1.1.2016 (Friday).

Stumbled in to my bed at 1 in the morning after a riotous celebration. Fortunately, the odd-even scheme was to start at 8 a.m., I had beaten the deadline by 7 hours as my car had an even number. I was still fairly bleary eyed in the morning. Being a holiday in the office, gave me time to recuperate with a Jeeve's potion. I have my doubts that this odd-even car number scheme would take off. Delhites do not easily lend themselves to following any kind of traffic discipline. It had been predicted to fail.

 2.1.2016 (Saturday)

Ah! Finally, I could take my car out. I decided to drive around, just to see how Delhi was coping. Refreshingly nearly empty roads. I could just whizz through. Let myself really go. Oh! No! Just saw the police check point in the distance. Slowed down immediately. Observed that they had a speed camera. These guys had wisened up to the fact that people will speed. Decided to be more careful.

3.1.2016 (Sunday)

No restrictions. Did my weekly shopping. Checked the email from HR. They had given the contact numbers, the addresses and the car numbers of all office staff, so that we could car pool. Brilliantly innovative idea. Staying in Vasant Vihar as a paying guest, I normally drove through Chanakyapuri, as there was no suitable Metro connection. On a good day, it would take me about 30 minutes and on a bad day, it could take over an hour. Scrolling through the list, I was searching for someone who would be staying near Vasant Vihar. Thankfully, there was someone staying at Munirka. She had an odd-numbered car. It suited me just fine. It would be a bit of a detour as I would have to change my route to go through Africa Avenue, but it would be about the same distance either way. A win-win situation for both. I did not know her. I was working with the marketing department. She worked in another department. For a while after deliberating in my mind, I finally called her. She didn't know of me either. Expressed surprised that her name was on the list. Apparently, the HR people had put it in the list without her knowledge. And, no, she had not thought about going in for it as she was entitled to drive on all days, being a single woman. Divya said she would call back.

4.1.2016 (Monday)

She had not called. My initial scepticism was correct. People did not want to accommodate. Too much of a bother, I guessed. Did not matter much that day, as being an even day, I could take my car to office. Later, I thought of checking up other prospects and try setting up a car pool with someone else. The nearest was in Motibagh area. For him, it would be a long drive to my place. Given Divya's disinterest, I was still undecided about calling him when in the afternoon, a colleague from the HR department, called me. Asked how I knew Divya. I did not, I protested, I had only called her to see if she would be interested in setting up a car pool. Evidently, she had been checking on me surreptitiously.  He had come to know in a roundabout manner. Someone had enquired from him. I admire her caution.

Divya finally called back later in the evening. Apparently, I had passed the test. So apologised. She had gotten busy. Yes, she would be willing to share a car. She would pick me up the next morning at 8. Great, I grinned inwardly, ruefully. I would have to be on my best behaviour.

5.1.2016 (Tuesday)

The car drew up. I had told her where I would be waiting.

Oh! Wow! She was very pretty. Long hair neatly tied up in a bun, translucent skin with minimal make up. I waved the car down. There were only the two of us. No wonder, she had been cautious.

“Hi!” she said. “I am Divya. Hope I did not keep you waiting too long.”

“No!” I grinned. “I hope you did not find it difficult to locate this place?”

“I am sorry, I didn't respond earlier. I was actually debating in my mind whether to go in for a car pool as I wasn't affected.”

“Then, what made you change your mind?”

“My nationalist instincts asserted themselves. Thought that it was a good move by the Government. So, I decided to get into the spirit of it.”

“Good for me. Otherwise, I would have to go by bus or taxi and from Vasant Vihar, that is quite a ride.”

Our conversation mostly revolved around the traffic and the ease with which we reached the office.

6.1.2016 (Wednesday)

My day to drive. Munirka a microcosm of India, was basically an overgrown village. There is an old Munirka and a new Munirka, with the old one being in south of the ring road. She stayed in the old part and had sportingly offered to meet me on the ring road. I said okay as it was the first time I was in that area and I didn't wish to be too adventurous, without a guide. In the evening, I finally manoeuvred my car into the labyrinth of bye lanes to drop her off.

