The 11 o’clock Hitch

It was another late night at the office, not quite unusual since I did work in a leading IT firm. It’s a fast paced life for sure, and that’s one fact I just have to live with.

“Here in IT, if you don’t work your ass off like it’s on fire, the very next second you’d be finding yourself replaced by the guy who was once getting you coffee. Oh and don’t be too disheartened if that guy ends up barking orders at you to do the same. Consider it, the circle of life!”

I can never really forget the pep-talk I got from one of my bosses. He had majestically put up his hands in the air on the last part as if to emphasis further. Ironically, he now works for me. Yes, I worked my ass off to get to where I was, and people definitely hated me for it. But as my ex-boss put it so elegantly, it’s just the circle of life. Jealousy and hatred are but by-products of success.

“If you aren’t hated, you aren’t successful enough,” I recall Jim telling me one day by the coffee machine.

“What about you? Do you hate me?” I had asked.

“I absolutely loathe you! You’re a disgrace! I’m disgusted all the way to my core when I look at your unholy sight,” he responded sporting a huge maniacal grin.

I like Jim. With another promotion coming my way, he’d probably be the only guy who doesn’t hate my guts in the workplace. I rechecked the codes once again. I’d put them in while debugging the new program and it was the moment of truth. As I gave the command to execute it, I kept my eyes fixed on the screen to look for any errors that might pop up. Everything seemed to be working perfectly. Now, I’d only have to send it across to the debugging department in the morning so that they can do the final autopsy. Once they approve, the program will be packed and shipped out to the client. I felt good. Once the whole thing is dealt with, I’d have enough money on me to buy my own car. I still remember the argument Jim and I had when we’d gone out for drinks the last time.

“You know, you could always apply for a loan, right? You don’t really have to buy the damn thing straight up!”

“I know but I don’t want to end up paying a ton of extra cash to cover the interest.”

“Bullshit! As if you have money problems…” he said before signalling the waitress for a refill on his beer.

“It’s not about the money. It’s more about ideals. I just don’t want to pay more for something that is already over-priced due to the greed of mankind.”

“Sugar coat it whichever way you want, you’re just a Scrooge!”

“Oh yeah? Then let’s have you pick up your own tab tonight!” I said with a smirk.

“That was a cheap shot man!”

“Game, set, and match bitch!”

“Yeah… Real mature bro!”

I switched off the desktop and looked around the dark office. Everyone had already left, even Jim. He’d usually stay back and give me a ride but his wife was in labor, and so he had to leave early. I tried to get him on the phone but he didn’t pick up so I left him a voice mail asking him to call me back with details of the delivery. Then, I locked up behind me as I left. As I walked out of the building, I met Larry who was on the night watch. He was probably the most senior person in the office. The infamous theory they have about IT firms not employing people for long was very much true. There’s a new language coming out every day, and if one isn’t up-to-date, he or she is a liability and on the next firing list.

I bid Larry a good night and walked through the parking lot towards the bus-station. It was time for the last bus of the day so there wasn’t much of a crowd waiting for it. An old man sitting on the bench with a walking stick by his side and a clearly skimpily clad woman in her late twenties standing next to the pole supporting the canopy of the bus station. One could easily guess that she was a working woman from the clothes she wore. Jim had told me about it before.

“You know Michael, when you’re out at the bar and you don’t want to make one of the worst mistakes of your life, you need to pay attention to the clothes.”

“The clothes?” I asked with my eyebrows raised.

“Yeah man, the clothes! You can always tell apart a whore from the rest just by the footwear. They’re usually leather boots. Also, the way she dresses would be most alluring. You know, like a miniskirt, a very much revealing lace shirt covered by a leather jacket of sorts.”

“That sure makes me wonder though.”

“About what?”

“About how the hell you know so much?”

“You son-of-a-bitch! I’ve got friends you know, unlike someone I know.”

“Fair enough.”

“I’m going to kill you one of these days,” he joked raising his beer can.

“And I’ll be waiting,” I retorted raising mine to his.

She was a working woman alright. As I walked up to her at the bus station, she gazed at me and gave me the look.

