Meanwhile on the Train !!

                 And there I was, packing my bag as hurriedly as I could but at the same time making sure I leave nothing behind! ABSOLUTELY Nothing! As I didn’t want to return to this place ever again. What was this place? Government Medical College, Nagpur. Neither was I Nagpurian nor was I fond of Hostels. So nothing in this deal really bought me. Add to it, I didn’t really bond with anyone there, superimposed loneliness made it worse. In the short span of my stay, I had some sweet and some sour memories. Probably if more time had gone by, I would have loved the place more than anything.

                I had no choice but to stay there. I had got admission there in the first round. Had to secure the seat and with it one room in the hostel as well. My roommate was already in Mumbai, never met her there. Only to find out that we both got admitted in Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College at the same time in the last round. Binded together by fate? After staying for barely 15days there, came Ganesh Chaturthi. I had to be back home for the festival. All of them were going back to their places for the same. I shall join them.

              Studied from a School 10 mins away from home by road. Studied in junior college that was 10mins away from home by train. And now I was in a college 841.1kms away and required 11hrs and 49mins of travelling to get back home. A huge leap for me..! Have always travelled with friends but within the city. Not an overnight journey. Not very adventurous you see. One such journey was this, except I was travelling overnight in the train from Nagpur to Mumbai.

            All set for the journey, picked up my two heavy bags. Heavier than even I was. Got into the autorickshaw. By the time we reached the station, it was pouring from the sky, not merely raining. Streets had already begun to flood. This slowed our speed further. But eventually we reached, before time. Waddled or ran whichever adjective suits best, our way to the shelter of the station with our heavy bags. We did a fairly good job, for the bags remained dry to an extent but we were in a bad shape. I had a big question in my mind lingering then. My ticket was not booked along with the rest of them. I had joined late and hence my father had booked it for me at a later stage. With all the efforts he made sure I was in the same Boogie as were my friends and yet I won’t be with them. Scared little puppy I was. My friends assured we would get my seat exchanged with someone. The sound of it was tempting. So it was decided.

         After about 15-20mins, the train finally lined up against the platform. We found our seats, and especially me, dragged my bags up into the trains. I settled with my friends. Just for my information , I went and checked on my seat. How far was it? And who other were seated there. My seat was three to four compartments away. No more than two people were seated there. Didn’t like the sight of them. Well I was being very judgmental and skeptical then. Returned to my friends.

        And then entered a Gang of boys into our boogie and BOOM! Suddenly the entire boogie was full of them. They seemed to be older than us by few years. And were talking about their engineering college, and finally being able to go home. Out of the six berths three belonged to my friends and three to them. I was waiting for a good time to strike the deal. After all I wanted a berth here. But they didn’t seem to notice us at all. They were enjoying their time. And then I gathered my courage and approached one of them.

“Excuse me!”

”yeaah?” 

“Actually my berth is over there, just three compartments away. But my friends are here. Could you please exchange the berth? I have the confirm ticket I will give it to you”

And then there was silence….

He looked back towards his friends, and they had their fine little conversation which was probably a very effective one, as I didn’t get even a hint of it but the guy got it.

“Where is your seat” A ray of hope.

“over here..” I took him towards my berth… showed him.

“ Ya okay”

I ran back to my newly acquired seat…took out my ticket gave it to him. He gave his ticket to me..! the deal was sealed!!!!

Looking upon my victory, one of my friend thought even she might ask for an exchange from upper berth to a lower one. And  she did get one exchanged.

All happy. Smiles everywhere. Guys took over the two upper berths. Almost made a camp up there. From down below we could see a latticework of 16legs over our heads, stretching from this berth to that.  We could hear everything what they were talking, they were final year engineering students. They were happily talking to each other about their mischief’s and fun they had. We kind of also enjoied listening to them.  After a while or two, a packet of Kurkure came down from above…

“Khayegi???”

“no, thank you!”  The packet was still there.

“Areh leh!!! “  Okay ! One piece, so that I don’t disrespect you..!

“So where are you girls from?” … 

well I replied back. And I got stares from my other girls, so as not to entertain them.  But I thought why can’t they ask, after all they are helping me. But then there is this typical Indian mentality, that never goes amiss.

And then it was bedtime. We all arranged our berths…and well slept off. The two guys who exchanged their berths with us, went to their new place.

At around midnight, I woke up. There was some commotion going around. Some heated conversation among these boys  in the compartment. I opened my eyes to check what’s the matter. While still laying still and acting I’m sleeping, I was wide awake and listening.  The guy who went to sleep on my berth was back. He was with three other friends. And they were talking of kicking some person out of the berth. Or talking to the Ticket checker about this. For a moment I thought I was going to get kicked out. I chose to close my eyes and sleep. They would not wake up a sleeping kid hopefully. And so I slept peacefully on my exchanged berth…

********

Next day, it dawned. I woke up. And I lay frozen in my seat. The guy who had exchanges is berth with me, was sleeping next to me……on the floor with newspapers serving as carpet. And the other guy who exchanged his berth for an upper one was sharing the berth with his friend opposite the window pane. What on earth happened???? I patiently waited for the guys to wake up. I was ready to take the wrath. Something happened and that is for sure.

They woke up, brushed got ready and yet not a word to me or the other girl. Happily roaming around chit chatting with friends. My guilt couldn’t stay inside me for long. I approached the guy I spoke earlier..

“Why were you sleeping on the floor?”

“Where else could I sleep? Your berth was already taken by the time I went there”

“No how is it possible? My seat was confirmed!!! I gave you the ticket.”

“Well, you can’t possibly explain that to a drunk, can you?”

“And why did he sleep here?” I pointed to the other guy.

“Because the entire night it was raining and thanks to our railways, the upper berth turned into a swimming pool. There was a hole on the roof and leaking edges…”

I had no other word. “Sorry for the trouble” He left.

The whole night while we slept peacefully on the berths they paid for and inspite of having a confirm ticket they had to sleep on floor and share a berth. I didn’t speak any word later till we reached Mumbai. We got down. They went their way and me on mine. But like a fool I kept on looking behind in the direction they walked away. I couldn’t thank them more.

               And this became one journey I can never forget about. Not merely because they helped me get a night’s sleep peacefully. But I realized it then sometimes strangers help you more than your friend can. Being judgmental even before knowing or talking to the person is wrong. Is this what they call being chivalrous? Does chivalry means the other has to suffer? Be kind and yet be judged upon. That night I realized, travelling alone can be much more fun if met with the right strangers. Well the other girls did not realize any of this. For talking to strangers was forbidden whatever they may go through. Taught me another lesson there. Not to be forgotten fr quite a long time.