RELATIVES AND BTS

BTS was a cartoonist’s delight. It was the favourite of the daily DeccanHerald’s cartoonist Murthy. The overflowing crowds in the bus which had a few layers of people hanging out of the footboards and the picture of some on the ladders ( which was a privilege provided only in a few buses) provided in the rear was a sight to behold. The Bangalore trademark motto “Swalpa Adjust Maadi” owes it genesis to the Bangalore Transport Service. It is a different story that not many are even aware today of the official motto either in letter or in spirit. Any two seater would easily have three persons and the rear seat could easily accommodate two extra occupants. The cop who was the source of threat to all kids was the genial man who would rise to give up his seat and would always ensure that he holds the last rungs in the multi layered footboard. No Olympic gold medallist could match these artisans in clinging to the window bars of the bus with a nimble edge of one foot perched at a miniscule space in the footboard while the other was cautiously avoiding the scraping of the top surface of the road on which the bus was plying at an angle which no driver today with all his degrees could lay claim to. A couple of layers would be provided as a protective layer to the front door if warranted by chivalrous men. In fact, one has to give the credit to these young doyens who were confronted with added distractions of the opposite sex apart from the chatter which would provide fodder for their leisure time amusement.
It was in this era, one old (sic) young man who must have been in his late sixties with a few gray hair bordering a bald pate made an aggressive posture and took position in the penultimate ring on the footboard. One mischievous (as described by the denizen in question) co foot boarder requested him in impolite terms “Ajja, (the Kannada term for the post of grandfather) swalpa olage hogthira? (will you please move inside?)” The man in his impeccable white dhothi rose from his normal height of less than five feet to full stature and asked “Yaaro Ajja (Who is grandfather), My grandchildren are toddlers not full blown men like you. “ The man went on to list the attributes of a grandfather and in his seething anger remarked, “For a person of your age, a grandfather must be incapable of moving out of his home or may have reached the abode of Yama” . The young collegian who had listened all this while with a sense of amusement went red in rage. He started questioning the authority of the handsome man with the bald pate rimmed with gray hair to consign his grandfathers to the bed or to the graveyard. He wanted respect and an apology. The fellow commuters sensing serious trouble brewing from the generation gap proactively counseled the two gladiators on the rung. However, neither was willing to be pacified.
The redoubtable conductor waded through the sea of humanity from the front end of the bus bellowing reason to prevail. All commuters on whose toes he stepped diligently pardoned him without even a murmur in the light of the highly volatile atmosphere. Soon, the master of the bus had reached the venue of the war of words. Quickly, he sought an update from the commuter who was close to the door. As the commuter gave his version with a bias towards the collegian, the grandfather of the toddlers raised an objection. The conductor simply cut the man short and asked whether the same question with an uncle would have had a different meaning. The substance he surmised was that the collegian had expressed concern for his safety and he should sagaciously have accepted the same. The man was not happy with this one sided verdict and started blaming the entire generation which lacked values. The Lok Adalat presided by the conductor did not seem to have had the desired effect.
The final punches were yet to be delivered and the articulations of the pros and cons went on as though a jury was put in place to give their verdict. All along, people disembarked from the bus, some boarded the bus, some purchased tickets for their destinations. It was after a good four or five stops the grand (self appointed)jury was suspended and the conductor told the gladiators that there would be no apologies since the old are not expected to seek pardon from the young and as far as the senior person was concerned, there was no disrespect intended so he could cool himself down. He added as a good measure that if the differences still persisted he would ask the driver to head to the nearest police station where both could sort out the matter. The last word had the desired effect. Soon, at the next bus stop the younger fellow found a seat for the older one ( an adjusted seat). The older man said he had come out in a temper and sought the apology of the younger soul. The younger person who had demanded an apology a few bus stops earlier would have nothing of it. Soon, on insistence he passed on his backpack to the senior one to hold as a gesture of affection by the “Ajja” to his “Mamaga”(grandson).