'They are charging more', I thought. I dropped a five rupee coin on the table and he let me in. I gave my very heavy Sree Leathers' travelling bag to this middle-aged fine gentleman, which he readily agreed to keep. (I haven't seen earlier a lavatory caretaker so neatly dressed in jeans and stripped white shirt with a waist belt and polished shoes. Normally, as I know, they are in a gamcha or half pant and slippers.) I rushed in. I could see crowds of people standing guarding the toilet doors. I understood what I have to do. After waiting for about 10 minutes the door on which I was standing guarding opened and a young chap came out. Following others, I too picked up the gallon from inside the toilet and ran to fill it with tap water from where people were bathing in a row. I knew I was getting late. (whenever I want it doesn't come and when it shouldn't, it does!) I was worried, for, if I am unable to sieze this crucial moment I may not get the next soon, I thought. (Everything was there--location, infrastructure, and ofcourse 'it want's to come').
As I returned I saw my toilet was already occupied. What to do. Nothing but wait. After sometime I saw one another door opening. I rushed in to occupy. But the 'guard' told me that he has already reserved it (indicating towards a gamcha which he had put on the door, as if the way we reserve seats when the bus or train is overcrowed, I thought!). "I am going to fill the gallon now", he told. "It is very urgent", I pleaded. The kind man could sense the genuiness of my request and allowed me to go in, although reluctantly. And I could very well understand his complsion. Finally I emtied myself! I thanked him with my full heart.
Later, when I went to collect my travelling bag, I was surprised to find that the caretaker did not even ask me to pay an extra charge for keeping the travelling bag! Instead of paying more, I had in fact paid less, I thought.
As I returned I saw my toilet was already occupied. What to do. Nothing but wait. After sometime I saw one another door opening. I rushed in to occupy. But the 'guard' told me that he has already reserved it (indicating towards a gamcha which he had put on the door, as if the way we reserve seats when the bus or train is overcrowed, I thought!). "I am going to fill the gallon now", he told. "It is very urgent", I pleaded. The kind man could sense the genuiness of my request and allowed me to go in, although reluctantly. And I could very well understand his complsion. Finally I emtied myself! I thanked him with my full heart.
Later, when I went to collect my travelling bag, I was surprised to find that the caretaker did not even ask me to pay an extra charge for keeping the travelling bag! Instead of paying more, I had in fact paid less, I thought.
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