Scary Auto Experience

I left office; it was 6.30 in the evening. I had to take an auto to head back home. I usually do not take an auto in front of the office for the extra monetary demands.

So I walked unto a signal and stopped an empty auto and asked,

Me: ‘X’ place (devoid of the verbs)

He just nodded.

<image: From Google>

I got into the auto and just said ‘right’ or ‘left’ whenever needed. He must have thought that I am not a localite. As we stopped in a signal junction, he called someone; the conversation from the other side was pretty loud and hence audible. And I heard this. (AD = Auto Driver. )

AD: Yellidya? (Where are you?)

3^rd Person: BTM. (Place in Bangalore)

AD: Naanu same jaga same place bartini. Inna 10 nimisha. (I’ll come to the same place, in 10 minutes. )

3^rd Person: Yeshtide? (How many?)

AD: Ondu (One)

I smelt something shady in the tête-à-tête. I immediately searched for the driver information which will be put up in every auto. Strangely, he did not have. I searched for my phone. I did not have charge in my phone!!  By that time, we had already crossed the junction, we were almost in BTM.

He called that person again. And the conversation was,

AD: Inna 2 nimisha kano. ( In 2 minutes)

3^rd Person: Siddha. (I am ready)

My heart was thumping inside. He had to take a right turn now! 
I shouted “Right”. 
He said “ Madam, Oil.. Oil..” (tried telling me that he has to buy oil for his auto)

I knew very well that there weren’t any shops in the route he was taking. Now, I knew for sure that I was in a grave danger. I had thousand thoughts in my mind criss-crossing. I saw the rear view mirror, there were some vehicles coming behind. He bent down to get a deodorant kind of bottle. I moved to my extreme left and just SHOT out of the moving auto! He had moved his hand vigorously to hit my head with that bottle, his hand just managed to pull off my ear-ring!

I gained control and started shouting ‘Kalla.. Kalla..’ (Robber, Robber) 
THANKFULLY!! Few cars and few two-wheelers stopped by and this auto fellow sped off into the dark. I was in a state of shock. People were asking so many questions. I was wobbly; so many things happened in a few seconds. I stood still. I was as cold as an ice. I remember uttering ‘I need to reach ‘X’ place’

Some family dropped me home. I was still not able to talk. I realized I had not noted down the number of the auto. No one else did probably.

Had I not understood the language, had I not been gallant enough, I would have probably been the newspaper headline the next day.

I learnt certain things the hard way. Please take care.
1) I did not do this, but you can pretend to talk on phone. Talk out loudly as to where you are. 

2) Note down the auto number and the name of the driver whenever you get into an auto. You never know when the information will be handy.

3) Carry a pepper spray! And keep that in an accessible location.

4) Learn local language friends. Please! I was damn lucky that day.. Not everyone is!