An Ideal(ist) Man

I live in India and beggars are quite a common sight.

We have at sometime in our lives decided to ignore that what is right in front of us.
After all how can India be shining if there people begging on the streets for food.

I somehow never understood this and ended up parting with small change frequently at signals, railway stations, outside restaurants and god knows what other places only to be laughed at by my friends who scoffed and lectured me on how these 'poor souls' would then go buy drugs and alcohol with that money.

It didn't matter. I was an idealist, an optimist. Somewhere among those addicts if there was genuinely a poor soul who was dying of hunger it would be a crime on my part to deprive him due to a convenient generalization of these people. Convenient because politics couldn't afford to blame the state of these people to poverty and lack of opportunity could they.

However, the other day i saw something which has made me more than a little sceptical of this world. No before all the Bollywood buffs start guessing that i saw the movie TRAFFIC SIGNAL, let me assure everyone that i did not and do not intend to. The movie is about the organization and cartelization of begging for those not in the know.

Coming back from the meander, i was at a signal near my house inside an auto with my girlfriend. A teenaged boy came and asked me very politely and sweetly if i would like to buy the bouquet of flowers in his hand. His ragged clothes could not been seen besides the innocence of the smile on his face. There was something so genuinely nice about him that me and my girlfriend just could not help but feel bad for him. However before we could do anything, the Autorickshaw driver thinking that the boy was annoying us immediately started up and left him behind (in my head a little heartbroken perhaps). I usually feel bad for the little children who beg, never for the more grown up ones. But he was different. Something about him really touched my heart and i felt extremely guilty and angry at the autodriver's callousness. When i was on my way back i got off a little earlier and walked to the very same signal. I saw the boy again hawking his wares with his innocent, sweet and polite (all rolled into one) smile. There were just 2 bouquets left. I wanted to buy both from him, i believed that it would make his day better and i felt that he deserved it. As i was crossing the road, a older lady from inside a car bought one of the bouquets. My eyes followed the boy who held the last bouquet in one hand and a 10 rupee note in the other.

He walked upto these two men who were standing on the side of the road and had been watching the beggars for sometime. He handed over the 10 rupee note. But it wasn't the money that mattered.
The smile was gone.
Instead there was a sly elation. Here stood a master of deception who had identified his gift and used it devastatingly.
I walked away towards my house without a bouquet.


He might live again tomorrow.

But today the idealist was dead.

Cars

Saw India's only Nissan GT-R day before.
Gun metal grey.
What a sweet car.

Congrats to you Mr. Khatri and thank you to Zaheer (Ratansi) for indentifying the owner of the car.

Is this car on my list of perfect cars.
Well yes and no

If i had the money i would buy this car over any porsche or mercedes benz the market has.
The GT-R is truly an amazing package for its price.

But if money wasn't an issue, the GT-R suddenly gets nudged out of my top 10 list.

Here is the list of my favourite manufacturers and their best cars for the people currently questioning my sanity.
In no particular order

1. Ferrari 575 Maranello / Enzo / 430 Scuderia / 599 GTB / 612 Scaglietti / Testarossa
Just thinking about the work of the music director in the boot of this car (in some cases in the front) brings about goose pimples. The guys who designed the hear, see and feel campaign of the new California really knew what they were doing.
Each and every Ferrari has one thing going for it, the emotion. You see a Ferrari and you can feel the passion, hear the roar of the V8's and V12's who have powered these exquistely styled beauties. Today it might be aerodynamics which determines a Ferrari's styling, but none of the appeal has been lost in the process.
And if it was in my hands i would start a Ferrari mueseum of my own with every single car they have made. But the names i have written above are some of my favourites ever.

2. Maserati Quattroporte, Maserati GT S, Maserati Bora, Maserati MC12
part time exec saloon and part time italian stallion. Its a tribute to Italian Machismo and the styling dazzles the uninitiated to sit up and take notice of the trident. Its the wheels of choice for those whole love the understated elegance the car has to offer. Hats off to Maserati, they have truly worked magic on this car.

3. Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Aston Martin Vanquish, Aston Martin Vantage
The DBS has chrome wheels. And i am by no measure a rapper. So when i buy one of the most beautiful cars that has graced our planet, i do not want chrome wheels on it. So screw you DBS and Mr. James Bond i will be buying a blue Aston Martin DB9 Volante and you can stop drooling in my wake.

4. BMW M3 CSL (E46), BMW M5 (new), BMW M5 (old), BMW M6, BMW Z4M Roadster
I liked the BMW's that existed before Mr. Chris Bangle came about
The old M5 was gorgeous, but then so is the new M5.
The old X5 was dominating, but the i love the sleekness of the new X5.
I like the new 7series more than the old one surprisingly.
I drool over the Z4, the Z3 was crap.
But when it comes to the 3 series. Well Mr. Bangle it might look sleeker, more stylish, more 'executive', but the old 3 series is still the best. The M3 was always an amazing piece of machinery, but the M3 CSL took this one step further.
RAW.
All it needs is one word. Nobody does it better. Or do they....

5. Mercedes Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Edition, Mereceds Benz McLaren SLR Roadster, Mercedes Benz SL BRABUS, Mercedes Benz S 600 AMG (new)
Mercedes Benz and McLaren. AMG and Brabus. Do i really need to justify this list. I have included everything which could potentially cause nuclear holocaust inducing wars on our planet.

6. Bentley Brooklands Coupe, Bentley Continental GT or Flying Spur
The Brooklands Coupe is the ultimate playboy racer. End of story. The other models have been included so that the bodyguards have some wheels.

7. Range Rover, Range Rover Sport
Buying an SUV, you really can't go wrong with this car. It is the best urban SUV in this world.
The Hummer looks like Schwarznegger on steroids. Scary!
End of discussion.

8. Chevrolet Camaro Concept
What a beautiful,beautiful car. One of the first cars to look much better than the original.
That makes the next one predictable

9. 1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500, Ford GT (new)
Both truly amazing cars. Eleanor in Gone In Sixty Seconds is heart wrenchingly desirable.

10. Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, Lamborghini Murcielago LP-640 Roadster
It baffles me why would anyone want a hard top Lambo. I want the wind in my hair while the bull is charging. A grey Gallardo Spyder with orange seat and a fluorscent green, orange or yellow Murcielago for me please. Chop chop.

and if still had more money then i would buy the following
Nissan GT-R
Porsche Carrera GT
Mitsubishi Evo IX and X (loved both of them)
Porsche 911 Turbo / GT3 / GT2
Koenigsegg CCXR
Bugatti Veyron
McLaren F1
Pagani Zonda
Porsche Cayman S
Audi R8
Audi A4, A6, A8
Mazda Furai

And the list goes on. I am car crazy and proud of it.