Pandora’s Train of Troubles

The monsoon had just knocked the doors of Mumbai. With the early monsoon showers bidding me farewell, I reached the Railway station. Finding a red shirt-clad coolie wasn’t difficult. My luggage was safely dispatched to the right platform almost in time. Thinking that the train would arrive any time soon, I found it wise to let the coolie know my seat number. I turned, and was confound to find that the coolie was gone. I could see the train arriving with no one to attend to my luggage. Frantically, I searched for another coolie and found one just in time.

Right when the coolie placed my belongings in place, the first coolie reappeared. The train jerked, ready to move and both of them stood right over my head, demanding double their shares. I was adamant not to succumb to their threatening stares but, my Dutch courage gave way when the train started rolling.

Once, the two of them left the train, I took a sigh of relief. I looked at my berth. It was the lower side berth. I knew it was going to be a hell lot of disturbance and that; the relief was ephemeral because there were 11 little ones in mine and the two adjacent compartments.

Just like mice creep out of their warrens at the set of night, these innocent, cherubic, little ones showed their true colors. As I lay in my berth, I could see the little monsters creating havoc. The cacophony was maddening. I changed my side and now faced the other adjacent compartment. There came a breeze of fresh air. Right in front of me was seated a handsome hunk reading a book on global warming. My heart skipped a beat and I found myself staring at him. “Oh! He is so handsome and seems to have some substance as well”, I said to myself. I realized, I was sweating and could feel the sweat trickle down my forehead. “How can I sweat this great deal in an air conditioned compartment? No man has ever made me sweat like this”, I wondered. Gradually, I felt my shoulders and my back dampen. Certainly, there was something wrong as now even the handsome was giving me an amused look. It didn’t take me another minute to realize that water was pouring from the berth above mine. I started with a shriek and there came a mom yelling at her kid. “What have you done Abhishek? You have spilled the whole bottle of water over her!”

As I heard her shout, another realization dawned on me that, I, as a matter of fact, was engaged to Abhishek. I looked towards the kid then at the handsome and finally towards the skies; not to apologize but to remind the good lords that they ought to mete out a similar punishment to Abhishek if he ogles a sexy lass.

The rampage of the little monsters didn’t abate for a second and some of them swayed right over my head. It was dinner time and I wasn’t hungry. Instead, my head was spinning and I desperately needed some sleep. I knew that the devils won’t rest in peace any time sooner so I decided to sleep amidst the wild!

It must have been an hour that I was asleep when a smell tickled my nose. Half conscious and half asleep, I couldn’t figure out what it was but, a kaleidoscope of pickles, curries and cookies ran before my eyes. I dreamt of cuisines of China and Italy with Indian tadka. It was with pangs of hunger and dried throat that I woke. The coach was silent and dark. It was 1:00 a.m. and all the little monsters were ensconced peacefully in their warrens.

Dead hungry, I searched out for my food parcel; amidst my blanket, under my pillow, in my hand bag, underneath the berth. It was no where. I thought hard to recollect if I had dropped it some where. It was after some rigorous cerebration that I figured out the culprit. It was a rubicund little one. I remembered him eyeing the two large chocolate bars kept in my food parcel. I was sacked of my victuals! And, with every one in deep slumber I had no chance of finding it back.

The train halted. I got down and bought a bottle of water. “It would help smother the gastric fire within”, I thought. Hungry, sleepy and thirsty I boarded back.

Horror struck me as I reached my berth.
“SOME DAMN RASCAL HAD OCCUPIED MY BERTH!”
But there was some thing amiss.
“THERE WERE NO KIDS IN THE COMPARTMENT!”
“Oh, No! In my reverie I boarded a wrong train”, flummoxed and tearful I cried to myself. The train had gained speed by then. For the first time in those hours my ears yearned for that maddening cacophony. I was out of the frying pan but into the fire!

God is merciful and he sent in his angel in form of an attendant. I cried my tear glands out and told him every thing. He, to my disbelief ended up in a fit of laughter!

I was escorted back to my coach. I boarded the wrong coach and not the wrong train. I don’t have words to describe my relief on finding my berth and belongings just the way I left them. Moreover, the sight of those little monsters was never so soothing!

I wasn’t hungry, neither sleepy. For the rest of my journey I sat with eyes-wide open, red and bulging out. I called for my dad in the morning to receive me on the station. This was very unlike me and it surprised him as well. But, my courage had given way long back and I had neither the stamina nor any wits left to confront any more troubles.