Monday, July 09, 2007

Exercise Care while entraining and detraining

The southern railways passenger train was jostling and turning and finally reaching its destination- Chennai Beach Station. No whistles heard because it was just one of those passenger trains that unload their office-going crowd every 7 minutes and load office-going crowd to Tambaram station. The train was beaming at the Green Signal given to it as it was about to touch the beach station. The passengers woke up with a jolt after their short nap. There was this gal in a khadi kurta, making those wild faces because it was a Monday morning. Not even bothering to grin at her co-passengers. She was relieved that her destination had been reached, but was already moarning the walk up the overhead bridge to her workplace. She reached for the door and was getting too impatient to walk to the bridge. As soon as she spotted the train passing the overhead bridge, she placed her foot out of the train and didn’t manage to place both her feet at once. Thug and there she landed like a frog on the platform. Hands outstretched for help. Bag strewn away. Spectacles out of her nose and thrown at a distance. As she came to realize what had happened , she thought “ how come those college fellas that get out of a moving train never ever manage to fall “ or even “ how come Rajinikant doesn’t slip a step when he does one of his jumps from one train to another”. Then she came to her senses, picked herself up and rushed to the overhead bridge acting as though she was in a real hurry atleast to justify her actions to those worried faces. Sigh, Bad start to a mundane Monday.

P.S: The girl under reference is me – the gymnastics trying , early getting up , internship going, train traveling woman.
P.P.S 1 : Next time, I shall adhere to the rule on the board in the entrance of every compartment – “ Please do exercise care while entraining and detraining”
P.P.S 2: I shall never try mimicking those college going fellas. Never. Actions come with practice , yes, but I shall not risk a fall again. Anyway, you can’t experiment this with the MRTs :P

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Well, the TamilNadu police are sure under pressure. I think they need some stress relieving sessions or probably a few visits to the Kilpauk mental hospital.. :) Check here for details : http://www.ibnlive.com/news/tamil-police-thinks-boeing-747-costs-rs-1600/44362-13.html

Monday, July 02, 2007

The umbrella woman

Monday back from work is life’s best gift. The very thought of a Monday sends a smirk on the faces of the otherwise smiling & bubbling. Samyuktha was getting back from one such day. The sun was beaming high at 5:30 pm in the evening. She had packed herself immediately after her head left for a meeting. Without giving anyone a clue, she left her bag on her table and rushed out of work with just her house key and wallet. Sometimes Samyuktha couldn’t sit at office and work. She would become restless and her legs would start shaking as if to the beats of the construction work that was going on outside. This was one such a day. The piles of documents were left unbothered.
Sam ( as she was fondly called by her friends) was feeling like a liberated bird. She took an auto and sat there dreaming about the book that she could finish today, now that she had all the time. What had seemed a bright evening suddenly darkened. She peeped out of the auto to see the clouds join hands to shower her with all their might. Rain drops tickled down her face, sliding as a roller coaster. She let out her hands out of the auto, to feel the rain on her skin. A man in red –bright shirt, on a Kinetic shouted at her and told her to stop acting like an actress and insisted on her putting her hands inside. Sam couldn’t care less. Suddenly the auto broke down. There came the bombshell just right at the time when she was rejoicing this lovely day. Sam got out of the auto, stuffed the money in the auto driver’s hand and ran to the nearby tree. She cursed herself for having ventured out of office on this day. All that seem lovely suddenly turned fateful. She liked the rain, but didn’t like getting jet-wet in it. Sam noticed a shadow lurking towards her. Her musings were interrupted by a soft gentle voice. “Oh you are going to catch a cold- come inside this umbrella. It will help you”. Sam was startled. She replied- “ Oh! No thanks . It’s not a problem”. The lady said “common , not a problem. This umbrella can take you and me”. Sam felt a sudden loveliness in the voice. Sam inched closer inside the umbrella. Inside, she was furiously thanking the lady for the offer. Not knowing what to say , she asked “ Do autos come this side ?”. The lady replied “ Yes . Ofcourse. Guess you can flag one of those running on the road”. Sam realized how silly her question was. She didn’t know what to speak and hence came rolling-that question. She felt a sudden happiness and realized that such a small act of sharing one’s umbrella really did give pleasure. She then asked herself if she would have done the same like the lady. Sam knew she wouldn’t have done it by herself. She was the kind of person who wouldn’t volunteer. She felt a thunderous joy, the yellow fat little vehicle whooshed past her. She stopped it. Thanked the lady-with the soft, gentle voice, and offered to drop her at her place. Sam hopped home merrily and dashed at the book.