“In my apartment, the parking is in the basement,” Jigneshbhai said when we met last weekend for coffee.
“Nothing new in that. Most apartments in urban areas have that,” Swami cast him off with a ‘what’s the big deal’ look. But I knew our wise friend wasn’t done, so I waited for him to say something.
“The interesting thing is that there is a sign as you enter the basement which says “Entry”,” Jigneshbhai said. Then he went on the explain the layout of his entire basement parking. “And then when you get into the basement, there is a sign that says “Driveway.””
Swami and I kept wondering what he was getting at. But Jigneshbhai didn’t stop. “And then there is a long driveway that goes circular where there is no sign. And when you come close to the exit, there is a sign that says “Exit.””
“Well? So, what next?” Swami lost patience, as usual. Jigneshbhai had a calm smile on his face.
“I have wondered why there is a sign for entry when you are already in front of it. And why is there a sign for Exit when you are already near it?” he asked.
“So that you can enter and exit? What else?” Swami argued. But I had started to get what our wise friend was trying to say.
“Shouldn’t the Entry sign be at the earlier turn when some vehicle driver who doesn’t know where the entry is, is looking for it?” Jigneshbhai asked. “If someone is looking for entry, what does the sign do when you are already at the entry?” he asked and broke into a loud guffaw. Jigneshbhai had this habit of switching on the light in our heads while having these monologues of his. He continued.
“And the same for Exit? Why have a sign for exit when you are already in front of the exit?” he asked with a wry smile. This time Swami didn’t answer as if it was no big deal. But he asked a question. “Didn’t you ask the folks in your apartment association?”
Jigneshbhai continued smiling. “Yes, I did. Many years ago. But I was told that these signs are for pedestrians.”
“Pedestrians?” Swami too found it funny now. “Funny why a sign for basement entry and exist should be for pedestrians!” he too got into his wise, sarcastic mode that he, sometimes, rarely though, inherited from Jigneshbhai.
“Apparently to avoid accidents is what they said,” Jigneshbhai replied. “Wow,” both Swami and I said in unison. It was followed by our customary silence where none of us had anything to say while musing on this.
“So, we continue to have cab drivers and delivery boys and people new to the apartment looking for where the basement entry is at the main gate,” Jigneshbhai said, sipping his coffee.
“And looking for Exit signs after they are in the basement,” Swami completed his statement smartly.
Jigneshbhai was pleased. “Yes, simply because the Exit sign is behind them.”
It was then that the wealthy old man in the sprawling bungalow who had been listening to our conversation walked across to our table. He had found it amusing. This time he didn’t speak to any one of us in particular.
He just took the last sip of his coffee and looked at the billing sign at the cafe above the billing counter.
“If a sign doesn’t help someone who is looking for what’s on the sign, who is the sign for?” he asked a passing server, who was confused while all of us broke into a guffaw.
***