The cycle-rickshaw rogue

Now I will tell another rickshaw experience. This was a cycle rickshaw. As you know, cycle rickshaws are much easier to drive and they go much faster than the old-fashioned hand-drawn rickshaws. The hand-drawn rickshaws are made of wood and they are quite primitive, but the cycle rickshaws are made of metal and they go much faster.

The driver of the cycle rickshaw was such a clever fellow. He wanted to kill time, so he would cycle for about 50 or 60 metres, and then he would jump off and start dragging the rickshaw.

I said, “Why are you doing this? Can you not pedal with your legs?”

He said, “No, you are very heavy. I have to pull it by hand.”

I said, “According to you I am very heavy. Perhaps it is true. But I know that this kind of rickshaw can take two persons. I am definitely not as fat as two persons. I do not have the weight of two human beings. I know the real reason why you are doing this.”

He said, “Why?”

I said, “Because you want to kill time. If you do this, you will take more time and I will have to pay more.”

The driver was wearing a wristwatch. I had asked him to take me around the circumference of Pondicherry. I know the route so well. It is only three miles. In an hour easily we could have come back. But the driver was playing a trick. He did not want to go all around, so he would pedal for 50 or 60 metres, and then he would start wasting time and walk slowly. So in an hour, I could not cover even one mile. Can you imagine? This is how he took time. Even while walking he was saying he was so tired, so exhausted.

Finally, I got disgusted and asked him to take me back to the starting point, our house.