Every working day (and sometimes, the weekend too), I spend around 2 hours commuting to work on Murree Road, Rawalpindi. This is a road of many mysteries and while I struggle with anxiety and claustrophobia and the mortal fear of being hit by everything thats moving all at once (cars, taxis, donkey carts, rickshaws, crazy jay-walkers and helmet-free motorcyclists – sometimes three to four on one motorcyle – the list can go on for pages), I contemplate these wonderful mysteries. Today I saw something that really boggled my mind (not that there is much of that left these days):
No Afair
Now I’m sure we’ve all seen (those of us living in these here parts anyway) the “no fear” stickers on cars and taxis (beside “no tension” and those weird hoodies with no faces that attempt some kind of ghetto symbolism) but this one caught my eye (after my friend pointed it out – she was driving) and I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, I had to theorize; the most relevant possibilities are:
No Afair: The taxi-wala has no affairs with anyone. Not even his taxi. Now most people here have huge affairs with their cabs, buses and trucks. So, it is a pessimistic declaration. This taxi-wala is one sad person. He could be contemplating suicide. It could be a cry for help!
No Afair: The taxi-wala has no fear and just couldn’t spell. His sticker guy couldn’t spell either. Now that’s perfectly ok because nobody here can spell much. Besides, they got AFFAIR wrong too so it’s alright. He has no fear and will hit my car or anybody’s car without really giving a shit. His taxi is SuperTaxi and he has No Afair.
No Afair: Last, but not least, the taxi-wala thinks life is not fair. So he declares No Afair with great confidence. Everyone knows life isn’t fair. It just isn’t, has never been and never will be. This taxi-wala is a realist with a pragmatic view on life that he likes to share with everyone. He can’t spell but thats ok too because life isn’t afair. No Afair!
I’m sure it could mean many other things. That’s the wondrous, magical thing about these cryptic stickers! Life isn’t fair but it can be mysterious. Now we can all die happy.
art ka pakistan 
Maybe he meant ‘ No Fair’, as in if you hit his car it’s no fair as he’s a poor man and you as an elitist are persecuting him for being a poor man who drives a simple taxi.
Or maybe he doesn’t want people getting in the activities of affairs in his taxi.
It’s a thought.
Really now – could it be that complicated? Maybe he is blatantly telling the world that he can drive real slow if he likes and even if it blocks traffic, and it isn’t fair, so be it.
i believe all of the theories!:p:D …. each is just as believable as the other!
Thanks for the vote of confidence Ayesha 🙂 Real and imagined spaces all converge at some point or the other.
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