Welcome to the jungle

 My uncle asked me to try this corporate exercise he learnt recently, cos apparently it helps you understand ppl better and act appropriately in front of them.. It sounded fancy and I'm always game for a new experiment so i decided to give it a shot.. ( not that its very hard for me to associate ppl with animals, which you'd understand from my previous posts :P)

The whole exercise is pretty simple really.. there are basic characteristics that you associate with certain animals, some humans exhibit the same behaviours.. now don get your imagination running with ideas of humans sticking their heads in the sand like ostriches or spraying water out of their nose like elephants.. I mean simple things like, the regal look the lion gives you even when it's trapped in a cage.. or the hungry look of the vultures.. its basically about reading people's expressions..

Now i'd been wanting to do this for a long time, but then things kept coming up so i never was able to go about it, so today on the bus ride back, i decided to give it a shot..

Now before i begin my analysis, i should tell you that the 29c's in chennai have all types of ppl in them.. From the flower garland makers to IT professionals, you seem them all.. And hence you learn a lot about your city that way.. You get the latest gossip about tinsel town, you hear  about the fluctuating share market and you also get to  hear about the latest sandai ( fight) happening in the slums..

You have the typical Tamil mami's who glare at every college girl who shows even a millimeter of her midriff.. 

You have the ladies in their 20's who're always on their phone.. 

You have the roadside romeos who get onto the bus ( whether they need to or not) as long as there are more than 5 girls on the bus..

You have the old uncle's who're travelling to some post office or some bank with a small black leather pouch tucked under their arms

And then ofcourse you have the 'lovely' conductor and the driver..

That just about sums it all.. and now to begin with my analysis..

The bus wasn't all that packed.. i mean there were just 20 ppl standing which is very little considering 29c standards.. and I was one of those standing..

Its easier to observe ppl and their behaviour when you're standing for the simple fact that you have a better view and also that you're in the competition for the ultimate reward when one's on a bus- the seat!!!

And THAT defines the first lot of 'animals' on the bus- the vultures.. they're the ppl who are standing ( NOT out of choice that is) while travelling on the bus 

Their greedy eyes scan the environment for their prey!! prey bein anyone makin the lightest movement which makes it appear as if they are readying themselves to get off the bus..

Jus as soon as they see the prey move even just their little finger, the vulture makes its move.. Quick on their feet, always ready for a fight, always ready to butt in when two other vultures are having a fight, they are the most dangerous of the animals on the bus ( except of course the snake)

Who's the snake you wonder?? the Conductor ofcourse..

Always able to find his way through a crowded bus by slithering his way through. Strikes his prey with vengeance ( in this case the prey being anyone who's not bought the ticket)

And often sly and cunning enough to make the right kind of conversation with the right kind of person

That brings us to the lazy hippos.. Those are the middle aged women who probably got onto the bus at the first stop and intend to get off at the last stop . These ppl sit as though they own the bus. Glaring at ppl who lean on them by mistake, and ignoring you completely when you request them to pass on the money for the ticket or request them to hold on to your bag for as little as two stops.

Always ready to complain about anything under the sun, the hippos are the most annoying creatures on the bus

Now trust me, you have many many MANY more animals on the bus, or for that matter anywhere around you, but these were all i was able to make a note off today.

Look around, maybe you'll be able to find more than i was able to..

All i can say is:

Welcome to the jungle
It gets worse here everyday
You learn to live like an animal
In the jungle where we play
If you got a hunger for what you see
You'll take it eventually
You can have anything you want
But you better not take it from me!!