We know what you did when you didn't have a platform ticket - Part 2

If you haven't read Part 1, please read that and if you haven't slept by then, come back and read this.

* * * * * * * *

In amazement, we saw the train on the adjacent platform moving.

Railway full joking joking in the night also.

We continued. Now you are bored, I am bored.

We had a exchanged our byes, best of lucks, happy journeys, half an hour before. Still, we persisted to stay on till the train left.

* * * * * * * * * * *

11:50 pm. After sirens on every platform but ours, thhe train slowly started moving. another round of byes and all the pleasantries, to our dear friend accompanied by his students, one by one, Ragu, Bhupati, the Russian and I jumped in cinematic style to the platform, as the train gathered pace. A grandma sitting on the platform gave a look with her a jaws parting to either side, seemingly saying "Freakin' Devil! What on all earth were those?"

We didn't pay attention.

Up the Sabarimalai style stairs and on the way to 'Destination: Outside the station'. I just casually mentioned that we hadn't taken platform tickets and slipped into conversations of societal development, economic policy, a better India, misgivings in the education system, philosophy, globalisation, ticket examiners,......Did I say ticket examiners?? Even before we could say that, a white shirt and a black suit, with a man in them appeared before us with hands wide open saying the words 'platform ticket'.

Now.

The platform number written in red.

Not being able send messages from the 3310.

The train getting late.

It was midnight.

To Thomas Hardy, it would have been a perfect setting for a targedy to happen and so it was for me too. The tragedy already happened, as the "external forces" had indicated. "Tess of the D'urbervilles" (Hardy's character in th book of the same name), was alone to suffer everything. I had company.

We stood there.

* * * * * * * * *

Ten minutes later, we were still standing there.

* * * * * * * * *

FINALLY, twenty minutes later............................., we still stood there.

(continued in Part 3)

We know what you did when you didn't have a platform ticket - Part 1

A lovely night. Beautiful beyond cliches. It was time to say bye to our dear teacher and friend, Mr. Andy Neck, one of the people because of which our exchange programme rocked.

The train's at 11:30.

We were there at 10:15

Hundreds of people were already there at..... God knows what time.

Anders and I checked the capricious electronic board for the right platform. It showed 4 against Guwahati express, in crimson red. The sign of danger. I should have realised that.

Platform ticket? Bhupati would come and buy it, I thought. Anyways its night time.

The fatal flaw.

********

Bhupati, with an appreciable build and the air of a builder (body) was standing with the other guys , guarding the luggage and engaging the peace loving Norwegian students. As soon as we got back- the luggage seemed to have got heavier- we picked up the bags and began climbing the stairs of 'Majestic' railway station, which was obviously in a drastic condition and reminded me of a friend's description of the "18 steps" in Sabarimalai. These steps, really, are not meant for young men above 60 carrying heavy bags.

********

It was nice to sit an talk in the train for an hour. Laughter in English and Norwegian echoed in our little compartment. "The Russian", kept blinking like an alien hearing Malayalam on planet Zonga. Suddenly,the train began moving!

And then it stopped.

Perhaps, they were checking the disc brakes.

(Do they have them, anyway?)

We fell on our backs into conversation. Ragu stood there looking into oblivion as if seeing something, which only he could. There wasn't anything there. I checked, twice.

A siren whined, gradually reaching 1-60km in just 2.5 seconds. The Russian stared at me and I stared back. We were in the middle of the crowded carriage. "This is it", we chorused and turned to jump out of the carriage when , to our amazement......!

(Continued in part II)

The 3310 (end of story)

Took it because , there were the needs. It's fine so far. I miss telling people "No, I don't have a mobile". Surprisingly, there have been a lot of plus points! Friends whom I thought that I wouldn't keep in touch often because i had a to keep calling them, are now just a few buttons away. Literally on my finger tip. Cool. In the beginning, you expect a call every minute, just because the phone is yours. Slowly, you begin to realise that call's are almost just as much as it would be on the landline, only that you know its for you. Honestly, I feel uncomfortable telling people "I have a phone" or even being caught talking on the phone somewhere. Don't know. May be because I'm not used to it. Personally, it feels very childish to talk about all this. Sometimes I re-read the previous entry and realise, perhaps I aren't all that mature as I thought to be. But change comes with life, doesn't it? Something that Mr. Pinto said in the English Literature class today struck me : "It's beaurocrats who desist change". Questions regarding whether I should care two hoods about his opinion is another totally different discussion. Let's see. I'm experimenting with life. It'll go on till the validity of this recharge gets over.