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...