Getting an affidavit at the Pune Collector’s Office

 

Once inside the Collector’s campus, I asked for directions to “Where can I get an affidavit made?”
I was directed to a large hall. If someone needed the meaning of ‘chaos’, I could tell him “See. This is chaos”.

There were 14 counters (At least that’s what the signboards told me) 😛 . But I couldn’t see a single line.. er… queue. (In India, people use the word ‘line’ instead of ‘queue’ 😛 ) It was complete mayhem, the same way a crowd gathers around the stage for a ‘Shaan’ performance; people shoving and standing on each other. Queues merged into each other, but strangely enough, everyone knew which queue they were in, who’s before him and who’s after him. I had to ask people “Where does this line go-4 or 5?” 😛
I found the smallest queue and I could count atleast 15-20 people ahead of me. On an average, each person spent atleast 15 mins at the counter. I got lost calculating the approximate time it’d take, for me to reach the counter. A ‘good Samaritan’ there told me that my affidavit need not be made with the Collectors stamp, but I can get it made from any of the Advocates standing outside. I now realized why I’d seen hordes of people in ‘Black Coats’ outside the office.

I now realized wearing black to the collector’s office could be the greatest wardrobe malfunction; someone could mistake you for a lawyer.:P (I was NOT in black, btw) I myself stared at many people wearing black.
In fact, some even asked them ‘I need this agreement done regarding…?’
‘Excuse me. I’m not a lawyer’ 😛

For one moment, i thought wearing black at the collector’s could be a good economic choice, too. Because I couldn’t help looking at some ‘black coats’ with suspicion. ‘He cannot be a lawyer!!!’ i thought looking at some of them 😛

I was told to get a stamp paper worth 50 bucks for my affidavit. When I came back with the stamp-paper, I found a ‘black coat’, aged around 50-60 yrs, parking his 2-wheeler at the Collector’s. I narrated my stuff to him and asked him what he’d charge for it.
“Rs 150”
I lied that the others were doing it at 100.
He said there’s a lot of work for this. 150 is nominal.
I didn’t argue now.

He took out his suitcase, kept it on his 2-wheeler and started writing on the stamp-paper everything from my name, address, DOB, my mobile details, the crime scene, et al.

Meanwhile I noticed a 20-something guy sitting behind us on another vehicle and writing something. He might be writing his personal diary, or maybe he is some crazy blogger like me. He smiled at me, I returned the favor.
“What are you writing?” I asked.
“I’m just writing about a small incident when I was on a picnic. Actually I’m doing it so that I can improve my English. I’m trying to get into a BPO”
“You want to get into a BPO? That’s nice. I worked for 8 months in a BPO” I showed interest.
“Where do you work now?” he asked
“In a software company” I replied
“That’s great.” He seemed elated.
‘What’s so great about it. I’ve never felt it that way?. Maybe he said that because of the salary you get in the software industry.’ i thought to myself.

 
He had gone for an interview in a software company sometime back and got rejected in the last round because of lack of Communication Skills. He’d always wanted to get into software. He had completed his Bachelor’s and then a 1-yr computer course. But was jobless for about a year.

“And now?” i asked.
“Now I’m studying Law. Completed first year. This is my dad” he said, pointing to my ‘black coat man’ who was writing my affidavit beside me.
‘Wow! Good he told me this. Otherwise I might’ve accidentally said ‘something’  regarding his dad. Lucky escape. Phew’ I thought to myself 😛
“It’s good business being a lawyer, man. See you can earn so much in a day. Hehe. By the way, your dad forced you to take up Law?” I whispered to him. I was indeed ruing the fact that I didn’t become a lawyer. It’s such a lucrative profession. 😛 You get hundreds of clients. Every 30 mins can earn you around 150-200 bucks here.
“Yes. I wanted to get into Software. But, my parents said that since you couldn’t make out a career on your own, do what we say now” he whispered back.
He took my email address. I took his name-Ravindra (As far as I can remember). ‘Make sure you mail me’ I told him.

I’d say that-If you can read this, you need to be grateful to God. Getting to do what you like to, is not a choice every mortal gets. Imagine a guy who loves Computer stuff being forced to take up Law. Unemployment can often deprive one of choices in life. My grandfather keeps saying ‘Getting a good job at the age of 21 is God’s grace. You need to be grateful to Him.’ I often ignore him because he says that 10 times a day, once in front of every guest who comes home. 😛 With the BPO/Call Center boom in India, I thought ‘Everyone has a job today’. But I now felt a ‘job’ is indeed a privilege.

  
Meanwhile Ravindra’s dad had completed my affidavit. I told him “Please take Rs100 instead of Rs150”
He agreed, may be because I spoke to his son for so long. 😛

 

I casually asked him about what next at the police station. “Just submit this. I don’t need to pay them anything, right?”
“You might’ve to give them something. Some small amount maybe Rs150” he replied
“Why? Registering an FIR is their duty, right? Why do I need to pay for it?” I asked
Just then another man who’d come to ‘my lawyer’, tried to explain with some stupid logic.
“If we’ve excess wealth, we must share some with them too. They aren’t paid much. It’s OK. Let everyone enjoy the party, man. It’s like- Live and let live.” the stranger said.
“Sir, I don’t mind giving money to a poor person. Even some policemen are poor, I agree. But you are paying him just because you want something done from him. You aren’t paying because he’s poor. Would you’ve paid him if you wanted nothing from him and you just casually met him on the way?” I argued with the stranger.
“Everyone has different perspectives” the stranger said.
I think I won it. 😛