RAILWAY STATION AND MY TRAIN

On the way to the station, I kept thinking why had Aarav called me, what was he trying to tell me? My interactions with him over the past one month were playing over and over in my mind. There were hints which I had been repeatedly ignoring. For instance, he had called me by my name in our first meeting. Or, how he had referred to himself as a ghost who never slept. Whenever I had asked him to come out with me, he had always made some excuse or the other. Everything was becoming clear to me. Now I was more eager than ever to know about Aarav and how he had died.

The auto had reached the Station, but I was still lost in my thoughts. The auto driver shook my shoulder and said “The station has come. Where are you lost?”

True, I was totally lost in some other world. I pulled out my Bags and asked him “What is the fare?”

“One hundred and sixty rupees,” he said.

I gave him 2 hundred rupees.

“Don’t you have change?”

“Keep all the money, uncle” I said and started walking towards the Station. There was a huge queue at the ticket window. I also stood in the queue, and looked at the electronic display board which shows trains arrival / departure information. My train to Faizabad would arrive in exact 30 minutes, at 10.20 pm. I bought the ticket and proceeded towards the platform.

But my eyes were searching for some book store, and I did locate one. The book seller was a seventy year old man, wearing glasses with very thick rims. He had thick white hair, but hardly any teeth remained in his mouth. He was wearing a black color muffler on a blue sweater. I put my bags down and frantically started looking around in the shop. Needless to say what I was looking for.

The book seller asked in a trembling voice “What book are you looking for, son?”

“Uncle, do you have the Novel - The Beginning of my End?”

“Son, this Novel has been the best seller for the past seven years.”

I had realized by now that this must be a special Novel, to remain a best seller for so many years. My curiosity was now hitting the roof. I again asked him “Uncle, if you have it, please give me one.”

“Oh yes, wait for a second,” the old man looked around through his heavy lenses, and finally found the book, and gave it to me.

The front page of the Novel had Aarav’s picture with a girl. In the middle of the page was the book’s title in blood, “The Beginning of my End”. I was sure the girl must have been Aarav’s girl friend. But what really caught my attention was the image of a cup, with blood flowing out. I remembered having seen a similar cup in Aarav’s room as well. I was hopeful of finding the secret of this cup also in the Novel.

The platform was pretty crowded. Perhaps the people were waiting for the same train which I had to board. I was a bit tense as I was carrying two heavy bags, and it would be difficult to manage without a seat. I didn’t have a reserved berth, and the crowd made me even more tense. As soon as the lights of the incoming train flashed, the crowd became restless. I initially thought of talking to the TTE (Train Ticket Examiner) to see if I could get a berth, but looking at the crowd, it looked fairly impossible.

Shortly, the trained arrived. People rushed to enter the train. I also tried my best, but couldn’t even board the unreserved compartment. Now, I had two choices – to drop the idea of this train, or try to talk to the TTE for a berth. I looked around, and found the TTE surrounded by a few passengers. Seeing the rush for seats, I was almost convinced that I stood no chance whatsoever to get a seat. But before I could muster enough courage to try to meet TTE, I saw him approaching me. I knew it was futile to ask him for a berth, yet I asked him “Sir, can I get a seat? I have to go very far”.

TTE looked at me and asked – “Where are you going?”

“Faizabad, Sir…. The last station”, I said.

“Ok, I can give you one seat, but you have to pay me 100 rupees extra.”

I couldn’t believe what I had heard. My bad luck had suddenly turned around. I told the TTE to prepare a ticket for me.

I was still confused, why he had offered me a seat, when he had refused so many people.

“Sir, why did you say no to so many people, but gave me a ticket?”

“They wanted seats for short distance stations. I only had one berth available, and thought I will give it to the first person who was going to the last station, Faizabad.”

I was very happy that now I would get a seat and would be able to comfortably read the Novel.

“Take this ticket… 250 for the ticket, and 100 rupees extra.”

I gladly handed him the amount, and asked him about the seat number.

“Seat number 42, in coach S5. It’s also mentioned on the ticket.”

