As its Happening

Here comes the 2nd Installation....If u are new here then u should read "As it Happened" 1st before starting this.....

Contd.....

As the journey was getting into everyone like getting settled in a new home, our Family Man opened a book and started studying. All I could make out from the text was some lengthy square roots and q,z,r,y,a and blah blah blah. Somehow I managed to see the cover of the book, ”Structural Analysis”. OMG. Either he must be going for an examination or an interview or updating his knowledge. Whatever it was, with hairs graying around, it was something to be appreciated or I felt so. Mr.Curious, hope you know why I kept him that name. Just looking around what everybody was doing and was now and then peeping into structural analysis.

Son took off to the other luggage space for a nap while father was already into sleep mode. So Mr.Curious shifted to Son’s place, took some spiral bound book of his and started studying. Pal tried to sleep but couldn’t. College guy had a nap and woke up. As we crossed Thiruppur and approaching Erode rain started to get heavy and I had to close my window. I was wondering what to do. Appo thaan. Why not a blog? But how to write. I searched through my mobile to find anything to type apart from message like notes or something. Found an app for memo. So am using it and typing now. Maybe will use a word editor later.

I forgot to mention about the Passerby. He got in at Thiruppur. He placed himself between the College Guy and Mr.Curious. He heard a few songs in the loud speaker maybe he forgot his headphones or does he have one or maybe lost in the course of the day. Karuna and Big mouth had few small talks. Family man closed his book as we reached Erode.

I needed water now but was really hesitant to get out. Meanwhile Passerby and Big Mouth got some packed biriyani for dinner. Finally I got down to get myself a water bottle. I was hesitant because of two things, one, my seat and two, my bag placed on my seat. So I was out and in, in a flash.

How do you guys feel about having snacks or a meal or anything on the train? I mean like only you’ll be having and the rest will be watching. I don’t buy anything in train because this reason unless I have some few other guys with me. I guess Passerby must be that kinda guy, he had his dinner standing at the doorway. Finished it off and then came back to his seat. Whereas our Big mouth, as usual, finished it off at his place and washed his hands through the window. Done.

The train was unexpectedly fast, we reached Salem in 2 and a half hours. As the train approached the platform, Passerby, College Guy and Mr.Curious got ready to get down. As they got down, a Bunch of four guys got in with their bags and stuff. They seem to look like construction workers, had some tools in a bag and a bosch case. They squeezed themselves into that space of two. All were slim and sleek so they dint have a problem.

It was almost close to 11pm now. I was having my headphones on so all I could make out was their lip movements. Only after a few minutes I realized that all seem to watch me now and then. With the kinda of atmosphere in the train, just imagine a guy with head phones on, typing in a mobile with querty keypad for almost 2hours, who would not watch.

Since it was a special train we had a few stops in the middle of nowhere, to give way to superfast trains, with each stop lasting for almost 20 to 30mins. During this time I almost came close to the current time in my blog. Hope you can get what I say. Now we are in Samalpatti, a place somewhere between Salem and Jolarpet.

Son has woke up from his deep sleep and is looking at his seat which is occupied by the Bunch but he manages to find a seat in the next cubicle. Everyone got settled into some position. One of the guys from the Bunch is going up to the luggage space left by the Son. Another guy is just spreading the sheet near me on the pathway and he is down too. Few silent moments pass by. Am just looking here and there. Pal finding it hard to sleep I guess, is just moving often. Big Mouth already in his dreams. I think he heard me, just woke up to lower his window and back to sleep. Family Man also sleeping peacefully. Father woke up once in Salem and Erode, that’s it. With his plumpy head with double chin down, sleeping wonderfully and finally our Sleepy Head, except for a few movements now and then, he is settled in his position. That leaves only me, still observing everyone.

I have never travelled in general compartment during night, so was not feeling sleepy. Had few naps. A lot of things go on in my mind when I look at them. They don’t have the slightest bit of clue about what I am upto. Just wake up guys, am writing about you.

“What is it you are typing?” “What phone it is?” “What is it in your hand, is it a phone?” that’s true. Literally. Hope you can make out the difference between these questions and I wonder how many of these know that am gonna publish about them for the world to read. So, this blog, why did I write? I myself donno. I just wanted to note down the whole experience of travelling in a general compartment in night. இதுக்கு மேல நான் மொக்க போட விரும்பல.

The only guys awake are me and another guy from the Bunch. Its 1am. Hope the train reaches Chennai by 4am, that’s what they said to me. Donno what to infer from this blog. Ungalukku entha maathiri intha blog irukkunu feel pannareengalo appadiyae vechukonga. Lemme try to grab some sleep because I just have a day in Chennai, I don’t wanna sleep it off. With Kadhal Anukkal in my ears now, in this drizzling cold night.

As it Happened..

