Sixth sense

“Railway station?”

“Townaa? Portaa?”

“Kadu, samalkot junction”

“Hundred and fifty annaiya!”

Knowing that is at least 30 Rupees more than maximum normal auto rickshaw fare I got in saying:

“Done! But one condition”

“Condition? What is that?” he started his auto with the typical sound.

“My train is at 4.30; if you make it, you get what you asked for. If not…” the auto is on road without knowing that it has to travel 18 kilometers in next 25 minutes if I have to catch the train.

“If not” he hurried.

“If not, you have to pay me 250 Rupees, the minimum amount for me to reach my destination by next train or by bus”

He spared his time to turn back “What?”

I shook my head “Yes, I mean it”

He looked at me “you should either a crack or a stupid”

“Whatever you think of me, doesn't matter to me”

“Do you think you can do it with an auto guy”

“Don’t think I will let you go of that easily, if I miss my train I have all time in the world to make that happen”

“Nice joke annaiya” he broke the possible mind conversation between both of us and silent stares of past couple of minutes.

“It’s not a joke, in fact this is how I get into auto each time when I was hurry” I replied coolly.

“Have you succeed in getting money from anyone so far” he asked with all curiosity looking me through that rear view mirror.

“No, none of those auto friends failed in this challenge so far. I wish even you don’t fail”

“Why don’t you start early annaiya?” he probed

“Had work at office” I said my usual excuse and turned around avoiding further questions and repeated annaiya’s from that elderly man.

A kind of glittering threads tied together, something like what girls wear at the bottom end of their hair during wedding earlier days – a man (may be his favorite actor) little less fat than me scaring me from one side – a lady with minimal cloth compromising her cuteness for glamour – a big sized speaker - a small framed picture containing people from different religion as token of Indian national integrity – his license with badge nº photocopied and laminated all this as I looked around inside the auto.

In between we had some short conversations, yet he concentrated on the challenge he had in front of him. Somehow I was sure he would make it and he was doing all possible things which evidenced by overtaking most of the two wheelers.

That is when he took a short cut to avoid coming around to the station passing through a fly over. And as I expected there was a railway gate and guess what it is closed. Before he could reverse his vehicle, traffic gathered at the back in that small road.

Couple more minutes passed. I was yet to get tensed, he was about to be tensed as the gate was not open yet. Less than three more minutes for the train, I though what if the gate closed for the very train I was about to catch.

So, I got down - buried 150 Rupees in his palms - crossed to the other side - ran a little - climbed over a small wall of the railway station - jumped in - managed to do the same with couple of goods in the spare tracks - violating railway rule couple more times by crossing few more tracks and reach the third platform which usually that train would stop, 5 minutes for the entire process.

Just then a train was leaving the station and was disappearing from my sight.

“Ooopzz, all those efforts where needless” I cursed me as the display of the platform notified my train will be late by 40 minutes. Hopeless Indian railways, they don’t have respect for the efforts of the passengers to catch the train at the last moment.

Forty minutes to kill. Evening around 4.30, a suitable time to catch my sisters. I called the eldest and rest two were with her. I carried on with the call, it was one of those days where the mobile goes around all their hands and having long talks.

Simultaneously, walking along the platform amidst of typical railway station scene of vendors, beggars, travelers relocating their entire home in train, students. I came to the top end of the platform where the track beneath was greasy and black indicating where the engine of the train used to stop.

Then came a train (not the one i about to travel) inside the station with loud horn and halted disturbing my tele-talk. I was still continuing with the conversation staring at the engine and dropping a smile to the loco pilot thinking of my unfulfilled wish of traveling in the train engine.

There were few animals around the track in which the train would travel. Few people where crossing from one side of the platform to the other side through the low cement surface hardly some 10 feet from where the engine is. Two minutes later the signal turned green and the train raised a loud horn, sending warning note.

The train started to move, I was still watching it and hearing its more loud horn. The animals around moved away to a safe distance. The social animals were still crossing, crossing even until the train was so near them. I could see the lips of the loco pilot moving; maybe he was abusing them for their behavior in spite of being human and having the sixth sense - the extra sense from all other species so that to identify what is good and what is not.

But is that sense of any use?. Hmmm… the sixth sense may be helpful in distinguishing between the right and the wrong; but since the primitive man, we hold the decision to choose from both.

And what one picks on most of the occasion? Just as me, knowing the possibilities of missing the train if start late; yet failing to take effort and reach station well before scheduled time.
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- June 2010

 

No, the train left was not the one i was about to travel; that was actually 40 min late.
Thanks for your fb tuffyshri

 

Once a autowala at chennai accused me, it is merciless condition that i was making. I responded his saying "knowing that we are in hurry u guys hike the fare; we are paying that extra to catch the flight not to miss. When decided to demand more, you have a stake on it and it's merciless on part to say i share the profit, but get away with the losses. Somehow i managed to convince him i was right

This is little true in my case, more than the pride its the satisfaction. Once i responded my amma for she ask why don't i start early to R.stations, "There is a micro second change of feel from WILL I CATCH THE TRAIN to YEA, I CAUGHT IT, the micro sec is the best moment of the travel i experienced so far.

I yet to miss an International flight

But ask your friend, he may concur with me on this "Reaching station last moment improve our reflexes and missing trains, buses & flight is a good drill for decision making"

Thanks for the appreciation and glad to know you enjoyed it, Pallavi. Many thanks for your continuous support and feedback, It helps me a lot and motivates

 

Many thanks for such a caring note & i do agree with you on the possible risk involved. Will certainly take care. After all, I should behave as grown up at some stage.

Thanks for the appreciation & the note Akila Mani

 

Dear k2s,

Sorry for not writing that it in detail. This junction is in one of the busy railway corridor (between vijawada & Vizaq) so there is a train passing through it every 5-10 minutes. And definitely the train which came in was not mine (and even the one left when was entering is also not mine)

Once again i apologize and thanks that you took your time & asked for the clarification