(Sax enters the room dejected, with a long face. Max is busy idling away time, turning the news paper pages. Sax takes the seat right in front of Max.)
Max: Hey Sax. What's up? You seem just out of a tragic movie.
Sax: I lost my job because of a police sub-inspector.
Max: What??? How? How could you lose your job because of a Police Sub-Inspector?
Sax: Because he fined me last month.
Max: Last month? Fined for what? And what does it have to do with your job anyway?
Sax: I was fined because I did not skip a red traffic signal.
Max: I give up. You seem perfectly sensible today. Why would you be fined for not skipping a red signal??
Sax: That's what I asked him. He said I did skip the red.
Max: Okay. So, did you skip the red?
Sax: No! It was amber. I saw it was amber. Me and the guy in that old Lamby scooter in front of me, both went past it when it was still in amber.
Max: So, why did you not tell the Police guy about that?
Sax: I told him. But he insists it was already red when I crossed it. And he says it was amber only till that old Lamby guy crossed it. And he let him go and caught me.
Max: But you could have protested, right?
Sax: I did. But he said he was sure it was red. And he already had given a print out from that stupid electronic instrument for 100 bucks. And he also had a Blackberry with which he had sent something out to someone after checking my name! He dolled the bill out to me as if I had just eaten up my masala dosa!!!
Max: Judgement without enquiry! Hmm. The Police play judges these days, uh? But still, why did you lose your job because of that???
Sax: After that incident, I was paranoid about amber signals. Whenever I saw amber, I used to apply my brakes so suddenly, that I used to literally stand on the pedals to stop.
Max: I can imagine that. So?
Sax: Thrice, the vehicles right behind me banged on to my vehicle's back. Thrice! Thudd!!! It got so dent that the rear of my vehicle came to the front!
Max: Ahh! That sounds nasty! But then, still, you lost your job???
Sax: I was horrified! If I skipped the amber, the police man insists it was red and he gives me the bill. If I screamed my heart out to a screeching halt, the bull dozers behind me ride right over me. I couldn't take it anymore!
Max: Okayy. I get that. But how did you lose your job???
Sax: Because of this terrible sandwich that I found myself in, I found a way out. Whenever I was approaching a green signal, I put the indicator on and pulled over to the left or right lane. I would raise my hand, signal that I was going to stop, apply the brakes gently, and come to a nice smooth halt.
Max: This, when the signal is green?
Sax: Right! I would stop and wait and watch till the signal turned amber and then red.
Max: Hmm. I can imagine that. Then?
Sax: Then, I would wait till it became amber and green again. I would wait for the first few vehicles to go past the signal - I dont want to be caught on the wrong foot this time, for having jumped the signal before it was green! Then, I would start my vehicle and carefully go past the signal when it is very much in green.
Max: Alright! Do you do this to every signal you come across?
Sax: Absolutely! When I see green, I become alert; whenever I see green signal. And I make sure I stop at every green signal and wait for it to turn amber, red, amber and again green.
Max: Good practice. Now, how did you lose your job?
Sax: I have been doing this for the past one month, on my way to office and back home.
Max: And how many signals are there on your way to office?
Sax: 29.
Max: Now, come straight to the point. For the past one month, when have you been reaching your 9:30 office?
Sax: Almost exactly, at 1 pm. And I would have lunch directly after my tour to office.
Max: !!!
