Nice to meet you 'Stranger' !

Don’t believe in stranger everyone says, but this was really different.

“Alice, make it fast, I have to reach station, and my train is at 6:30, where are you?” I was screaming in my mobile and Alice spoke from the other side “I just got the auto. I will reach in ten minutes” and I moved towards the college gate as Alice, my ex-roommate in hostel, was coming to drop me to station. Alice came to college half drenched even though she was in an auto. The monsoon of Kerala will never allow you or your things to be dry and crispy. She gave me a hug and asked about Anupama, my best friend and I said “We will take an auto and on the way we will pick up Anupama , I have informed her, she will be waiting for me”. She agreed to it, and on the way towards Ernakulam south station we collected Anupama and as usual we were busy in our chit chats that we didn’t even realize how soon we covered an hour’s journey towards station.

We got down at the back side of the station, after few minutes we heard the announcement “Passengers be alert, train No. 2678 from Ernakulam to Nizamuddin, Nizamuddin express will be soon arriving at platform no. 4” and the announcement went on in different languages.

I brought one pack of biryani and some fruits and then boarded the train, Alice and Anupama also came inside, we started scrutinizing my berth and the people in my neighboring berth who are going to share their valuable time with me for another 48 hours. As usual we were not bothered about our seat, but were curious to know who is sharing the next seat.

Anupama said “You are going to have one boring journey, see all old people are there.”

I looked around and saw one old man, two elderly women and a small kid. Suddenly one Guy came inside. He seemed to be in his mid twenties and was wearing half sleeves turquoise color t-shirt and had a well built physique. We all looked at him, and for a fraction of second we were mesmerized by his looks. Then Alice broke the ice and whispered in my ear

“Handsome guy yaar.. look at his muscle, now don’t worry at all, he will definitely take care of you”.

I got furious and said “Shut up, yaar.. What’s wrong with you?”. Alice was perplexed with my statement; she might have thought it’s better to keep quiet rather than getting into argument with me. Well I am bit argumentative and sometimes my friends feel that silence is the best doze that they can give for this incurable disease of mine.

We regained our chit-chats and now and then from the corner of our eye we would glance at the guy. He was listening to our conversation and smiling.

The train engine gave the signal, Alice and Anupama gave me a hug and got down. I arranged my baggage and took my side berth near the window and started staring outside. It was dark and I could hardly see anything. Suddenly it started raining heavily and water started gushing through the window and I got panicky and started to pull the casement of the window, since the jamb was slightly rusted it was not coming down. This stranger was watching me getting anxious, so he asked “Shall I?” I was not in a mood to start a conversation with him, but since I was helpless I said “ya” and moved slightly from my seat, so that he can pull down the casement. He pulled the casement down but unfortunately the water on top splashed right onto my seat. I got furious and instead of being thankful I screamed “What have you done?” he said “Sorry! Well It’s not that wet, you can wipe it off”. I said “It will dry itself” and moved a bit away from the water. He felt very sorry and took his handkerchief from his pocket and started to wipe the water. I got very agitated when I saw his funny behavior and stopped him and thought “these guys they are always looking for a chance to impress girls, instead of me if it were some old women I am sure he wouldn’t even have bothered to pull down the window. Nasty guy”.

Next moment he stood up and started arranging his baggage, and then he took out one magazine from his knapsack and started reading, after few minutes he stood up again and started flaunting his muscles. I could make out that he was getting impatient and he wanted to break the ice. Since I was already agitated with him, I didn’t even bother to look at him and started gobbling down the biryani like a glutton.

After few hours ticket checker in black cloak came. I showed him the ticket and requested him to change my berth as it was side upper and not safe for females, especially when travelling alone. The ticket checker said he can only help if someone else is ready to exchange their berth. The stranger who was watching the entire drama felt sympathy for me and told the ticket checker “I will exchange my seat”. I was flabbergasted and said “Thanks!” he smiled and seemed to be relieved to have accomplished the arduous task of breaking the ice.

After that I felt gratified towards him, and started our conversation. He told me he was working with Indian Navy in Cochin and was going home for Diwali after four years. I could see the excitement in his eyes. He was so busy serving the country that he didn’t even get time to celebrate one festival with his family from past four years. Poor chap!!. Now and then I was cribbing about the long journey and he told me “ Your destination is Delhi, but for me I have to take another train from Delhi and it will take another 5-6 more hours to reach, as my house is in Haryana and there is no direct train from Cochin till my place.” After that he started saying about his adventures stories in navy and I was listening to all his stories very patiently as it had lot of excitement and adventures involved in it.

Finally my destination came and I unlocked my luggage; it was two bags and one suitcase. I was wondering how I would carry my bags and get down and wished someone could have helped me. The stranger saw my luggage and said “I will help you to take down your baggages.” I said “It’s okay I will manage, you can leave as you have to board another train”. He said “That’s fine with me; my friend is there in different compartment he will buy tickets for me.” Suddenly, one guy came from another compartment and met the stranger and they started planning about boarding another train. Nizamuddin station came and the stranger apart from his knapsack took my luggage like Hercules and bought it till platform and said “Goodbye!” and went off with his friend.

I was standing in platform surrounded with my luggage and it was around 7:30 p.m. I called up my sister and asked “Where are you? I have reached Delhi.” She said “ I am trapped in traffic , I will reach in 30 mins and stay there only.” I kept my mobile and turned around to look my surrounding. The station was overcrowded with laborers and I was feeling estranged standing there all alone. Suddenly I heard a voice “Hello! Your sister didn’t come?”

“Gosh! The same stranger” I was astonished and asked him “you didn’t get your train?”

He said “Actually, I missed it”

“How?” I exclaimed.

He didn’t say anything, so I asked “Where is your friend?”.

Then he said “He boarded the train.”

“Then how come you missed it?” I asked.

He said “I saw you standing all alone, so I thought I will help you, anyways I will get a bus from outside.”

I was astounded and didn’t know how to react. He took one candy from his pocket and extended towards me. I said “Thanks, but I don’t feel like having it”. He said “Maam, it’s not poisonous ,if you don’t trust me you can have once you reach home.” I smiled and took the candy and kept it in my bag. He saw that and said “so you don’t trust me” and I laughed it off.

After ten minutes my sister came. I introduced him to my sister; my sister was least interested in him. As my sister was about to take my baggage, he said “wait! I will pick it up.” Then he took the entire baggage till auto stand and said “Goodbye! Take care. Hope we will meet again”. I didn’t knew what to say or how to react, I was totally perplexed with the entire situation and just said “bye!” and I was regretting for being so rude to him.

Life is like that, sometimes we are so busy with our selfishness, arrogance and suspiciousness that we fail to understand that even good souls exist. Sometimes we even fail to understand God’s miracles. We never know when he sends his angels to help us.