The train had whistled. I rushed towards my compartment and was able find my seat, which was a lower, side berth. I took out a blanket, and the book and shoved the bags under my berth. Before I could properly settle down, I saw a hawker selling food packets and water bottles. I was very hungry, so bought a food packet and two water bottles.

In my front seat, a muslim family, who had a beautiful daughter, were seated. The girl was wearing a burqa (veil), but had beautiful eyes. She must have been around 21 years of age. I was hooked to those beautiful eyes, and couldn’t take my eyes off her face. On the berth opposite her, were two boys, who must have been my age. They were also staring at her. I couldn’t blame them for the girl was really very pretty. Anyone who saw her seductive eyes, would not have been able to take their eyes off. If it was possible, I would have spent the entire night looking at those mesmerizing eyes. But my mind was still a bit scared due to the events earlier in the day, and wanted to know about Aarav at the earliest. I opened a water bottle, washed my hands and started eating food.

The girl was trying to avoid the stares of the boys, but they were shameless. I am sure they were imagining all sorts of creepy things. This is the weakness or truth of this age. Young boys start fantasizing about every good looking girl they see. Even I was fighting a temptation to look at her. But I was careful enough to ensure that her father did not catch me looking at her. But the boys seemed least bothered. They kept staring at her. When it became too much for the father to tolerate, he said “She is my daughter, not Taj Mahal. Stop staring at her.”

I couldn’t control my laughter, and in the process threw the food from my mouth. The girl also smiled. I wasn’t sure she had smiled at my reaction, or at what her father had said. I couldn’t imagine a father could speak in this tone. True, she was not Taj Mahal, but wasn’t less beautiful than the legendary queen Mumtaz. For a while, the boys tried to look away. But the lure of those beautiful eyes was too much, and they again started looking at her. The girl also seemed to respond to them, as if she wanted them to get beaten by her father.

But this time the father’s anger had crossed all limits. He got up from his seat, and slapped both the boys.

“Mother fuckers, do you stare at your mother and sisters also like this? Can’t you understand once? Rascals…”

The girl sat motionless as if it was none of her business.

The girl’s mother intervened “Leave them. Why are you raising your BP for these ruffians?”

“No, you don’t know these bastards. Just look at their guts…. Shameless dogs…idiots”, he shouted.

“Please sit down”, she pulled him away.

“Leave me. If you ever look at my daughter again, I will take out your eyes.” The father continued.

The daughter kept looking down, as if she was a saint. But I knew she had also played a role in instigating them.

The father was a tall, well-built man, and looked like a goon himself. Having taken a beating from him, the boys didn’t have courage to utter a single word.

The mother asked her daughter to go to the upper berth, and sleep. The embarrassed boys also left their seat and stood near the toilet. The whole episode had happened so suddenly, that people around barely realized what had happened. Only I knew what had happened. I was glad that I was not caught. I finished my food and threw the leftover food packet outside the window. In a way, I was feeling pity for the boys. But, since they had chosen not to react, I thought it was wiser to stay silent.

I went towards the toilet to wash my hands. Seeing the boys, I empathized “He did very wrong to you”

“Sister-fucker, he saw us staring at her daughter, but didn’t see how she was also looking at us…”

“Mother-fucker has hit me so hard on the ear, it is still numb”, the other boy was rubbing his ear.

I tried to pacify them, “Leave it now. No point in dragging the matter. He is with ladies, if something happens, you will end up as a loser as public will take his side only”

“You think we are fucking assholes that someone will hit us, and we will remain silent? We have called our friends at Lucknow station, just see how we fuck the shit out of him. He will repent having taken on us.”

“And what if he gets down at a station before Lucknow?” I said.

This angered him, “Bloody, you are finding it funny? You were also staring at her, but we got caught. Now you are acting smart with us.”

While we were talking, the TTE came and asked for our tickets, which all of us showed. I thought this was an opportunity to check where the girl’s family was going. All three of us went back to our seats.

The TTE asked the girl’s father about their destination. He said “Bareli”.

I could see disappointment on the boys face, because the family was going to get down four hours before Lucknow. Means they would not be able to avenge their humiliation. They looked at my face, as if saying, “God has saved this bastard today”.

I smiled and picked up my Novel and started reading...