The parking area in our office building would put any
driving test arena to shame. An area meant for eight cars, somehow accommodates
anything from ten to fourteen cars of all shapes and sizes. Is it magic? No.
It’s Ashok.
Ashok is the security guard. Ashok does not know to
drive. Yet, without him, all of us drivers are on tenterhooks. It is probably
his spacial skills, or imagination, or I don’t know what, but he guides even
the worst amongst us to take the vehicle out, even in reverse, without as much as
a scratch. You have to see the parking lot to understand what kind of a
herculean task I’m talking about. Take a look at the photograph.
‘Cut marke…left se….haan haan…ab seedha…seedha…right se cut
mariye….thoda…bas bas….ab seedha….’ and you are out safe and sound. When
Ashok guides, the rear view mirrors become redundant. In fact, I would do it
with my eyes closed. Except that I need to see the guiding gestures that Ashok
makes. When driving under his directions, I keep my brain in ‘Follow Ashok’s
Instructions’ mode, with no thinking of my own. That’s the kind of faith I have
in his non-driving driving skills. Believe me, that’s what we all do.
But life is such that
sometimes there are catastrophes – Ashok goes on long leave! A whole month
without Ashok? I nearly give up driving and certainly give up driving in
reverse out of the parking lot!
A simple man doing a regular
security guards job which mainly involves opening and closing the gate. Yet,
Ashok has mastered the skill of guiding drivers and making maximum use of the
parking lot. This simple skill makes him essential, makes him wanted and
indispensable for the smooth functioning of the parking lot and our peace of
mind (no driving around in circles looking for parking). There are so many
other guards who come and go as per their shift, but only Ashok has made an
indelible mark in our minds and made himself essential to our daily survival.
How essential am I in this
world? Which skill(s) have I mastered? Would it make a difference to anyone’s
life if I disappeared on long leave? How many would be aghast at my absence?
How many would miss me? Eh…I think I’d rather not have answers to these
questions! Ignorance is bliss!
