The driver and the fellow on the road

We are seven of us in what is a three seater auto. Three in back, four in front, including the driver. A white cat crosses our rickshaw and he brakes. Another auto stops in front and I ask if we are stopping because the cat crossed us, he sez yes. There's a saying in hindi "billi rasta kaat gayi". When a cat crosses your path it forebodes ill. So he says it's good to stop to avoid some accident or some such. He's barefoot. There's an empty bottle tucked under the driver's seat. I ask him how much time will we wait, he sez 5 mins. He is probably in his late thirties. He is having a discussion with the other auto driver.

After a minute or so, the other one takes the lead and says it's enough and let's move. He tells all of us another story how last time this black cat had crossed his auto, not once but twice. One way, and the other way. And asks me if I've ever seen a black cat? I am actually worrying if I've the change to give to this guy, and so I say yes I've. That doesn't spoil his excitement, he continues with his story.

A few mins later, all other passengers have dropped off, and I've moved to the back seat with another fellow passenger. My destination is approaching, and I've found the change so I am content.

Suddenly he slows down towards a fellow who's lying by the roadside. He stops the auto close to him and asks him where does he want to go. The guy gets up and is swaying like a pendulum for a lack of better description. We realize he is sloshed; he mumbles something and sits down, then lies down. The auto driver talks to him, asks him where his home is, and tells him to go lie away from the road and that otherwise he'll be run over by some vehicle. The sloshed fellow is out of his senses, and keeps saying yes he'll do. This goes on for a few mins. I realize that the driver is hesitant, so I step down and say let's move this guy a bit inside and lay him down. With that we get the guy on his feet, and the driver then carries him off away from the road and lays him down.

We come back. "He might have been run over if he had stayed on the road.." he says, starts the auto, and we take off.