TRAINED IN INDIA

Bag jumps on his back, as frequently, as the steps he takes to reach the platform, as it might also suffer, if it missed the train, the train accelerated, so as he.

he crossed the first…..than …..second, bunches of people were stuffed in the gate, of the general bogie.

I bowed my hand, he cached and in very next second, he was in…….., he ironed the ticket with his hand, which was crushed between our palms.

laying against the wall opposite of me, he was looking more of my mirror image, a lags laden street on both of its sides laid against me,as against him. 

he took out a paper, mounted in hand before his face………….I tried and hardly I could make out the name “Afroj Khan” from the reverse letters appearing on the opposite side.

Exam (I asked)

hmm (he nodded sliding the paper a little, peeping out the spectacles)  

you too?(he asked )

yes (I said)

from the left corner of my left eye, It appeared a black spot in the street rising towards me, I got stuck, “TC” I whispered stepping back to the washroom,pushed the gate with the shoulder locked and laid against it eventually, heart was beating with train’s speed,as I had stolen the diamond koninoor form the queen Elizabeth’s crown, earth was slipping through the foots,which I could even see in the circle at the center of the washroom’s pot.

heart beats slowed as the time passed, I gave my ear to the gate,the conversation was vague,I collected little more courage and unlocked,the argument got more clear with the wide opening of the door.

can’t pay! If cant,why did you climbed to the sleeper?(TC)

there was no room in general…even to stand.(afroj)

so
should wait for the another(TC)
have exam and every train is in same condition.
go by another means, we did come to your home to take you.

not more options available at this time,they are slower, and costly too.(afroj)
now its going to be costlier(TC)

250 rupees penalty, plus 170 rupees reservation minus 50 rupees general ticket.
370
hurry up,took out,don’t waste my time.

I haven’t that much.(afroj)
don’t argue,committing mistakes arguing,how dare you to broad sleeper,if didn’t have money.(TC)

If there was no place in general even to stand,why the general ticket was issued.(afroj)
those words felt like a hammer on tc’s head,which made him speechless and me confident to come out and stand as afroj’s shield.

it broke the silence with soft voice
How much you can pay than?

I have 200 ru only, I have to reach the station and back to the home.(afroj)
give 100 than.(TC)

afroj pulled out, a 100 rupee note unwillingly from the wallet’s cell.
the train slowed down…….crossed the board reading “Obedullaganj”, a surge of collage going girls rushed to the gate, being forbidden by the TC, they entered, TC placed the note back to afroj’s hand.

general bogie should be more (I said)
It would add more cost…….railway’s operating ratio is already high, its 91.8%, it hardly earns 8%.
72 % of the revenue comes from upper class, 18% from second, and only 10% from general.
it earns more from transport than passenger.(afroj)

Most of the people reserves sleepers, so that they can get the place at least to sit, in general there is no place to keep the foot.(I said)

too much the population, there is no solution (I said)
There is (afroj)
What?(I asked)
“Semi sleeper”(afroj)
he elaborated before,I could ponder much.

Seats should be in slope as of theatre’s, it would increased the seating capacity.
a bag fall on flour taking a jump on my head it led the passenger especially the girls to cuddle keeping, hand on the mouth.

The bag wants to say don’t forget me, I suffer too, my place is snatched by the passenger to sleep in general.(I said).
there would be a box under each seat in my “semi sleeper”, it would limit the quantity of the luggage to be taken in the journey.

it crossed a tunnel leaving the Eco of youth’s shouting in dark, train climbed higher, trees moving behind which had already lost their leaves, hot air was entering, from each side, even from the top throwing by the fan.

would there be cooler in your semi sleeper ?(I said in hummer).
yes it is.(afroj replied)
A thin and permeable mat would be available to be drawn over the window,it would mechanised with continues flow of water.
and fan (I asked curiously).
is it needed in running train,it already too much wind in running train.(afroj)

it crosses a freight train laden with jute bags which paused the conversation……….it didn’t resume even after the train had crossed, it took my mind to my father’s going to mandi to sell the grain by our tractor-trolley,some of the villagers also go with him to sell their own, they sit on top of the bags in the trolley, it created a curiosity which resumed the conversation.

Can’t your semi-sleeper be attached to the freight train!(I asked excitingly ).
Yes it can, good idea, it would be used by the passenger’s travelling to the last station.

calling “chai chai Ghar jaisi chai” a tea vendor made his way between us.
bhaiya.

would you? afroj asked…..and ordered for two cup without waiting for the reply.
I pulled my wallet out from back pockit, he raised 100 rupees,before I could count ten rupees coin.

Bhai Saab chutta do(vendor said)
Chutte to ticket wale Bhaiya ke pass hi rah gaye, uske pass bhi nahi the.(afroj replied)

I placed 10 rupees coin in vendor’s hand.
Railways could introduce coupon of small denominations acceptable to IRCTC, which could be used in shortage of coin(I said)

but Railways should make sure it would not be used just for profit making,it should not be mandatory to accept it by the passenger.

I took the last sip of Ghar jaisi chai,don’t know like whose home’s….the train slowed…Halted,its
Habibganj station.
platform no.1

Bhaisaab ooto lagega kiya?