Election-my lesson in civics

Yesterday was election day in Bombay. It is a holiday for me!!..I have never voted and the day anyways doesnt mean much to me( I do have a point of view but expressing them on a blog made more sense than going down to polling booth in heat where I am just 1 out of 100 crore. The probability that I will make an impact is absymally low.)

For me it is a like any other holiday... Swimming, partying or play ..choices galore ...I check out the tickets they are all booked. Mahabaleshway and kashith reservation was nowhere to be found..a friend's dad was retiring(in Jaipur) and she wanted to go, but tough luck..no seats available in flight or train. Looked like any other long weekend where the busy souls look ways to run away from the sweltering heat.

Disappointed I wanted to order some beer..but well, it was a dry day..but determined I was to beat the boredom.

I called up my friend and what do i see..luckily he had foreseen this and stocked himself of eough liquor and in next five minutes I was on the way to his place.

Playfully asked autowallah"Did u vote". Yes, he said...I asked him how was the experience. " Great he says. I know nothing will change for me but isnt it amazing that I can make a difference. How much time did it take him. He said 3 hours, that is why I was his first passenger. I asked him how much have u lost inn voting process . Maybe Rs 300. How much do u earn in a day ..may be about a thousand...this person had lost 30% of his daily wage to vote in this election.

But did u vote Saheb, he asks me. I said no. "And u have a holiday today aur aap padhe lika bhi ho". The autodrivers name was Amanrao and that day I got a practical lesson on democartic duty that all civics books in my school had failed to.