My Train Saga - II

This post was supposed to be published long before. But I was quite lazy and it was in 'drafts'. So, here it goes...

My computer is screaming, at a "not so low" voice, a song praising Krishna.. And I am trying to Google out some ways to feel better about myself. But of course, I am on one of my downtrodden states. . For 'god-knows-what' reason.

Lemme talk about my day today. Looooong day in fact.. :)
As usual, I was late to get up. And then, the whole business of getting ready.. I hate it actually. When I should be sleeping like anything here, ironing clothes!!.. :( [Imagine the pain, and empathize with me. alpenliebe!! :D] I would never do it beforehand.. I am too lazy for any chore that takes more than one minute of my concentration...

And then, I run.. Knowing very well that I was past the train timing of Indian Railways. Of course, Indian Railways are "infamous" for their time constraint. And I had managed to surpass it. [roll eyes!]
I run, cos dad would kill me if I missed my train. And as I got into the station, I found that my very valid fear had come true. - Missing my "Chennai-Alleppy". And "Passenger".
Checking the display board, I found the next train running one and a half hrs late. The one after it, was on time. And that one had a name I had never heard of. Anyways, reaching my destination was more important to me than the name of the train. So, I decided to while my time of one hour in the waiting room!! And I had not taken my iPod with me as well. :(

So, as jobless as I could be, I started scribbling in my notebook. And the lady sitting near me was like "Gosh !! What a gal!! Scribbling nonsense!!" And then she turned and asked " Which train?"
I looked up and said "The one for 8.30" mentally calculating that I would be able to reach my class only for the noon session.
I got back to my scribbling.
"What is this?"
Looking up again, I found she was referring to the work I was doing and that the question was to me.
"This is an ad."
"Oh!" all wide eyed. I noticed then that she was aged. But has tried to hide the age with dying her hair and some cosmetics. A bit to the plump side.. And short. [For me at least. ;) ]

"Ya"
"You work in the ad field?"
"I am not working. I am a student"
"Where?"
Since she seemed genuinely interested, I told her "Ernakulam"

Anyways, after a lot of inquiries about the background of the field, prospects and all such stuff, she said she was a big shot government officer.

"Great. A big deal with me. " I thought. Wondering if her post would help me get there a minute sooner.

And then, slowly time dragged itself and it became 8.30 the train came. She told me about the existence of a general compartment. But told me "If you want you can even travel in the reserved. The general would be very crowded now. "
"But the TT..." I was apprehensive.
Oh! You are a lady. He wont mind." saying this confidently, she left for her bogey.
I was left wondering about her comment.

Later of course, when I saw the rush in the general compartment, I decided i would better travel in the reserved.
I got into it. As soon as I sat down, a very charming young man, who noticed my schoolbag [Of course, I used the school bag even then cos it had no wear and looked brand new, even after 2-3 years of use. Ah, never been a keen student. :P ] asked," Regular?"
I just smiled.
"Unreserved is behind this"
"I know"
An old voice interjected. "It is ok. She wont be able to travel there today. And moreover, the TT wont mind. If he comes, just tell him you will get down at Aluva and get into the other compartment. It is ok child."
I smiled at the man who said this. A cloth bag, chandana kuri, white kurtha and a book in hand characterized him. Of course, that beautiful smile.
I felt secure finally cos I was afraid, really afraid if the TT would come and kick my @$$ for this. At least someone thought I stood a chance unlike the young man.

I looked at the young man, dressed up like he had an interview call and hair pressed on by iron if you miss my irony. :P
I took out a book and started reading. Namesake. After some time the old man coughed. "Ahem ahem!"
I looked up. Saw he was trying to catch my attention. Again, another exchange of casual talk about what I was doing at Ernakulam. Well, the only difference between his comments and that old lady's being that he was a bank employee and declared to the compartment that a my job [in the ad field] requires "an intelligent and very imaginative brain".

I gave a modest answer and returned to my book.

Later he turned his gaze to the new comers. A lady with 2 kids. Small kids.
As soon as they sat, a very worried hubby came to the window and peeked into the compartment. His eyes lingered over the young man. And then later, when he saw me and the old man, he smiled. "Please see to it that she is safe. Its her first time alone. Kids also.." I and the old man smiled. The young man, was 'still' expressionless. And then, to the wife "Do get down there. And give me a call. I will call Sandeep up."
"Ya"
"Kutta, dont get mischievious. Mummy is alone. Daddy will scold you if you do."
The elder of the kids nodded.
But I saw a knowing smile on the lady's face. :)

The train started moving. The man outside kept on reminding her of the call when she got down, running with the train. Finally, when he could no more keep up with the speed, he gave up. She waved to him.. Ah how caring..! :)