One that clearly said – “Hey there! You wanna take me out tonight?”

And I, being my shy self, couldn’t even make eye contact properly thereafter. It wasn’t like I had a girlfriend, and to be honest, some female company would be appreciated. But, I was definitely not gonna be paying for it. Maybe if Jim treats me once he gets the good news, I might consider it.

The three of us waited for there in silence. The old man and I waited probably for the bus, while the woman waited for a paying client. Pretty sure she’d got the message that I wasn’t gonna help her tonight.

I looked at my watch. The bus was really late tonight. We’d already been waiting for half an hour and there was no sign of it anywhere. In the distance I saw headlights. I put my hand out, just in case it was the bus. As the lights came closer, I saw that it was a very blue Kia Rio. It was probably the cheapest hatchback in the country. Great fuel economy at a very much reasonable price, it was one of the cars I was considering of buying. At less than fourteen grand, it was the car for me.

The car slowed down and came to a halt in front of me. As the window rolled down, I saw a very young man in his early twenties behind the wheel. He had very messy hair which came down to his eyebrows and was wearing a jumper over a pair of denim jeans. The speakers played classical music which seemed to contrast the whole ambiance of the car, and the one driving of course. When I was his age, there was no way I’d even consider listening to classical music, especially not when driving alone at almost midnight.

“Where you headed?” he asked me.

“Oh, I’m just waiting for the bus. I’m sorry but I thought it was the bus coming, so I put out my hand.”

“It’s alright. But I believe you’ve already missed the last bus,” he said.

To my horror, I realized that it was a very quite plausible. The old man who was sitting peacefully at the bench had come up beside me. He bent over to talk to the young man in the car.

“Dear boy, would you be kind enough to drop me off at the next bus station? My home’s quite close from there. I’m afraid these legs don’t allow me to walk that much no more,” he amidst in an elderly chuckle.

“Sure sir, come on in,” he said opening the doors.

The old man got into the back seat and I saw the woman walk towards the car as well.

“Hello darling. Can I join you? I’m thinking of heading home tonight.”

“Sure. Where to?” he asked without hesitation.

“Just drop me off three blocks from here, alright?”

“Will do ma’am.”

I watched as the woman got in beside the old man. I believe they left the passenger seat for me. I was still just recovering from the shock of having missed my last bus to say anything. I’ve never hitch-hiked before in my life. Brought up in a very strict home, my mother had instructed me to never trust strangers. I’d lived that way all my life until today, never getting in with a stranger in his vehicle. And now, I had not much of a choice.

“Well?” he asked. “You coming?”

“Y-Yes please. I’m sorry,” I said getting in. “I’m going to Delaware Street. Anywhere close by will do.”

“Delaware Street huh? I live a bit farther off so I can drop you off there precisely,” he said as he put the car into drive.

“Thank you very much. No offence, but how much will it be?” I asked.

It was another principle of mine to not owe anyone anything in life, I always cleared my debts. He just smiled and shook his head before speaking.

“Do I look like a cab driver to you? This is a free service.”

Free service? In this day and age? Not a chance! Nothing in life comes for free. I was definite that there was more to the story than just plain philanthropy. First the woman was dropped off followed by the old man. Finally, the opportunity I was waiting for.

“Tell me, what do you get out of doing this?”

“What do I get? Something priceless.”

“Priceless?” I raised my eyebrow.

My curiosity was certainly peaked. What was it that could be so priceless when he wasn’t even charging a penny? I racked my brain but couldn’t come up with anything substantial. Fortunately enough, I could tell he didn’t want me to think too hard.

“I get conversation.”

“Conversation?”

“Yes. Have you ever thought about it? In this day and age, where technology is an everyday thing, no one really bothers to have a nice little chat with the person sitting next to him or her. I see people always talking to others so far away and never acknowledging the existence of those nearby. What’s worse, most of the time, the chat isn’t even worthwhile.”

