Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.
The narrative recounts a poignant journey of a young man traveling to Delhi for a temporary assignment. Amidst crowded train compartments and first anxiety about his new adventure, he receives unexpected kindness from a fellow passenger who offers him a seat. Their interaction symbolizes camaraderie among strangers. The young man reflects on the bonds formed during his stay, the thrill of exploring the city, and the inevitable goodbyes. This heartfelt meeting emphasizes connection in life’s transient moments.
The time had taken a full circle. Sitting on the same chair in the waiting room of New Delhi railway station, he was writing his memoirs of the days he spent there. He had very good memories of this lovely metro city. To roll back his time, his pen was gliding on a copy he had bought a few moments before from a local shop. Things were emerging on his mental screen and rolled ahead frame by frame. He would become pensive, and sometimes his face glowed with pleasure as he refreshed his memories.
…
It was a crowded compartment, though not general. The sleeper class, a reserved compartment with seats pre-booked, seemed packed. Some people, including him, boarded the train as the train started crawling after getting the signal to move. The guard of the train was waving a green lamp from his cabin to the driver, who was waving back a green lamp to the guard as well. All was clear and the train started gaining momentum…
He was going to the national capital on a vital but temporary assignment. The next day, he had to report on the job. A little puzzled, he was desperate. Finding that the train was crawling, he ran to the moving train, impulsively caught hold of the gate bar and entered the compartment; wading through the crowd, he reached a point where there was a group of persons arguing over a seat.
The train had left the yard and was gaining speed. Passengers in the compartment were settling into their reserved berths. The sound of commotion had noticeably quieted. A few people were still searching for their assigned berths and looking for their numbers, while others stood because their tickets were general and not for reserved seating, even though they were valid. They were not eligible to travel in that compartment.
Gradually, people settled, and the crowd eased, except for a few who were standing. He, too, was among them. Leaning with the column of a berth, he stood with an innocent impression mixed with the feeling of fear and uncertainty. He saw a ticket checker approaching. His heart throbbed loudly as if it would come out of his rib cage. A cold wave ran through his spine.
A passenger, sitting on the upper tier, was watching him. After some time, the passenger offered him a space on his berth. Hesitatingly, though, he accepted the offer and shrank into a corner of the berth, hoping to be unnoticed, lest the TC order him to leave the compartment or penalise him.
The passenger was very kind. He tried to ease him, started conversing. He asked some general questions. In the meantime, the TC reached them and checked the tickets. The fellow passenger showed him his tickets, and before the TC said anything to him, the passenger asked the TC if he could accommodate someone else. After consenting, the TC asked for the ticket, which our protagonist showed. Pointing to him, the fellow passenger told the TC that he was the one whom he intended to accommodate. TC moved ahead. Thus, his journey began.
He had not met this traveller before, who graciously had accommodated him on the berth and, by his proactive help, eased him. Feeling relieved and obliged, he copiously thanked that gentleman, who endearingly guffawed. The train was moving fast, crossing the small stations, nullahs, rivers and occasionally cities. The night was deepening. After the early humdrum, a quietness had shrouded the compartment. The lights gradually switched off except the blue ones. The passengers had started dozing. The fellow passenger stretched himself, taking care that his action should not disturb his guest. Soon, he fell asleep.
He was overwhelmed. Most of the passengers had fallen asleep. Sitting squeezed in the corner, his mind was running with the train. It would be his maiden visit to a metropolitan city about which he had heard a lot. Stories about the broad roads, big and vast buildings, crowds and people running to catch buses were emerging and vanishing, making him more restless. The spectre that kept haunting him was how he would manage things. Despite of twenty-three, he was still wet behind the ears and timorous.
He started dozing, but he did not sleep. In the state of drowsiness, he dreamt of many things, successfully solving many tricky situations. He tried to keep himself cool.
The journey was in its last leg. The train was often stopping, and daily passengers were disembarking it. Slowly moving ahead, crossing the gushing Yamuna River, it ultimately came to a halt. Delhi had arrived. People started disembarking the train. His host was also preparing to disembark. After he was done, he looked outside the window and turned to him, asking where he intended to go. He gave some valuable tips and got down from the compartment.
His host swiftly vanished in the sea of people without giving him a chance to say anything. He looked around. It was a vast station filled with busy people. They were yelling, laughing, and cracking jokes with jovial elbows.
He went to the waiting room to refresh himself. After that, he locked his bag in the cloakroom and stepped out onto the platform. He found himself in an entirely new situation in a big city. His anxious thoughts about the city were trying to adjust to this new environment.
He groped his pocket and took out a small notebook; scanning its pages, he stopped at a page to look at what was written. It was the location of an office. Taking an auto rickshaw, he went to the office. A man met there. He was the gentleman who met him first when he was in his town. The gentleman treated him tenderly and suggested that he visit yet another office, as the one they were in was not functional. After an hour or two, things were settled, and official formalities were over. He was enrolled in the job.
It was a great relief. He sighed deeply and felt a great weight lifted from his head. He took out his wallet to check for money. The money was not much. He had to splurge it with care. He spent the night on campus, where he would stay until his job ended.
Two people met him. All three coordinated and started spending time together, so long as they were on campus. All three, unknown till now, were bound together with a common bond. They used to sleep on the lawn and use the community bathroom to freshen themselves.
The place was a camp for security forces as well. The security personnel became friendly. Every morning before starting his day, he used to have a glass of milk and boiled eggs from their kitchen on payment. His job would start in the evening and last late into the night. It was a light and sound show. He had enough time during the day when he explored the city of his dreams. He would saunter for the whole day and explore the city. Being a historical and now the national capital, Delhi and New Delhi are big and offer many interesting sights, monuments and markets.
Many people met him here. The trio became closer yet independent. Each one took care of everyone but was independent. Two of them had come to know about his nature and interests. They never interfered with his planning. The only thing was that he used to inform them about his departure.
Several months went by without being noticed. The day came when the assignment was to be over. The show had ended, and the place had started becoming deserted. Ultimately, the final day arrived when they all had to disperse.
He picked up his bag, said adieu to the people who were very cooperative and friendly to him and parted away never to meet again. It was heartbreaking, but a bare reality. People meet, help each other, live together and part ways. It is a way of life and is seen everywhere. Many people, detached in life but attached and bonded by emotion, come into life like a pleasant, atomised drizzle, give respite and disperse like patches of vagabond clouds. Their little help gives a lot of support to stand the vagaries.
…
He is now sitting in the waiting room, waiting for his train. Before coming here, he took a final round of the city, and before sunset, he reached the station. This is the circle that has to be completed before shifting the orbit. He has finished it and is now waiting for his orbit to change.
-END-
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