan should not have a President or Prime Minister or for that matter any VIPS in Pakistan. Ghaffar Kapadia asked him, “why so cross with our beloved president and PM. Did you fail to get Vatan card or income support scheme membership?”

Master was so furious that he hit the table with his fist and told that he was held up in traffic jam with two ambulances on either side with their hooters blowing at full volume .The jam was created due to some VIP movement perhaps PM was moving towards Clifton and our over efficient police had stopped half the city’s traffic.

“We the non important citizens had to suffer without any complain. I don’t mind waiting in a traffic jam but ambulances on my both sides, sirens wailing at full volume. You can imagine my plight. As this was not enough, driver of my van kept blowing his pressure horn. Although no vehicle moved an inch. All this humdrum drew all nuts. At last the convoy of the VIP person passed and the flow of traffic began.” Siddiq Master said.

People loudly cheered and clapped as Master’s van reached Saddar. There a problem already waiting for Siddiq Master. The bus he wanted to take to reach tower was not available, as due to  the traffic jam the busses were not coming towards Saddar and were taking some side routes.

After standing on the bus stop for a long while,Master checked his pockets and he found that he had just enough money for a samosa and a cup of tea .So he went into a café and had a samosa and a cup of tea which refreshed him somewhat. After a long wait his bus came but it was too full for Master so he let it go.

Thus after letting 2 or 3 busses go he was able to get a ride in a bus, not a seat but only standing space. So he was able to get to tower and to malbari hotel.

During the bus ride he stepped on the foot of same old man.This led to much abusive language and near-fight situation. So the Master’s mood was shattered that’s why he hated VIPS. If there were no VIPS people would be much better off.

We all four sat there enjoying Matka cola (drinking water),which was the only thing that we could afford that day. We all agreed with Siddiq master that stoppage of traffic for any VIP was cruelity towards humanity.

The persons stopped by the traffic jam may be ill or injured or going for an important personal work and those who are not sick get sick by the smoke and noise of vehicles .Moreover we loose many millions of rupees by way of wasted fuel.