HUMANITY ON WHEELS

Flocks of people globe trot every minute. The travelling industry is booming like never before. While most travel to seal business deals, attend conferences there are also people who travel to explore. There is an element of mystique in the journeys we undertake. Nothing is worse than travelling in sleeper class from Chennai to Delhi or vice-versa! And inevitably, I end up in sleeper class however early I book my tickets sigh! Every time I embark on this never ending journey I diligently pray for good co-passengers. There is nothing to do in this tedious journey that traverses from North to South through barrens of vast land. This post is an account of the interesting characters I have met in my journey.

Cinema has spoilt us. Believe me when I say this. There is neither Shahid Kapoor who can distract us nor Surya who croons and can sweep us off our feet. It’s all good only in the celluloid. In reality we just travel with normal people. (Or that’s what been happening in my case! Lucky if you have met your loved ones on trains.)

CASE 1:
THE LOWE BIRDS:
They are common a lot. And I have never met anyone who are so into each other. So much so that they even shared the same berth (am not exaggerating!) when you are single and you witness such public display of affection it kinda gets to you but surprisingly all I wanted to say was “get a room”. But I must confess, it was great entertainment watching the birdies. Respite from the monotony of the journey.

CASE 2:
THE ANGEL:
Kids are adorable. Time flies when you are with them. One can just keep observing their cute little gestures and talks. I was lucky to meet one such angel. Jessica was confined to her mother’s territory. Despite repeated attempts I failed to evoke her interest. A pack of playing cards did the trick. We later bonded on the stone, paper scissors game. Her smile and happiness in winning the game gave me immense joy. I also learnt lessons on colouring and drawing from Jessica. She was my best co passenger so far.

CASE 3:
THE SNORERS
Nothing can be worse than getting stuck with grouchy elders who scrutinise and probe into your entire life history. It’s hard to escape their rhetoric. Sleep was my instant escape. I wake up only to be disturbed by the snoring of the entire lot in my bogey which was otherwise silent. I was fuming, their snores were deafening. I sat up the entire night counting exactly how many berths, rods, switches, fans and lights were in my bogey not to forget my battle with the mosquitoes.

CASE 4:
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Again a lowe bird but in a distant relationship! Figured out his entire life history through his loud talks on the phone. The most trivial of details were shared with utmost sincerity on a roaming call. How vain can people get! I must thank him for the amazing Ilayaraja songs he played throughout the journey. A pack of cards kept us busy from afternoon till night. We played nonstop. People from the other bogey's joined in too. That was the day I learnt tricks of the trade and became proficient in playing cards. I would be doing great injustice to this list if I do not include the platter of cuisine that is laid out. From the greasy paranthas to the vegetable that seems to be cooked in rancid oil, the smell of food hangs in the compartment. The vendors with their never ending cries of snacks, sugary beverages, samosas and cuppa’s of chai helps to fend of boredom. There are also the aloof kinds who hums to the music jarring from their I pod, oblivious to whatever is happening around. What really irks me is the intrusive passenger who barges in your compartment to plug in his cell phone charger. To top it all the persistent ringing of the cell phone wants to make me smash that piece of technological menace. And then you also have the introspective variety who are lost in thought gaping outside the flat glass panes.

At the end of it all, it’s the eccentricities of my fellow passengers and their idiosyncratic ways that keeps me entertained.