That day I had to make a journey
of 500 kilometers. I was standing alone, without a companion, at the railway
station. I was waiting for my train like other travelers. It was the time of
Dussera Vacation and many people were journeying to their native places. Nobody
noticed me. I was there but none looked at me. Many people used to pass by me
in their own way. But no one did have a look at me.
The world is moving at a
galloping speed and everyone is restlessly struggling through his/her life.
Speed has made us machines. And often we utter some short mechanical ‘helloes’
just for namesake. Pronouncing the word ‘Hello’ must be accompanied with a
smile which originates from heart and ends on lips. But I can hardly remember
when I had last smiled so genuinely.
Nobody was a friend to me in the
station. All were strangers. But soon my eyes got fixed at the entrance of the
station for a moment and I said “Hello” with a loud and jubilant voice. I was
reciprocated in the same manner by two of my colleagues who had entered into
the platform by that time. We greeted and hugged each other. The least known
platform appeared to be a 20-20 match playground, full of verve and charge.
Friendship and coffee are the two
sides of the coin. Friendship deepens with the warmth of coffee. That evening
we three friends relaxed over coffee and waited for our train. We all had to go
to the same place and we were supposed to board the same train. As we gave
company to each other in the midst of strangers, our intimacy and fellow
feeling intensified awesomely.
We emptied our coffee-cups. Then
those two friends went to the enquiry counter to make an enquiry about some
more trains. I was at the platform. The moment they were out of sight, I saw
our train approaching to the platform. The train was abounding with so many
travelers. I forgot that two of my friends had to board the same train. I only
thought about myself. I boarded the train and the train blew its whistle and
soon left the station. I was still at the door of the coach only to discover
how my friends missed the train. I felt a little guilty that I did not wait for
my friends.
(I would like to receive readers’
response in this context. Because I cannot still decide whether I was right or
wrong that day. Two factors are worth to be mentioned. First thing it was a
journey of 7 hours. Second thing, it was during Puja vacation when all trains
get heavily crowded. )