Are Vulgar Songs In Your Cab A Form Of Harassment?

I’ve always read about the rite of passage, heard it being mentioned in shows and movies about how the gawky teenager has the first taste of adulthood and then, at least feels like an independent adult.

Although, I had been through college and had my first sip of alcohol, my rite of passage was a cab ride with a distance of 24 Kms, a ride that I had booked for myself with no one else.

It felt like a very grown-up thing to do, being steered in a chauffeur-driven car with just me in the backseat. As soon as I booked my cab ride, I was already imagining how I’ll look - a young madame reading the Economic Times, looking like she had really important deals to sign and attend to. Call me dreamy, but if I’m paying for it with half of my pocket money, I deserve to be comfortable.

I was broken out of my reverie when I was notified that my cab has arrived. I stepped in with a grace that would put Kate Middleton to shame!

As the engine kicked off, my excitement and that feeling of independence soared. The universe was overjoyed by my baby steps to adulting. But apparently, my driver had a problem with peace and quiet and plugged in his device to play some songs. I didn’t mind, I was too engrossed looking into the map and making sure that he was taking me to the right place anyway. But as soon as I relaxed a little, putting some faith into the driver and the cab services system, I was aghast. 

The song that was playing was downright vulgar and trashy. I mean, to each his/her own and I’m no one to look down on people’s taste in music. But there are songs that are appropriate for being played out loud and some, which should not even be allowed to be heard. The lyrics, still seared in my mind, have left an indelible impression on my being.

Iske hip kare hop

Till till 4’o clock

Mere muh me lollipop

Bottles kar lo pop

I have no beef with the people behind this song, but the lyrics made me uncomfortable. Moreover, I was confused as to why my driver would play such songs when he has a passenger onboard?

Party over hone ke bhi baad

Bole what’s next

Mere muh me lollipop

Bottles kar lo pop

Awkward and uncomfortable level: 10,000

It is difficult for me to ask anyone to do anything. Even if it is changing the songs. So, I sat in the backseat being a fidgety mess, praying for this song to be over. As soon as the song ended, I heaved a sigh of relief and thanked the old Gods and the new for this gift. But my driver and his playlist were far from over. Soon, more such songs blared from the speakers taking a piece of my soul and mental stability with them.

There were songs about a girl looking “bomb” in all-black. News flash: I was wearing all-black that day. I know that there are many songs which romanticise colours, but the point is that the cab-driver’s playlist made me feel uncomfortable to the extent that every song sounded alarming enough.

I remember my eyes being glued to my phone’s screen, waiting, hoping for the kms to check off and the traffic to clear while being baffled over by my cab driver’s extremely provocative choice of songs. As soon as I was a few kms away from my destination, I swear I had tears of joy and as I reached my destination, I got off, paid the cab driver his due and ran from there. If I had  springs before, I was possessed by Usain Bolt’s spirit now.

I closed the door and vowed to be careful what I wish for. My rite of passage turned out to be a ride from hell.