January 8, 2011

One night @ a railway station

Foreword: The series of events described here are real-life experiences.
          A couple of months ago I had to go home suddenly(I feel so lucky for that now). So, I went to Chennai Central at 9pm in the night to catch TN express. To my utter disappointment(at that time), it was announced that the train will start late by at least 2 hours. Dejected, I was just walking to the far-end of platform 8. That is when I saw her. She was on a train on platform 7. She just took my breath away for a couple of seconds. I have never seen someone so beautiful. In true filmy style, several songs started playing in my head. I sat on a bench opposite her coach and was just staring at her. The angel was deeply immersed in a magazine. She didn't notice me for several minutes. I still remember the beautiful smile on her face when she saw me. I tried to return the favor.
        While all my world was concentrated on her for those few minutes like Arjuna's was on the bird, what I didn't realize was that her mother was sitting next to her! Gathering all my courage together, I looked away immediately on finding the mother looking straight at me. But alas, my heart could no longer bear the burden and I had to turn back and look at her. My joy knew no bounds when I find the angel still looking at me. I had to do something. I can't just keep smiling at her. Her train may leave the station at any time. I want to talk to her at any cost.
       I took out the cream biscuit packet I was carrying and walked to her window and offered it to her. She took it shyly, put the Tinkle she was reading away and proudly displayed it to her mother. The mother smiled and asked her to thank me. I asked her what class she was studying in, what her favorite cartoons are and many other things which I don't remember now. Sadly the train started leaving a minute later and she kept on waving goodbye to me till I can't see her or the train. Thus ended a beautiful half-an-hour in an otherwise tiresome journey to home.