Empty train - This thought itself feels so lonely and empty as I am used to travelling in trains where there are way too many people jammed inside one compartment that all people stand on each others foot and those who stand envy those who have seats, almost cursing them in their minds to get down. LOL!
Jokes apart, there have not been many experiences that I share in an empty train but if I had to, it would have been as follows:
It's midnight, about 12:30 a.m. and I've just reached the Marine Lines station. I get off the taxi and pay the driver while constantly looking at my watch. Yes, the pass is here and now I just need to rush to the 8th platform and get a train fast.
It will be empty definitely as there is nobody at the station as well. If it had been 5-6, I sure wouldn't have managed to get in the train and then getting off at Dadar would mean committing suicide, I tell myself and laugh.
"Mam, would you like to buy bhel?" A hawker asks me. "You are here at this time?" "Yes, mam. I get buyers at midnight too and hence stay here till 1:30." I smile and buy one packet and then hear the train's whistle. Finally, the train has arrived and as I had known, the train is empty. I smile at myself that today there is nobody to accompany me and it's just me in the entire compartment.
How this compartment used to be full of people talking, quarrelling and struggling for a seat! It's irritating when I am in such a mess but this empty compartment is really boring. I don't even want a seat now and that's the feeling.
The train leaves the station and I keep watching the surroundings and enjoy the fresh air that made me take out my shawl and cuddle myself. The journey that seemed boring and lonely earlier is now feeling bliss and peaceful. It makes me think that in our daily life, how many moments do we spend alone and not worry about our own troubles? None.
The train keeps moving and horning and the announcer goes on "Please report any unclaimed bags and..." I hear the announcement just to pass my time and move about the compartment to check the ads pasted there that were half torn and scribbled on but I did spend time in checking out each ad wherein people advertised their services like teaching, restaurants, property owners and some had ads of cosmetics. It's surprising for me as I have been travelling by trains for so many years but I never got a chance to go through these ads.
The train halts at a signal and as I finish reading the ads in the compartment, I start to think how scary it feels in the middle of nowhere. I keep praying that the train starts soon as it was already 12:45 a.m. and I need to reach home fast. I cannot afford to wait any longer. And due to fear of any con man entering the train, I bow my head so that nobody from outside can see that I am alone in the compartment.
Two minutes have passed by and the train finally starts moving and as I sit down back on the seat, I notice the dirt on the floor. Chocolate wrappers, food grains and left overs of all the people who have been in this compartment. Not only do I notice the dirt on the floor but also the seats have scratches all over and the window frames are too dusty and dirty.
I look back at my seat that had footprints on it and I get up and prefer to stand, instead of getting my dress marked with stains. "You don't feel me worthy to sit on, right? My state is really bad, I know." I turn back and wonder whose voice was that and notice it wasn't coming from a human but it was the seat that was trying to communicate with me.
I take few steps back and the voice continues "Do you have time to hear my story?" "Yes, of course" I say and the seat continues. "I wasn't like this before and it's just 5 years back when I was fixed into this compartment with covers on and I was spotlessly clean. I was happy to be a part of this train until on the first day I noticed 20-25 women running towards me and roughly sitting on me and hurting me. As time passed by, I started getting dirty with stains and scratches and people started treating me very badly. Everyone here used to compete for a seat but nobody took time to bother about my state. It's my duty to give comfort to people but unfortunately, nobody gave comfort to me. Some were nice to not put their shoes on me while some weren't. People came, they threw the waste wrappers and papers below me and some even spit on my hands which makes me feel very bad. Very rarely did I get cleaned and most of the time I had to bear the harshness of the weather too like rains, storms. I remain wet till the morning till the time the sunrays fall me on and dry the droplets. Within a month, I looked old and dirty and today it's been 5 years and I've already turned too old that you preferred to get up. Same is the case with my dear friends, the windows, the walls, the fans and the railings. All were new like me but now they all have turned old and dirty. I am not complaining but I never ever got to share my story with anyone as everybody seemed so busy in their life. Who would take time to hear my story then? It has become a routine for me now and when I don't see people on me, that's when I get tensed. I know you feel lonely over here but I share the exactly same feeling as you do. I have got so used to the voices of humans that I miss them a lot from 1:40 to 6 and now when you get down, I'll again feel lonely."
"I'm so sorry to hear your story. As we all keep thinking about ourselves and leave you all dirty but today I realized that it's you who suffer too." As I keep thinking about my loneliness, I today realize that the train too feels empty and lonely. "The next station is Dadar..." the announcer says and I listen to that and wish the compartment adieu as I get off the train with a smile and memories to take with me.
