When the time froze ... and so did the traffic

As I was heading out of my office after another mundane and monotonous day at work, I saw something which really caught my eye, a deserted Taratala road, a rarity at this time of the evening. During my two months of stay at Kolkata, I had never witnessed this before. I was elated, as the thoughts of reaching home earlier than usual crossed my mind. But the joy was ephemeral. I am just not lucky enough when it comes to matters like this. I realized soon that something was wrong, or rather, something was up. After walking a few paces down the road in search of some means of conveyance, I could see why the road was so empty. One side of the road was blocked off by some traffic cops who were communicating with their senior officials on a walkie-talkie and were giving guys trying to cross over some serious beating. The other side must have been blocked off at some place where I could not see it. The footpath was crowded with onlookers as if some divine incarnation was getting down right there from the heavens. I asked a person standing beside me "What's all this shit for?". "Rahul Gandhi aa raha hai!!!", he replied, with an enthusiasm so glowingly hot, it seemed like Rahul Gandhi would get down of his car and give this guy a hug right there. Even people from my office were there, stranded because of lack of transport, people who would never engage in any conversation with anyone other than that concerned with their work and thought that politics is lame were suddenly in awe of him, praising his policies on matters so abstruse that i didn't get a thing.

Suddenly, the walkie-talkie started buzzing loud with gibberish. The moment had arrived. Very soon, the caravan started passing us. One, two three .... i kept on counting, total 12 SUVs in all, with Rahul Gandhi, the "Peoples' Guy" in one of them. The crowd was cheering the convoy and waving their hands at each and every one of the vehicles. I felt like saying "Dude !!! The windows are all covered in black and moreover he wouldn't even bother to look at you guys." Someone whispered " Baara - Baara gaadi !!! Humaare paas toh ek bhi nahi hai." There was not a score of sarcasm in his voice but of revere, of admiration. The convoy went, the road block was lifted and the traffic police who were so very present till that moment, suddenly vanished. Life returned to normal at Taratala road.