' It appears as if the whole country is travelling today, not an inch to stand..... dont they have anything important to do at home?' wondered Rajiv as he waited for Shramshakti Express at New Delhi station..he was going to Kanpur....years of short notice travels had made him experienced enough to manage in odd travel situations and it was because of this that as soon as the old lady sitting on the pale green iron bench tried to pick up her bag Rajiv realised she was going to stand up...immediately the adrenaline gushed through his arteries transforming the lazy python into a vigilant hawk, he positioned himself strategically to the bench and no sooner did the old lady stood he planted himself on the bench; to utter distaste of a lady and another not so perfect hawk....he had been waiting for two hours now, this train never had been so late...he tried oogling a teenage girl standing on his right....the girl was blissfully unaware of the fact that her assets were a timepass for so many young, middle aged and old passangers waiting for the train and making the most explicit paintings of her in their minds....anyways she didnt interest him much as these pleasures are for those lucky ones who have a confirmed reservation n he was not so lucky....he had a 32 waiting......he knew it very well that he has a tough night ahead........

Shrieking, ranting, burping the train arrived at the station showing its disgust for the hardwork it has to put on in carrying this multitude of mankind.....much beyond its capacity and imagination of the ablest engineers who designed it............

Rajiv's eyes were searching for the man of the moment...n soon he spotted him....wearing a black coat and white pants with an air of authority and shade of ridicule for the people jumping over him....as if he was a rockstar.....in his mid forties, with sword mustache and impressive 5'11" height ....Singh Saheb the Condutor of the train stood tall among the wretched creatures....Rajiv meekly approached him and in a low submissive tone blended with every drop of humility he could extract from each and every cell of his body he pleaded......''Sir''......"Sir"......"Sir"......"yes" replied Singh Saheb......"can i get a seat" he presented his ticket.......Singh Shaeb gave a fleeting glance over the ticket n smirked..."waiting 32!!....no chance young man go and sit in general class"....... in a split second Rajiv saw himself sleeping between the two toilets with an old bearded beggar and his nostrils bursting with the mixed aroma of human urine and an unwashed human body................"please sir please! atleast let me stay in reserved compartment...i would adjust some where...n may be u would have some seat later on"....Singh Saheb looked through the pleading eyes of the youngster n nodded............Rajiv was never so happy...he ranned inside the compartment before the conductor can even think of changing his mind......but as soon as he landed inside all his happiness vanished..it was jam packed with not even floor space to sit on...n at 1:30 in night all lights were already off...the whole compartment looked like a dark dungen with snores replacing the sound of bats......he navigated himself through the sea of people sleeping on floor....but still no place to sit....then to his astonishment he saw the green patch...in one of the lower berths was a triangular free space...just enough to rest his butt, as the rest of the berth was occupied by sleeping corp of its rightful owner.....Rajiv silently balanced himself on the corner n immediately felt the nick of the knee of the sleeping homo sapien.....'must be in sleep' he assured himself......but within few minutes he felt the other nick, this time accompanied by a groan.......Rajiv moved further towards the corner precariously balancing himself on the tripod of his two legs and corner of the berth.......five minutes later there was another nick..or more than a nick....the man woke up..."Bhai Saheb! go on your seat, i m not able to sleep"...."I dont have a seat yet, TTE has promised to give one soon....you can sleep i m just sitting in the corner n wont disturb you"....."u r disturbing me by sitting on my seat....please leave or i would call the TTE".....Rajiv stood up...how much can one be humiliated for not booking his seat in time......'these people are animals!.. what was I doing? just sitting on the corner'.....the people who have confirmed reservation think that they are masters of their berth.......f**k**s.....

Rajiv came out towards the door and stood their alongwith four other frustated beings........at 3: 30 Singh Saheb appeared in the compartment....Rajiv leaped towards him....."Sir please, i have n interview tommorrow" ..he used his time tested lie.....the conducter looked towards him.....a look that pierced him from his first neuron to his last toe nail....."u can sleep on berth number 34 after Aligarh station"........."thank you sir...thank u".....Rajiv took out a crumbled 50 rupee note and tried to put it in Singh's pocket......"No kid not from you...today my own son is also travelling, to give an interview in Delhi.....u need to sleep".......Rajiv felt a sweeping wave of guilt, shame but above all relief.......he thanked the TTE with drooping eyes.

After Aligarh he moved towards berth number 34...it was a lower berth............but..................a man was sitting on it.... Rajiv was pissed off....."this is my seat" he commanded......."no problems sir you can sleep"....replied the man dragging himself toward the outer corner of the berth......."just get off from my seat"...."but Sir"...."do you want me to call the TTE!".....the man stood and slowly walked towards the door......Rajiv stretched out on his berth....................

Train whistled again, mocking the contradictions of life...............

JAI HIND

© Shashank Vikram