..........a night in the train

I packed my baggage's and made sure that I was not forgetting anything. I checked once again to see my laptop, handy cam, clothes, bathing kit, novel, pulla reddy sweet box and gift which I bought for manoj’s family. I started to catch the evening train to Kakinada from secunderabad and again I had an intuition that I was forgetting something. Yes, I forgot the train ticket!!! Once again I had to ask the autowala to go back and rushed to take the ticket from the cupboard. I was bit excited to go to a village in coastal Andhra first time where the people celebrate Pongal (sankranthi) with great spiritual and religious fervor. I thought the journey was going to be bit hectic as I was with a family in the compartment leaving one more seat empty. The train started and all the passengers got settled down, I myself became busy with the novel ‘Dreaming of You’ by Lisa sitting at the window side and in between gazed at the road side fields. The train stopped in Warangal and someone in the platform shouted that the train stops for ten minutes; I got down taking some snacks and got back to my seat quickly as there was no one to take care of my bags. As train jerked, I saw a girl running towards the train and she was fast enough to catch the train before it accelerated. Whenever I travel in the train I wish for a beautiful girl to give a company to pass the time. As you know, man proposes and god disposes..Needless to say, i never had a chance to travel with a beautiful girl but that day was exceptional, I did not wish for someone to sit behind me..But the same girl who was also holding leather bag in one hand and mobile in other came towards me to occupy the window side seat which I was enjoying till then. I was bit hesitating to talk with her, but to my surprise she started the conversation by saying that the she likes novel reading and read some novels like ‘The guide’, ‘the painter of signs’, ‘11 minutes’, and ‘Alchemist’ was her best. I was quiet and listened to her although I read all those novels which she has talked about. Her voice was very sweet and cute like her lovely face. And then she started asking what I do and what were my interests..Likewise she continued to talk on movies (spoke about my fav. movie Bommarillu too), general issues like ragging in her university (I understood she’s doing MBBS), her family and her hostel life so on.. At one pint of time I had to tell her directly ’you are very talkative and sociable’ and she laughed. The time passed as she talks and mean while the train reached Vijayawada. I asked her to sit and I got down bringing some snacks. To my goodness, I heard news that the train on the same track got derailed and our train would be stopped for 3 hours. After hearing news I could see her startling face and then I had to soothe her by saying’ it’s going to be alright’. And then I proposed an idea of walking till prakasham barriage which is around 1.5 miles from the station. She denied the idea but reluctantly accepted after wards. We started walking in the shining street lights by chin-wagging, bantering, singing (her voice was very sweet).. What a night it was..One side the glittering lights near the Kanaka Durga temple looking at me with more envious and other side her glowing face just close to me..I enjoyed each and every moment of it, I was sure she did too…We wandered around the river, temples till we got tired and sat for a while near the bridge. When I was blowing in her eyes to remove dust particle an unexpected incident happened. By mistakenly I rubbed her cheek with my lips. For next few seconds both of us became silent, and then she revealed about Rahul, her boyfriend. She said that he’s very handsome (am I not?), very talented and pursuing Masters in US, and they are going to marry once she finishes her house surgeon training. I was bit discomfited and shattered by her story and asked immediately to make a move. While going back I was very curious to know more about Rahul character and could not control to be quiet. She enjoyed while talking about Rahul and in between looking at my eyes how was I felling, it was very embarrassing and I really hated those moments.

Fortunately we reached on time as the train started one hour early, I became dumb for next one hour and she was enjoying by listening songs from my lappy as if she does not know anything although the reason was very obvious. I asked her to give my lappy back as I wanted listen to music while sleeping. And the train accelerated, every one was asleep and I was awaken by some whining sounds from adjacent compartment. I looked at her berth, only to realize that she was not there. Initially I thought her going to wash room but twenty minutes later also; she was not there though her leather bag was apparent. I moved down and searched in all compartments and surprised to see her sitting in the last compartment observing the dark nature.(may be she was pondering over my behavior). I was almost slapped her to show how badly I was looking for her but moved back swiftly and laid on my berth. As I was thinking, I realized that I liked her and decided not to loose her at any amount of risk.

At 9.30 AM the train reached Kakinada and I could see my friend waiting for me in the platform from far end. But I was thinking about her and decided to express my feelings in the last minute. As I turned other side, she moved away quickly before I said anything. I did not try for my luck again and walked along with my friend towards his car and within half an hour we reached Corangi village where my friend’s family lives.

……continued

Sree...