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It was just a cab ride. But it felt like a hug.

After a long, day out with Geeta, my energy was running on its last few drops of filter coffee. The rain had played its part—beautiful, yes, but also tiring.

I got a cab after a long wait. I was feeling miserable leaving Geeta behind to book her auto. We were in KAARA By The Lake opposite Ulsoor Lake. The cabbie called and asked me to walk till the circle. The roads were full of water. I called the driver and he informed me he had arrived and was at the circle.

I tiptoed my way through puddles and potholes, balancing bags and navigating the chaos with a kind of mechanical focus. Head down, shoes soaked, I scanned the road for my cab. We were still on the call. The driver was already looking at me. Then I saw the lights of the cab. What he did next surprised me. “Ajao, ajao! Dheere dheere aao!” He said it with the softest, most amused voice—like he was speaking to a child just learning to walk.

 I looked up and laughed. I couldn’t help it. I relaxed. Something about his tone was oddly comforting. He wasn’t mocking or patronizing—just playful, warm, and oddly protective. Like he’d taken it upon himself to cheer me up.

He continued this cheerful banter all through the ride, charging my phone, chatting kindly, tossing in little jokes here and there. The kind of person who makes the city feel a little less harsh, a little more human.

The Sweetest Send-Off

As we approached my destination (almost two hours later), I stopped charging my phone and absentmindedly began scrolling through WhatsApp. I barely noticed we’d arrived when he said with a smile: “Dekho, aa gaya ghar… dekho dekho!” There it was again—that same light, childlike tone. As if he was coaxing a tired toddler who didn’t want the ride to end. 😊

Small Joys on a Rainy Day

That cab ride didn’t just take me home—it tucked me in with a reminder that gentleness still exists in this fast, loud world. Sometimes it arrives in the form of a stranger who talks to you like you’re three, just to make you smile after a long, wet, emotionally soggy day.

You never know where the day’s kindness will come from. That evening, mine arrived with a “dekho dekho” and a fully charged phone.

Ever had a ride you didn’t want to end—not because of the destination, but because of the company? I’d love to hear about it.

Note: This is part of The Cab Travel Chronicles – Why I Stopped Driving My Own Car: The Unexpected Gift of the Backseat