I love carrots but rabbits make me feel sick

April 10, 2012 , 20 Comments


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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Mighty Muscular Scorpio
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The autor is half Human, half machine. Go Figure or just revel in what I write

20 comments:

  1. Scary... ur spontaneity is envious.... Panda pic is toooooo cute...

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  2. I am glad you had the presence of mind to handle that situation and keep those creeps (rabbits) away from you. I read so many bad news about travel in the Indian trains, does not matter unreserved or reserved compartments.

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  3. hey thanksss 4 those consoling words yar..just returned to sharjah..am really touched..will stay connected:)

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  4. it happens rt??? Its a good story might be a bit of twist in the end would have made it really good..

    the flow is good Ekta,... all the best for the contest :)

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  5. The contents are really good…
    chennaiflowerplaza.com

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  6. @ Mayank

    Thank You for ur feedback. I am glad u liked it. Yes, it was very scary esp for someone like me who was part of a quite protective external environment

    @ SG
    Yup...it was on the spurr thought and it helped. Was really scared that day

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  7. @ Ramesh
    :)

    Will await to see the useful cheerful witty posts from you. So keep writing & keep smiling

    @ Kanagu
    Yup agree but i was battling with 2 issues-
    1. To narrate the actual incident with less "carrot juices" flowing
    2. To make my post short, stay tuned with timeline and make it look more real.

    Guess I failed somewhere in the impact, will try to do justice sometime :)

    @ CFP
    Thank u soo much!

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  8. You were convincing enough for them to believe that karate story? good job! But maybe you are a black belt. In that case, there is nothing to worry about :)

    Destination Infinity

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  9. Ha ha ha! That was certainly a Karrate'ic story...I must praise how tactically you managed the situation :) Bravo!
    Indeed Incredible :))

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  10. @ Destination Infinity

    Yes, maybe as I have happily drove them off at a station nearest without much hue & cry and not Nagpur where they suggested to be travelling.

    Girls has to learn all to safeguard herself! So what if it doesn't look as convincing!

    @Punit
    Thanks a tonnn! :)

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  11. Creeps! I don't underst... What's wrong wi... I don't know what to say.

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  12. @ ABhyuadaya
    ??????
    What Kolaveri di? :)

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  13. hey once again thanks buddy..all's well..am back..u keep the cheers too...wish u all d best dear friend:)baapre..RR kitna emotional ho gaya..haha

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  14. This is really interesting…
    Gurgaonflowerplaza.com

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  15. @ Ramesh

    :)

    @Kunal
    Thank you!

    @ Gurgaonflowerplaza
    Thank u.

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  16. I was reading a friend's blog and seriously have no idea how I ended up here. Anyway, I felt I just had to comment. I think you showed an incredible amount of courage to keep your wits intact and I hope the bastards rot in hell.

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  17. @ Sagnik

    Thank u so much. Keep visiting & writing!

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  18. Awesome post. I didn't know what rabbits got to do with this at the beginning but it's really clever the way you spun the story to make those rabbits(strangers) beware of you. Loved reading it and congrats on the win :)

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  19. @Neha
    Thank you soo much sweetie. Your encouragement keeps me floating. Hope you will like my other posts too and keep visiting...Thanks again :)

    ReplyDelete

Hi Folks,

You heard me...now its time for Bouquets and Brickbats!

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