I love carrots but rabbits make me feel sick

This Post is written for "Incredible Stories" contest on "Indibloggers" for "MahindraXUV500"

It’s a tale from the days when I was young, enterprising & still very fearless.  The word enterprising came from the fact that, despite being ignorant about the uncanny ways of “great Indian railways”, I played a gamble & set on ventures on my toes.

One such venture was my trip from Nagpur to Nashik. Yes, for the first time in my life, I went to a railway counter, booked 3 tickets for mom, one aunty accompanying her and yours truly. We were going to meet my younger brother at his military college in Nashik and as the norm goes my mom carried a carton full of eatables for him & his fellow hostel-mates. Ah, all sorts of edibles including “Gajar ka halwa” (carrots)! In all the ignorance, we deferred booking the return tickets & went completely oblivious to the fact that getting reservation in Indian railways is big achievement in itself and travelling without reservation is definitely, not a wonderful thing that an urban middle class family should ever try to especially if it involves night journey. So as the word goes, we had an experience of lifetime and a tale that I can munch on to my grand children.

The overall trip went well. We met chotu dearest at his hostel, delivered all the box of cookies to him and even went to Shirdi for the divine Darshan. Why I said divine, is something you may need to keep reading my blogs to find more.

And then the incredible trip began from Nashik railway station, on our return to Nagpur.

As I told you, we didn’t have reserved tickets for return. Albeit, we have to return as it deem not right for us to stay back in an unknown city, with no purpose and with a “bad debt” aunty who has not let loose a single penny from her pocket in the entire trip. Unknown city, three women- two in late thirties and one, a an “enterprising” teenage girl with an artificial leg, all made to be a perfect setting for a fiction screenplay but didn’t make a good box office prospect. So we have to return back on the same day oops evening.

Our taxi guy & coolie “abundantly” advised us to get down at station and buy a normal ticket from the counter and then request the ticket collector for reservations by paying extra bucks. Those were the days of no mobile, no internet and on the spot decisions. Like a Bollywood loving true Indian, we parked all our hopes on good old TT uncle to come as knight in shining armor & rescue the three damsels in distress.

Doable, agreed, we bought the tickets and landed on platform. The clock ticked and the station was filled with all kind of people from peanut seller to vada pav vendor to lock & key hawker to chaiwala but no TT was in sight. The train came but still no TT was found. There were so many people in black & white but no TT.

Then we met three men in thirties who claimed to be co passengers sailing in the same boat & assured us to help with the TT. The bollywood goodwill rang a bell again and we got few more knights in shining armor. It was about time we waited for the TT to come and train was about to depart. The engine chug and my mom asked me to board the train rather do a DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) for the TT. The bogies were empty so chances of getting reservations became strong and we boarded the train. We got in to a clean, empty non ac compartment which that day looked like a heaven and with baited breath; we waited for the TT uncle to come. The three men also parked themselves in the same compartment, sitting on the same berth and started a conversation to make us shift away from the tension. As the time passed, aunty & mummy dozed off on front berths and I was awake to safeguard our luggage and meet the TT asap.

The rabbits we're gonna get and I, I get to tend 'em

The conversation moved from Nashik city to railways to my leg. They started asking the same old question as to what, why, when happened. With the evening turning to night & no show from knight in shining armor (TT), almost empty bogie and over inquisitive strangers, I began to get uncomfortable. It’s only when the strangers (Henceforth the rabbits) tried to sit too close and one man put his hand on my knee asking about my leg, my heart sent a strong signal to brain that something is not too right. There was a chink in the armor and I must do something tactically to avoid any adverse situation, peacefully. What can I do in the moving train to stop the trespassers without blood & tears? Without much ado, I shifted the topic and the conversations went like this-

Rabbit no 1:- Oh so what is the level of amputation, is it full leg or half leg (Full half? Ordering a chicken in restaurant??!!)

The cautious Me: It’s from knee, uncle. (Moving myself a bit away to show disapproval)

Rabbit no 2: (Kept his hand on my knee suddenly and said) This portion? Oh that’s so bad TSch tsch.. How do you manage, it must be difficult for you to walk…

The overcautious Me: (Removing his hand from the knee) Eh! Well No UNCLE. It’s big deal. I am totally mobile and fast. (and then changing the topic & showing concern ) Why this TT is not coming. Is the train running late? Will it reach on right time?

Rabbit no 2: No problem, this train is late by 1 hour but pick up in the night. Where exactly do you have to go in Nagpur?

The overcautious Me: I have to go to Tilaknagar. It’s expected to reach by 8:00am and I have planned my day accordingly. If it doesn’t reach on time I will miss my class and students will leave.

Rabbit no 2: It’s ok don’t worry, it will cover in time. How does it matter if you get late one day. So, when did this accident happen and …

The overcautious Me: No uncle. It does matter and I don’t want to get late for my classes tomorrow. I have weekly classes and “my” students will miss the class. There was the special emphasis on my students!

Rabbit no 3: This train reaches on time. There is nothing to worry, we travel frequently. We have a setting with TT. You want tea? We are there, we shall take care. You have tuition classes? Which subject? It must be very difficult for you as a girl for you are quite young and pretty girl and do not look like an accident victim at all. It must be difficult for you to travel like this.

The cautious Me: I am very used to it uncle and my life is quite normal. By the way, I don’t go for tuition rather I take classes for karate & martial arts for college students who are definitely not children

Rabbit no 2: Karrrrate classes? How do you manage that?

The cautious Me: Yes, karate. I am a black belt in karate. And that’s what give my parents confidence to let me travel like this. So I want other girls to also learn the same thing if not for offense atleast for defense, you see.

That last sentence did the trick and the over friendly uncle(s) become suddenly formal and excused themselves away gradually. In some time, I saw them getting down at Bhusawal station without fanfare and cry. The train was soon filled with passengers like a rabbit hole. And yes, the TT never came until midnight when an elderly co passenger advised that we shouldn’t approach him as he can fine us for travelling without reservation and make us get down at next station. One gentleman allowed me a little space at the extreme end of his seat whilst my mom and aunty, spread the bed sheet and parked themselves in the space available in middle of the two berths at ground. I spent the entire night journey seating acrobatically in midst of lower berth and middle berth of the 3tier sleeper car while, all other passengers slept away in glory, maximizing the return for their ticket costs.

It was next morning when we reached Nagpur did I realize, that a lot of people in that bogie were apparently without reservations too. Now you know why do I hate rabbits?


This Post is written for "Incredible Stories" contest on "Indibloggers" for "MahindraXUV500"

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