Another middle age bespectacled person in light cream Kurta was seated at a corner of one of the seat. This guy was again travelling on waiting ticket just like me but was little fortunate to get the seat. He was clever enough to befriend the man of that family on account of his friendly nature and forged smile on his face. He succeeded to have a little piece of that big seat. I felt envy of his amicability and at the same time pity on my timidness which grew with each station that passed without changing the seating pattern in my compartment. He continued to enjoy a comfortable journey without giving any damn to my facial expressions that could display almost all sort of pain in the universe.
After going through the period of six hours full of agony, anguish, jealousy and inexpressible mental distress our train once again slowed down to halt at the nearing Bhopal station. A fresh ray of hope which has been already betrayed so many times started flowering again. But this time to my surprise the guy actually stood up to alight at Bhopal leaving behind his space which I should grab before any grievous attack by other fellow sufferers. I pounced at that portion of seat which was badly squeezed and molded to the Bum’s profile of that man.
My chest expanded by inches equal to the inch length of seat I succeeded to encroach from someone else’s territory. With a strange exaltation that was indefinable but can only be compared with the joy of an Indian soldier claiming the Tiger hill in Kargil war I leaned back, closed my eyes, adjusted my bottom to virtually match the impression on seat which has not yet regain its original shape and stretched my legs which were almost paralyzed.
After going through the period of six hours full of agony, anguish, jealousy and inexpressible mental distress our train once again slowed down to halt at the nearing Bhopal station. A fresh ray of hope which has been already betrayed so many times started flowering again. But this time to my surprise the guy actually stood up to alight at Bhopal leaving behind his space which I should grab before any grievous attack by other fellow sufferers. I pounced at that portion of seat which was badly squeezed and molded to the Bum’s profile of that man.
My chest expanded by inches equal to the inch length of seat I succeeded to encroach from someone else’s territory. With a strange exaltation that was indefinable but can only be compared with the joy of an Indian soldier claiming the Tiger hill in Kargil war I leaned back, closed my eyes, adjusted my bottom to virtually match the impression on seat which has not yet regain its original shape and stretched my legs which were almost paralyzed.
However this period of ecstasy lasted for very short time and ended miserably when pantry boy at around 8.30 PM brought the dinner as ordered by this family. All of the family members rushed to adjust themselves into comfortable posture for eating. Thus husband, wife and their younger daughter positioned themselves on opposite side of seat while another girl with her Grand parents moved towards my seat. I too shifted slightly to the corner of seat trying to be modest and humble and released major portion of my illegal possession. My gesture of self-abnegation was noticed by the lady seated just opposite to me but with some uncongenial expression on her face. She looked at me as she fetched the rice plate to her elder daughter who in turn was seating beside me.
Seeing them gorging the food my head turned to the bag inside of which a tiffin box full of chapatti and Egg bhurji was present. Tiffin, my mother had cooked for me so that I do not have to eat the tasteless food at night served inside the train. I was helplessly looking at that bag with a great desire for water that has not passed through my throat since morning.
Seeing them gorging the food my head turned to the bag inside of which a tiffin box full of chapatti and Egg bhurji was present. Tiffin, my mother had cooked for me so that I do not have to eat the tasteless food at night served inside the train. I was helplessly looking at that bag with a great desire for water that has not passed through my throat since morning.
After dinner the next job was to make bed for everyone to sleep. Man lifted the other side back rest and chained it to top berth thus forming middle berth where he advised the old lady to sleep. The old man had already climbed up the upper berth and was trying to sleep amid his severe coughing. There was no chance of getting good sleep though being so tired I had few naps. While enjoying one of the naps I was nudged by the lady to awake me and instructed to find some other place so that her elder daughter can avail the full length of seat. May be the other reason behind my ouster was the feeling of insecurity with the presence of a stranger at the sleeping place of her teenage daughter.
The floor space in the aisle was already occupied by poor fellows like me who were enjoying their sleep not like me. Some of them were even snoring in that abysmal situation. May be they had already went through such state in their life….but for me this experience was totally new. I don’t remember at what time the sleep ensnared me and exactly at what place.
Next day morning I woke up with the hit on my stomach by people moving towards the door to get down at some station. I inquired one of the guy walking past me about the station name. It was Agra Cannt…... (To be Continued)
