22.

I'm a (reluctant) and infrequent member of the Bombay Bus Commuters' Association. A recent journey by the red buses enlightened me about their foremost entertainment options- in-flight, er, in-ride television.

While the screen is mostly blank in the mornings with a strip of information containing the news and sensex at the bottom, commuters at other times of the day get to view non-stop advertisements for programs on Star plus and Sony. The folks at BEST do bring in infotainment once in a while, though. "Test your English" is one such feature. You answer questions like "I was so _____ in class that I felt asleep". That isn't a typo. Ah, ironies.

The news marquee at the bottom displays cryptic news items like "Khurshid visits PM after EC sends complaint". What complaint? To whom? BEST is thoughtful enough to leave its users with interesting questions to pass the journey by.

I saw some “hi-sound” speakers on the bus, but it turned out the engines were “higher-sound” and you thus can’t hear a word from the lovely television while moving. But I then realised I couldn’t hear anything while the bus was still either. No-sound speakers? No, they merely happened to be connected to the PA system and not to the television.The television is mute. So this is the BEST’s message to Mumbai- Just watch Vidya Balan, what’s to hear?