Yesterday

Me and Ganapathy were in the station, more than an hour before the expected departure of the train. We were waiting for my friend Bala. “wru da” and the reply came “on de way மச்சி..ll call 1ce am der” It wasn’t a big deal because still an hr or so for the train but still I said “k..cme soon”.

It was a late monsoon this season, weather lords started their party as they did for the past couple of weeks. The down pour started and I started to worry whether he can make it on time.  Finally, after almost an hour my phone rang. As expected, it was him.

“Dae..எந்த platform?”

Our very own CBE Junction P2

“Platform 2 da.. Straight ah nadanthu va.. Naanga kadaisila irukkom..”. As he walked along the edge of the platform our train arrived. With the crowd running to grab a seat in the general compartment, we pushed ourselves into it and finally met him. Bala, my colleague, is a short and fair guy and as usual his springy hair in disarray. We settled at a corner of a platform.

“Dey.. where’s your bag?” started Bala.

Good that he started it. “Bala....dont panic...am not going with you today.”

“What are you saying dude!!!!????? Why?”

“Have some stuff here which I need to take care of. I tried to give a hint at work today but you couldn’t make it out from it.”

“Hmmmm....” It was a big sigh from him. “Serious ah வரலைய?”

“Am serious dude.”

I was relaxed in a way because I thought he would panic and say “Then am too not going.” But he dint, good, at least he is going.

“And don’t worry. I’ll call them and convince about my absence. Ok?”

“Whatever.. நீயே சமாளிச்சுக்கோ..”

The train started finally and he left without me. Ganapathy was just a spectator for this talk show. Then we reached home around 11, dripping wet due to the non-stop rain.

Today Afternoon

After finishing off the works which made me to stay back yesterday, was kinda relaxing in my home. Vikas’ words were lingering in my mind, “ஏன் டா வரல!!?? You could have come.”

“Lost in your thoughts again??” Ganapathy put is as a question as he entered.

“நான் இன்னைக்கு கெளம்பட்டுமா?”

“எங்க கெளம்பட்டுமா?”

“Chennai da”

this big shoe is Me

“Your wish. Did you ask your mom?”

“பேசிக்கலாம்...”

I know, its just a day. Vikas said he had booked tickets for HP7 morning show. So, probably half a day would go by in the movie. Then maybe lunch with my few other friends and head back to Coimbatore.  Looks fine but the only thing is, I cant spend much time with anyone. Even Vikas knows it. Whatever “Am going”, the decision was made. Got the tickets, packed my stuff, informed my mom and called Ahmed too.

So it was Ahmed and Ganapathy who came to send me off. We had dinner on the way and reached station around 7.45pm, a couple of hours before, because we needed to get a seat for me in the general compartment. Once we were in, it’s the usual frustration “tan ton toin....பயணிகளின் கணிவான கவனர்திற்கு..” It was an announcement about a special train to Chennai which was about to arrive in another few minutes. Station was not crowded as it usually would be. We could see the train approaching in the vicinity. Ahmed managed to run along with the train and got me a seat as it was being brought to a halt, the single seat by the window. Three of us were laughing about how we ran and got the train while the rest of the seats got filled. The train started within 5mins, so I bid adieu to them and started to stare into the darkness outside. Made a few calls to my pals at Chennai and my mom. Few refused to believe that I was en route Chennai. So, I had to call them late when the train’s “thadak thadak” was prominent.

Once I was done with my calls, the person sitting opposite to me asked “நீங்க Chennai ah போறீங்க?” “Ya..”

And that’s when I started to look at my compartment rather my cubicle kinda thing. Hope you know that, how it is in the Indian trains, that 8 seats. Since it was a general compartment there were around 10 including me. The one sitting opposite to me must be in his late 50’s, I’ll call him father, you’ll know why later. So we both were on the single seats facing each other. Next to him on the three seater was a guy, looks suggest he must be a college guy and next him was the son, ya you are right, father’s son, in his early 30’s probably. Next by the window was an old man, wearing a yellow shawl like Karuna. He had a pal, another old man, he was sitting next to me on the three seater. So as I mentioned them, lets call them Karuna and Pal. Next to Pal were Mr.Curious, Family Man and the Big Mouth. That makes only 9 right. Ya and we have the Sleepyhead on the luggage space, he went to sleep few minutes after the train left Coimbatore junction, still no reaction from him, sleeping peacefully.

Wherever we go, either a train or temple or wedding or even a flight for that matter, there will be a conversation starter. Its not a topic here, I mean a person. That is Big Mouth. He started to talk abt something to Karuna, who were sitting opposite to each other near the window. Even though Karuna was hesitant to engage in a conversation at the very moment but then started to unwind... 

It was a little bigger than I thought so am posting it in two parts... Watch our for the next one soon...