Every evening you’ll find Mumbaikars strolling down the Bandra promenades.
It seems like a cleansing ritual of sorts.
The toxins accumulated during the week or the day by each metropolitan, are flushed out and your body and mind regains some semblance of purity.
The promenades are a favourite haunt of mine too, and I enjoy them especially in the rains.
Yesterday my Tanvi and myself went for a stroll down Carter Road.We both sat on the edge of the promenade. I listened to the waves and she binged on ice-lolly and three corncobs, post devouring a mountain of pasta.
As she strolled off to buy an ice-lolly, I heard a clink of glass in the earth below me. The couple sitting just a stones thow away, had flung a glass bottle into the dirt. The bile rose within me and I wanted to give them a piece of my mind.
Tanvi got back, and we heard another clink. Yet, another glass bottle adding to the debri of waste, discarded by mindless humans.
We were both angered by such oblivious, insensitive behaviour. Next, the man discarded an empty cigarette packet, not to far away from us.
THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW!
Was confronting them the right way to do it?
Do we pick a fight?
Do we preach?
We arrived at an effective alternative (so we realise later).
Tanvi, walked up very boldly to the couple and said, ” Hi! I am Tanvi. I was going to throw my corncobs into that bin over there. If you have anymore stuff to throw away, why don’t you give it to me and I will put it in the bin for you.”
The man turned a shade of purple. The woman spat venom and said,” No thank you. Hmmmm!”
We decide to make an exit. But the man jumped to his feet, came to us and apologised for his behaviour. His companion on the other hand felt extremely insulted. She started accusing us of butting into their business and insisted that it was her right to do as she pleased etc.
The man continued to apologise profusely on her behalf and said he would never do it again.
I said, ” But this is your country. How can you not keep it clean?” But the women was too hot-headed to see reason. Tanvi told the man,” You got the drift right? That’s GREAT. “
He nodded smiled, and they were off on their way and we, on ours.
If I have to butt into someone’s business to ensure that my country is kept clean, then SO BE IT. PERIOD.
lol…..gooo Tanvi