THE HAMMER AND THE SCALPEL A VERDICT YOU DIDN'T WANT

Let's start with a cliché. Or, perhaps, two. Starting a story with a cliché is the first, and here is the second: human beings always get stuck at the proverbial crossroads in life, finding it difficult to choose.

- WORDS KRANTI SAMBHAV

To go for a Croc or a pointy-toe crusher, use a debit card or cash, or a more complex dilemma like chholey-bhature or a zinger burger. Essentially, the sensible suit versus the spirited streak. Now, for my plot twist: I don't believe in that. Not the dilemma, but the crossroad bit. I don't think we get to a crossroad; we are always there. Or it walks with us. It isn't an X or Y fork; it's not a fork at all. It's a parallel trail, much like train tracks. Yes, I know they meet and cross, but you get the drift. The truest tension in our lives isn't about choosing a path; it's about making two oddly opposing desires share the same single-lane bridge.

In most cases, I think I cause this tension myself. Take, for example, a surprise meetup last week. The Volkswagen Golf GTI was scheduled for pickup that day, and the new Legender for delivery. Their paths converged at my gate, and I managed to snap a few pictures. Enough to set me on this quest, a story that might not make sense to many. These are totally different vehicles, with distinct USPs, target audiences, and capabilities. Even the price range isn't exactly similar. And yet, I was genuinely confused: if I had around ₹50 Lakh, what would I go for? The red-hot hatch or the Baahubali of Indian roads?

See Dots. Will Connect.