Prakash, the Driver

The nine day trip, Pondy, through the hill stations and return, is done, for convenience, in a taxi. I will be depended on for diesel money (advances), and so come prepared. This taxi driver does not own the car. He drives for someone. However, to make sure that the advances do not outstrip the actual costs is very important. That money would be irretrievable. The costs are negotiated and we are off. There is a car charge, a hill charge (extra money for driving in the hills), a set amount for the driver per day, and a kilometer charge. All this comes to $25/day.
From the outset, the driver is conniving, manipulative and difficult. I make the mistake of inviting him in to join us for breakfast, lunch and chai. Big mistake! In his mind I am an easy mark. The first morning in Kodaikanal, he says he has nowhere to bathe. We allow him to use our bathroom. The lodge objects. It turns out they had offered a facility for him but he had refused. He begins free-lancing, taking cash for rides during the times we aren't using him and not knowing that I've written down the odometer reading. This behavior continues. His story changes when it suits him. At one point, he asks Milan to have me advance him Rs 2000 ($50) so he can buy things for the family. That will not happen. On and on, it goes. Thursday, he claims he has no money for food when I have given him Rs 100 just the previous evening. Filling in diesel, with 4 hours to go on our return to Pondy, he wants the change from the fill-up. I refuse, which sends him into a rage. His response is to refuse to start the vehicle. Milan and I talk of collecting our things and taking another taxi, leaving him to drive back passenger empty. He climbs back into the driver's seat and now drives angry. He stops when he wants for chai, 30 minutes, and acts childishly. Glaring at us in the mirror, he drives on. Just get me to Pondy! As he drops us off, he goes into a rage wanting his tip. We have called his boss and will settle all this on Sat. This time Milan doesn't say, "This is India." Instead, he uses a barrage of words which one keeps in reserve for such occasions.