Jokes apart, there have not been many experiences that I share in an empty train but if I had to, it would have been as follows:
It's midnight, about 12:30 a.m. and I've just reached the Marine Lines station. I get off the taxi and pay the driver while constantly looking at my watch. Yes, the pass is here and now I just need to rush to the 8th platform and get a train fast.
It will be empty definitely as there is nobody at the station as well. If it had been 5-6, I sure wouldn't have managed to get in the train and then getting off at Dadar would mean committing suicide, I tell myself and laugh.
"Mam, would you like to buy bhel?" A hawker asks me. "You are here at this time?" "Yes, mam. I get buyers at midnight too and hence stay here till 1:30." I smile and buy one packet and then hear the train's whistle. Finally, the train has arrived and as I had known, the train is empty. I smile at myself that today there is nobody to accompany me and it's just me in the entire compartment.
How this compartment used to be full of people talking, quarrelling and struggling for a seat! It's irritating when I am in such a mess but this empty compartment is really boring. I don't even want a seat now and that's the feeling.
The train leaves the station and I keep watching the surroundings and enjoy the fresh air that made me take out my shawl and cuddle myself. The journey that seemed boring and lonely earlier is now feeling bliss and peaceful. It makes me think that in our daily life, how many moments do we spend alone and not worry about our own troubles? None.
The train keeps moving and horning and the announcer goes on "Please report any unclaimed bags and..." I hear the announcement just to pass my time and move about the compartment to check the ads pasted there that were half torn and scribbled on but I did spend time in checking out each ad wherein people advertised their services like teaching, restaurants, property owners and some had ads of cosmetics. It's surprising for me as I have been travelling by trains for so many years but I never got a chance to go through these ads.
The train halts at a signal and as I finish reading the ads in the compartment, I start to think how scary it feels in the middle of nowhere. I keep praying that the train starts soon as it was already 12:45 a.m. and I need to reach home fast. I cannot afford to wait any longer. And due to fear of any con man entering the train, I bow my head so that nobody from outside can see that I am alone in the compartment.
Two minutes have passed by and the train finally starts moving and as I sit down back on the seat, I notice the dirt on the floor. Chocolate wrappers, food grains and left overs of all the people who have been in this compartment. Not only do I notice the dirt on the floor but also the seats have scratches all over and the window frames are too dusty and dirty.
I look back at my seat that had footprints on it and I get up and prefer to stand, instead of getting my dress marked with stains. "You don't feel me worthy to sit on, right? My state is really bad, I know." I turn back and wonder whose voice was that and notice it wasn't coming from a human but it was the seat that was trying to communicate with me.
I take few steps back and the voice continues "Do you have time to hear my story?" "Yes, of course" I say and the seat continues. "I wasn't like this before and it's just 5 years back when I was fixed into this compartment with covers on and I was spotlessly clean. I was happy to be a part of this train until on the first day I noticed 20-25 women running towards me and roughly sitting on me and hurting me. As time passed by, I started getting dirty with stains and scratches and people started treating me very badly. Everyone here used to compete for a seat but nobody took time to bother about my state. It's my duty to give comfort to people but unfortunately, nobody gave comfort to me. Some were nice to not put their shoes on me while some weren't. People came, they threw the waste wrappers and papers below me and some even spit on my hands which makes me feel very bad. Very rarely did I get cleaned and most of the time I had to bear the harshness of the weather too like rains, storms. I remain wet till the morning till the time the sunrays fall me on and dry the droplets. Within a month, I looked old and dirty and today it's been 5 years and I've already turned too old that you preferred to get up. Same is the case with my dear friends, the windows, the walls, the fans and the railings. All were new like me but now they all have turned old and dirty. I am not complaining but I never ever got to share my story with anyone as everybody seemed so busy in their life. Who would take time to hear my story then? It has become a routine for me now and when I don't see people on me, that's when I get tensed. I know you feel lonely over here but I share the exactly same feeling as you do. I have got so used to the voices of humans that I miss them a lot from 1:40 to 6 and now when you get down, I'll again feel lonely."
"I'm so sorry to hear your story. As we all keep thinking about ourselves and leave you all dirty but today I realized that it's you who suffer too." As I keep thinking about my loneliness, I today realize that the train too feels empty and lonely. "The next station is Dadar..." the announcer says and I listen to that and wish the compartment adieu as I get off the train with a smile and memories to take with me.
No comments:
Post a Comment