Interesting. I’d never given it much thought myself. Thinking about it back then, I realized how true it was. Even I would talk to people, who I claimed were my friends, over the phone while I was on the bus. If not, I’d just listen to music or play games. Sometimes, I even worked. Never have I tried making an effort towards hitting up a conversation with another person. That said, no one tried with me either.

“Then, why call it a ‘free ride’?”

“Didn’t it serve as an ice-breaker for you and me?”

He sure had a point.

“Touché. How old are you by the way?”

“Twenty three. I know I don’t really sound like it right now though.”

Yes, he definitely didn’t sound like it at all. His choice in music certainly helped but the words he spoke suited a wiser and more experienced person better. I began wondering what could have had happened to him.

“Trying to figure out the tragedies of my life?”

“How did you know?”

“It’s an easy guess. Smooth streams don’t cut through rocks. Raging ones however, certainly do!”

Who was this young man? My interest in him was only increasing by every passing minute.

“So tell me, what is it that you do?”

“Between you and me, I’m a writer.”

“A writer?”

“Yes, a writer. I write about the world,” he said slowly bringing the car to a halt as the traffic light turned red.

“I can’t believe I have a writer for a chauffeur.”

“Well, I guess, today is your lucky day!”

“You’re kidding right?”

“No, I’m a writer through and through, just not a famous one. But, in hindsight, I don’t really want to be very famous while I’m alive.”

“Why not?” I asked confused.

“If I get famous, I can’t offer people rides like I do.”

“Good point. By the way, I wonder if you noticed that the woman before was-”

“A prostitute?” he cut me off. “Yup, I knew.”

“No issues?”

“None at all,” he replied without hesitation. “She’s just someone trying to make a living, just like you and me.”

“You intrigue me. So you do all this, just for some conversation?”

“Just? I’ll have you know, conversation is something very special to me. It is an essential part of society and something we can never really get enough of. It is what gives our lives meaning.”

“Meaning to our lives? That’s definitely taking it a bit too far, don’t you think?” I asked looking out of the window at the closed shops by the street.

How does conversation give meaning to life? Isn’t it just another aspect of life?

“Yes, meaning,” he continued. “We are but dust, waiting to return into the void. Through conversation, we inspire and create a new chapter in the stories of our lives, and in the lives of the ones we talk to. Wouldn’t you say it’s giving meaning to life?”

I had never really thought about it. Even at the office, I was so busy with work that I seldom ever had a chat with those around me. Conversation as giving meaning to life? I don’t really understand the philosophy behind it.

“I don’t get it.” I said as I finally gave up trying make sense of it all.

“Don’t worry about it, you’re far too young to be worrying about such things.”

We both broke into a fit of laughter at his last comment. Then he continued.

“You know, soon, this world shall grow silent. The only sounds that shall be heard would be of inanimate objects following the commands of their masters. I shudder at the thought of such a world.”

“You really think that things would go ‘Terminator’ like that?”

“I sure hope not. But, I can’t really shrug off the possibility.”

“I wonder, could the future you see also have the shadows of humans killing humans in the name of petty differences?” I asked sort of getting a grip on things.

His face lit up as I asked the question.

“So you’re learning!” he exclaimed as he stopped at Delaware Street.

I was sort of happy now. I now understood what he meant by conversation being priceless. All the problems in the world existed solely because people aren’t ready to talk. Ideas, opinions, thoughts, feelings are all stagnating due to the outlets being blocked or twisted by technology and the media. And what I understood now was just one piece of the puzzle. There was far too much I was yet unaware of.

“Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem.”

“Did I manage to become a part of your story?”

“You became one the moment I asked you where you were headed,” he said smiling and then driving off.

I walked to my house at the far end. My phone rang as I did. It was Jim.

“They’re twins!” he shouted into the phone.

“Congratulations buddy. Let’s meet at the Tavern at 8 pm tomorrow and celebrate your new found bundles of joy, alright?”

“It’s a weekend tomorrow, we only have half a day of work, why make it 8 pm?”

I could almost feel the confusion in his voice. He knew me far too well and knew that I didn’t have much of a life outside of work. I smiled to myself before responding.

“Well… I have to go buy a car!”