Autorickshaws and Liberty

What do aoturickshaws have to do with liberty, one might ask. A lot, actually! Just a few days back i was returning home from East Delhi in an auto with a female friend who had not been on autos that much - and the excitement on her face was palpable! She must have mentioned this seemingly insignificant piece of information to each of the 6-7 friends she recieved a call from - it was quite funny. We lead such a protected, glass-covered life that even one little trip in an auto on our own is a statement of our independance. Not for me so much - all the years of travelling on my own, haggling over the fare and beating the sun and the dirt has somewhat diminished my feelings of liberty and freedom [:-)] but nevertheless, it does give you a sense of control and responsibility. And its the same for all my other girlfriends - most of them are driven everywhere by their parents - i guess it does become a little stifling...