My giggly self has had its share of fun in whatever situation it has been. One of such experience was when I was travelling from Haldwani to Delhi and I couldn’t get reservation in the AC coach. Honestly, I was not happy about it whatsoever. I did get reservation seat in second seating but it is more or less like a general coach. Meaning, people get on the train and it is just crowded. People with reserved seats are annoyed and irritated, one of them being myself.
This time it was different. This time I was travelling alone. I had a terrible a seat. So the train I was travelling in was Uttar Sampark Kranti. I had my seat by the door and it was an aisle seat. I knew I was going to be squished today. I was not disappointed. But I was not as irritated as I thought I would have been. In fact, I was laughing at whatever was happening around me even though it was not at all comfortable.
Starting with a man aged in his early 40s. He is an opportunist. He did not have a reservation and he was sitting opposite to me on someone else’s seat. Later when the coach started crowding, this man offered his seat to an older man. Before the other man could sit, a boy yelled, “that’s my seat, uncle.” Being the sweet old man that he is, he politely got up and helped the clumsy boy settle down along with all his luggage. I went back to reading my book. The next thing I remember was someone saying, “what are you doing?” I looked up and the opportunist man was climbing up and within few seconds he was snoring where the passengers keep their luggage. I kid you not, this was the first time I saw something as such and it made my day.
Next incident was when I was lost in my thoughts and hear some commotion on the aisle side. A big man had settled himself down. Giving an impression that he was sitting but when actually he was legit lying down with support from others sitting around him and was fast asleep. Indians always find a place to take a nap even if it is in the most uncomfortable of a situation.
Half way through this train journey, the coach was completely packed. One could not move a muscle. They all tried making place for one more person. In the process of making place for one more person, the coach was so packed that ladies were actually took support on my back and my back did hurt. They couldn’t go anywhere and I was stuck in my aisle seat.
Indians can adjust very well if you do not push them to their limits. There was this man, annoying as a mosquito at night who buzzes near your ear when you are asleep. That level irritating. He pushed his way in the coach. He caused way too much of a commotion. This fellow woke up the man who sleeping on the floor. Not. A. Good. Thing. That man had to stand up from his comfortable position of sleep because of this newbie. He disturbed his sleep. God had mercy on this man as others calmed the angry man. Not before he verbally abused him. Where was I sitting? Next to where all this argument was going on. Was I bothered? Yes. Did anyone care? No. what did I do? I laughed. I have no idea but I found everything going on around me funny.
When I say the coach is crowded, I mean it. It was so crowded that “a 6 or 7-year-old boy slept while standing and he did not even fall” crowded. The second funniest thing of the travel day. Indian rail is fun to travel in if you are up for all the crowding and fighting and being pushed around. It is not as bad as it sounds but one needs to have guts to go through it and still find it funny. Such experiences are important in life, I have had my share and I do not wish for more. Maybe someday but not soon.