A TRIP TO OLD AND NEW -- PART 1

This is terrible journey.

SCENE 1:  Sudden plan

This was one of my horrible journeys. I was in MVP colony going to book ticket for a train that night wherein the seats are usually vacant, but it wasn’t shown in the train list the previous night during online reservation. Suddenly dad called up and said that train is no more running. I called up Anjan immediately and asked the timings of Ratnachal express to go to Vijayawada. He said he was in the same train and it started.

He added that, ‘if you want to come to home catch a train at 1:45 PM, you’ll reach with one hour difference. I’ll wait for you there and we both will go together from there’. I thought, ‘how kind of him!’

I decided to start immediately

SCENE 2: Furious

Next minute I was in auto going to room to get money and clothes for one day. I planned laptop too in that. I ran across the ground to reach the hostel. I started from hostel with a laptop, a pair of clothes and reached MVP back. Hiring an auto from there, it was already 1:30PM. That auto driver was picking everyone on the way. I was pissed by his greed.

I thought, “Ok let him go to hell, now I’m nervous about losing my train!”

Reached railway station at 1:45 PM, but the train is late by 10 minutes. Now I’m even more pissed. The female in the ticket counter refused to give a ticket due to lack of exact change. I’m now EVEN MORE pissed. Somehow I got the change back buying a magazine. Train arrived. I boarded it. Now I remembered that I forgot the camera in the room and cursed myself badly.

SCENE 3: Tiredness

In a general compartment, standing and surrounded by people standing like me. I was completely locked between them. Someone’s leg was groping on the floor for some space to stand. Two were sitting at the door. My hand was in the air holding the bag I kept on the door. Some good man helped me by taking it and keeping it with him on the top. I was talking with almost everyone in the crowd. One of them was Bengali. He asked if I was a student. He added why can’t you board the sleeper class and pay the difference. I told him that the ticket guy asked for penalty. So I didn’t dare to go.

He said, “Arre Saab hum tho chota aadmi hain! Tum tho student hain, tumhe kuch nahin poochega.”  I thought if that could be true but something diverted my thoughts.

I noticed that people are adapted to this kind of living thinking themselves as small people. Meanwhile my thoughts voyaged through all the things like I was trying to imagine my home empty as it has already become, but all I was able to visualise was the faint memories of Gruha Pravesha when it was new.

Suddenly something strange happened. Everything was fading in front of my eyes. This has never happened to me in years. I was feeling uneasy. I felt like to gulp water, but the bag is with the guy on the top and I’m unable to make a least possible sound. Somehow I conveyed him to give bag. He gave it and I had water. Now I felt more uneasy. I left the bag and told everyone I’m feeling like to puke. They all caught hold of me and made me to sit at the door and holding me so that I may not fall off. I was relieved by the air. Everyone suggested me to enter sleeper class. I was very much thankful to them. Humanity still exists in society.

I felt, ‘can’t those railway people add few more general compartments instead of reservation coaches.’

SCENE 4: Dispute

I got in sleeper class asking a Ticket guy saying that I was not feeling well, he said to get on I’ll come to you. He passed by and I went up to him, he said hesitatingly to sit somewhere, he’ll come. I waited for one hour, he didn’t turn up, but this time some other guy came up and I was about to talk him and explain the situation, he asked me for ticket and I gave him trying to explain the situation. But this idiot without listening to me said, “$%^&*$#@! #$%^*, you boarded in Visakhapatnam, get out of the coach and take general compartment’. I politely asked him to listen to me, but he was pushing me out. I told him that I would pay the difference, but he didn’t care. I was now very much pissed and when I reached general coach, I had to travel on footboard. I was very much angry on that guy who didn’t turn up and this guy who talked rubbish with me.

Travelled on footboard for two hours. Mom and dad!!! if you’re reading this by any chance, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you this. To all people who really care for me, no need to worry, nothing terrible happened and I’m alive.

I decided to scold that @$$#0|€ when I reach. Mean while my friend was waiting for me for nearly 2 hours. As I was reaching Vijayawada I was getting excited to scold him.

Finally I was relieved to reach Vijayawada. As soon as I got down, I went in search of that idiot. I saw him surrounded by people asking for berths and to check tickets. I thought this is a good chance to insult him in front of everyone. Finally I got ready. My heart pounded as I approached him.

 Finally I collected all the courage in me and patted on his right shoulder and went in front of him through the left.

I started with a terrible smile, ‘Glad to meet you idiot, @$$#0|€. What the hell do you think of yourself idiot? Talk with respect idiot. You called me @#$ %^&*() right??? It’s you @$$#0|€. Talk with respect to anyone you beep ka beep. @#$%%#$@@$%’ I’m a student.

 All this happened in just 30 seconds. When I stopped and looked, everyone was looking at me with wide eyes open. I showed him middle finger and started running to the stairs to exit on the first platform. I heard him screaming something from behind, but I least bother about it because he was already insulted by then. I felt I should’ve talked more insulting him, but I didn’t. I was feeling happy about it. Finally my mobile can’t hold it any longer and got switched off immediately as I met my friend. I called from his phone to mom and told that I’ve met him and no need to worry.

SCENE 5: The two misses

We immediately went to Bus station and by that time, we missed the last bus just by one minute. I really cursed my fate. Anjan told if we start now then we can make to bus in Guntur which is one hour from there. We started. I was asleep hoping to catch the bus. When we arrived there, we again missed the bus just by one minute. For a while I was thinking to catch the bus by chasing in auto, then I realised how foolish the thought was. May be it’s because of the entire situation turning against me. We waited for almost two hours with all buses to Kurnool having no seats empty. Finally, thanks to Anjan entering into the bus first and taking two tickets we got two last seats though at different places. I was surrounded by old people who didn’t know how to retract the seats. I did it for them and they were very thankful to me.

SCENE 6: The morning

Reaching Kurnool we took the Bangalore bus to Anantapur. We were bored completely. So I decided to watch a movie in my laptop. We saw The Mechanic starring Jason Statham. It was a cool movie. Then we had one hour left to reach Anantapur. I was fast asleep thinking about the old memories of Guntakal. I was sailing through all the memories since childhood. Now, we reached Bus station. With heavy heart I got down. Anjan’s home is some 60 yards from station. We walked to him and then he dropped me home. When he saw my apartment he said “DUDE!!! THIS IS WHERE I USED TO PLAY CRICKET IN MY CHILDHOOD!!!”

I know how excited he was. If I were him, I would have felt sorry for building apartment there. I thought this as another example for development of concrete forest. I saw the watchman as I entered the gate and asked how he was doing? He smiled at me. Lift opened into corridor on fourth floor with two apartments on each side. As I was reaching to second home on right side I heard some work was going on and when I entered NEW ....... Part 2 will be published soon.