Ride.

What happens when your father has a business friend who owns a Škoda Superb? Why, you ride in that car ofcourse! Unless you are unfortunate enough to have been endowed with a defective brain like someone who once commented on this blog. So, this morning me, my father, and Mr. Malik went to Gurgaon in the Superb that Mr. Malik drove. Mr. Malik has a reputation of being a fast driver which makes riding with him a lot more fun. First, some quick facts for the uninitiated: the car has automatic gearing system unlike a standard Indian 5-gears car; the car is an elongated version of Škoda Octavia and from what Mr. Malik tells me, he got the car specially imported to India back when it was not available here. Mr. Malik really opened 'er up on the Vasant Kunj highway (NH-8) where he got a speed of around 160 KM/hr and it was just pure exhilaration. On the same highway, I have driven my car at 90 KM/hr but in Superb it was something else. We reached Gurgaon at 11am and after an hour long meeting (during which I ate sandwiches in a fast-food restro), we were on our way back to Vasant Vihar. While going back, a cop hailed and we stopped the car. Seeing that the car was a luxury sedan and that it didn't have a Delhi number, the cop (most probably looking to make some easy money) asked for the stuff no one would even care to lug around in the car (in this case, the air-pollution check papers). After 5-10 minutes, Mr. Malik slipped him a Rs. 500 bill which the cop smoothly slid into his deep pocket. The car, the bribe and the sandwiches made this ride a memorable one indeed.

- AG.