7.1.2016 (Thursday)

Her day to drive us to the office. The traffic conditions remained absolutely fabulous. It was such a pleasure to be able to sit back and enjoy the ride, while someone else drove. Never had I realised, till then the stress there is in our life driving ourselves to and from office in Delhi's chaotic traffic. This was definitely one of the more welcome positive fall outs of the car pooling. Gradually, she became comfortable and quite chatty. She was a mass media professional, who worked in the PR department. Our company being into consumer consumables, sometimes she had to work late. So, she had decided to commute by car. Being in the marketing department myself, I had to meet targets, irrespective and however. Thankfully, my office times were not too rigid, though there was a fair amount of travelling involved. Fortunately, during these 15 days when the odd-even traffic rules were to be in place, it had been decided that we would venture into the market only on those days which our car numbers permitted us to. So, I had no problem as I had to be in the market only on even days. But, today, she had to sit back late. There was some press meet organised for the next day and promotional material had been finalised rather late. She rang me up and apologised saying that I should take a taxi home. I said that I would wait. Decided to take a walk around CP. Noticed the parking slots to be only a little more than half full. Chatting with a parking attendant, I could feel his indignation. We are ruing this rule, having paid such a lot for the concession. If this continues, we will suffer. Yes, I could see, it is a mixed blessing. For some, a boon, for others not so. She called. It was 7 pm and she was finally ready to leave.

8.1.2016 (Friday)

Last working day of the week and my day to drive. Mostly, we discussed how the odd-even plan had worked. She was of the opinion that it was good to have the luxury of being ferried to the office on alternate days as it reduces stress but the plan needed more fine tuning. It was to be seen how much effect it has on the pollution with all those exemptions. Yes, I agreed, the jury is still out on that. But, it had generated interest and made people aware that we do need to take some drastic measures as our health suffered. On the other hand, we both agreed that measures need to be taken to counter the fleecing by auto and taxi operators.

11.1.2016 (Monday)

Her day at the wheel. The weekend had been rather difficult to pass without having her to chat with. She had turned out to be quite an engaging person. I was actually missing her bright wit. Hi, I greeted her with a bright smile. Her smile, with eyes crinkling up, also seemed to be so full of promise.

“How did your weekend go?” She was observing me with the corner of her eye, while driving.

“Not so good,” I said. “Something was missing.” I ventured.

She kept quiet. I was almost willing her to ask, what? But she didn't. We didn't speak much for most of the journey, except for some desultory remarks about the Court hearing on the Odd Even rule, which was expected later that day. On the way back too, the conversation was sparse. We mostly discussed the HC ruling which had come that day where they had refused to interfere. But, there was a palpable tension in the air. Next day was a market visit scheduled for early morning as I had to go to Meerut. So, asked her if she would like to go a bit earlier to the office or go by herself. She decided to drive herself to office.

12.1.2016 (Tuesday)

I had to go to Meerut that day, so I went alone. I was missing her. By now, I had become so used to be being with her that even one day away seemed to be an eternity. What was happening to me? Thought of calling her, but held back.

13.1.2016 (Wednesday)

She called in the morning. Yes, I would be waiting for her. Today, she appeared to be more cheerful, as was I. It was as if Tuesday had never happened. We chatted like old friends, relieved to be just with each other. The traffic as usual was one of our points of discussion. Movies were another. The latest Farhan Akhtar movie Wazir was to be released that Friday. Emboldened, I asked her if she would be interested in seeing it. She said she would think about it.

14.1.2016 (Thursday)

My day to drive. The first thing, I asked her was whether she was interested in going to the movie. No, she said, she couldn't make it the coming weekend. But, maybe another time. I thought she needed more time. Did not press her, but thought long and hard of how to continue being with her, once this odd-even induced car pooling was over. The entire night, I kept mulling over it. I wanted to know her better. Wanted her to know me better. We had hardly gotten enough time to develop our relationship further and time was running out fast.  I needed time and kept wracking my brains of how to persuade her to continue this car pooling. Is this an unintended fall out of the Delhi experiment, I wondered in my mind.

15.1. 2016 (Friday)

The last day of the Delhi experiment. I was glum. I had hardly slept the past night. Had not been able to think of any excuse for us to extend our tryst further. While on way to office, an ambulance came blaring its siren behind us. It was fairly easy for us to give way as the traffic flow had been orderly. “Now, that is a positive fall out,” she said.

“Yes,” I sighed ruefully. But it ends today. She smiled. Our car pooling has been vindicated. It doesn't have to end today. Let us continue with it. I agreed wholeheartedly, my heart breaking into a song, more than delighted that my initial cynicism about the scheme had been set at naught. I was a full convert.