While running on the Kaveri bridge, I noticed a fellow drop a big stick onto the river. Sensing something fishy, I scanned the scene and found a delivery truck parked on the bridge. Another fellow pulled a big jute bag out of the truck. It was apparent that they were going to dump the bag or its contents into the river. God knows what was in that bag, except perhaps the three fellows.

My green brain swung into action. Ditching my pace target, I asked the fellows to freeze. I said it’s not the right thing to dump stuff in the river that is the home for fish and clean water for downstream people. One fellow said sheepishly, “Sir, it’s not kuppai (waste)”.  “Why throw anything into the river? If it’s kuppai, there are a lot of waste bins in the city”. If it’s not, what’s it?” I asked. Not able to respond logically, the third fellow, usually a diffuser in the situation, who takes on the role of not acknowledging the mistake, but agrees to corrective action,stepped in and told the other two that they should take it to a waste bin.

As the truck passed me again on the run, the diffuser and I exchanged a thumbs up. The jute bag was still in the truck.

See something fishy, confront the fishmonger.