Some minutes passed unnoticeable. But soon the younger of the kids tried drinking some water, and the older snatches the bottle away. The younger one cries. Mom scolds. As soon as the younger sits [or tries to] at the window seat, the elder pushes him away and sits there. It cries.
Later, when its mom let it sit on her lap, he pushed his younger bro out of her lap and lay on it. Well, the mom was nearing desperation. The younger was crying like anything. Wailing rather. The elder wanted to irritate the baby as much as he could. God. :(

Finally, the elder was put on lap by the old man. And the younger was tired of crying and started sleeping. I felt sad. May be my motherly instinct. I dont know. These frequent outbursts made me look up from the book I was reading.
Anyways, Ernakulam was nearing. I closed the book and checked my belongings. And got up.

"Going?" the old man.
"Ya."
Smile.
Smile.

The young man fidgeted a little. Looked up. Tried to smile, but failed. May be cos he saw the look on my face.
I got out. North station.. The train stopped in the middle of the tracks. "Wish it wont do this in South as well." Some people got down there. Two guys came and stood near the door.
The train left. And the South never came. It went on. And on. The guys stared at each passing stone. Suddenly I just knew. This was never going to go to South.

I went into the compartment and asked the woman right in front "Can you please tell me if this stops in South?"
"I donno" she said without even looking up from the books she was browsing through.
"Do you?" I turned to the man on another seat."No. It does not. Why?"
"Did you have to get down at south?"
"Ya"
"ayyo mole! ini enthu cheyyum? adutha stoppil erangitt thirichu poru."
[Ayyo child.! What would you do now? Get down at the next stop and travel back."]
"Its Thripunithura next. Get down there."
"Ok thanks. " I smiled. :)
And waited for Thripunithura..

Thripunithura never came.. Or may be it did. But this train didnt consider it manners to stop there on that day.
And then I saw two more people panic. The guys who were near the door. They came and asked me "Hey, does this not go to Ernakulam South?"
"Nope. Even I thought it did."
"s#!T! What will I tell my boss?? God!!"
Frantically, this fellow started walking on the little space available like a husband with his wife in the labor room.
"What do we do now??"
I said "Get down on the next stop and travel back." [God knows when it would stop again. I thought in my mind]

We waited. And waited. For the next stop. The man who had advised me to get down at Thripunithura, came out after sometime and saw me.
"Oh! sorry, they didnt stop at Thripunithura. Lets see where they stop now."
"Do you have money? Need any money?"
I gave him a smile and said, "Thanks. But I have money with me."
"No, if you dont, dont hesitate to ask."
"No, I am sure, I have money. " A smile again.
He stood there waiting for the next stop, with us.

And hark! They stopped at some "onam kera moola" for engine change. And I breathed "unasthmatically".
I was wondering what I would do there. The guys and I got down.
As we walked, the man shouted "Please take care of her, she also had to get down there. " The guys nodded.
And to me " Just get into a bus from here and you can get down at the town."
"Thanks" I shouted back to him.
The train moved.

And then, we walked. The three of us.
One of them was mumbling under his breath about a presentation that he had missed.
The other was cursing his boss for deputing him there.
I was humming a tune and walking, asking the locals for directions. [Anyways, I messed it up. Why should I mumble over it now? I would as well, sing a song and enjoy the view. The place was beautiful.]

Finally, we reached the stop. Bus stop. Looked more like a cow shed. Except for a local, the "shed" was empty.
And I Inquired about the timings. Lucky for us, there was a bus in 15 minutes.
The guys were still cursing under their breath. I watched the local try mending his watch.

The fifteen minutes ticked by. And a very "new" bus became visible down the lane. Before getting into it, the guys said they would pay for me. Though I resisted, they became real gentlemen and got ready for a fight. :) So, I accepted defeat [Well, I thank you guys. I didnt get a chance to do it then. :)] and got into the crowded bus.
And I reached Ernakulam and got down. They must have either gotten down before or later. Either ways, I never met them again. I felt bad at not having at least thanked them. :(

Walking a lot more, I reached the insti to just discover they had "onam celebrations" there!!!!! For heavenssakke!!! WTF was all the trouble I took for?? I could as well have stayed at home. Felt upset for some five minutes. Then decided, I might as well, enjoy the day.
Had a nice lunch and a pookkalam and left at two.

As I reached the station, I just found my Netravati leaving. God!! The next train was at 3.30!!! Imagining my "luck" I sat back on the chair there and really felt like crying. :((
Sat there for another one and a half hours and got back home by 6.

Had a fight with my sis and lost my temper with a friend.
And finally, typing this out.
Wonder if I ever had a 'better' day. Huh! x-(