JAB WE METro

The day I met her was just like another sunday for me in the town I was hating as well as living in. Entering into the metro station slapped me with the same mediocre faces on the momos' stalls, but to cope with the heat in the city, I planned to travel in the metro. Within billions of nanoseconds, i was on the platform.

I took out the water bottle from my bag but before I could start drinking, the train arrived.

Due to the sunday jinx, very few people were inside as well as outside the train. Overthinking was about to hit me but just before the gates could close, I boarded into the train.

Metro on sunday is a dream! I was not getting crushed by heavy feet anymore, neither the bag was getting pulled away nor I had to smell stinky aunties. Yes, aunties stink the most. Oh! Thank God, it was sunday. Really! The train was  moving like a balloon flying with sparkled rice  kept inside it. Of course, helium would be there too.

I preffered to remain standing. Not really. But yes, " stand & travel " mode had become a part of my personality.

                Leaving these UPSC MAINS' facts aside, let me take you few moments ahead.

The thing is that, before getting fully stopped, metro trains sometimes give scarier turbulence than a plane. So here it was! During that insane turbulence, the water bottle slipped off my hand and went back from the place where I was standing……and I heard “FUCKKK ” in a girl's voice. Being in Delhi, this word could have come along with some 'sister' slang too but that was just a " fuckkkkk " with a stretched audio.

Sorry!…Sorry!……I turned back with my fake ~ victimised apology. Now, I could see an angry faced, twenty-sevenish old girl sitting with a kid(say 6 yrs old). She was actually hurt. Now, that I think closely, she must have been hurt by the tip of my bottle. No double meaning here.

            

“Are you okay ?”, I asked.

 The way she looked at me informed me that:

·  Half her Sunday was ruined.

·  Me uttering one more word would make her hit me, or atleast abuse me.

I didn't want any of that so I just picked up the bottle and held the armer, in guilt. Next few moments were part of well planned universe's conspiracy and i don't know why I started smiling over her pain reflecting face. Something had happened for sure or it might have been one of those “Opposite attracts?” things.

" Should I say sorry again? Yesss….. but, would she think that I am on hitting on her. No way, I mean, hell yes, she would think the same. She will get more angry........ or what if she won't?. I was confused enough to let the bottle fall again, but this time, it was not on anyone’s feet.

 It was silence. 

"Ye seat baithne k liye hi hai," she said in a sarcastic tone.  

I got confused but before saying or listening any other word, I took a seat, opposite to her.

" I am so sorry for that," I asked for an apology again.

 " It’s okay!" It was a no nonsense reply.

" I am really very sorry," my facial expressions conveyed my sincere apology to her.

" It’s fine," her facial expression replied too.

" Is it really fine?" my facial expression got converted into voice suddenly.

"What?....," a confused - she asked and took three more seconds to reply in yes. 

I was relieved like a north Indian father who had just married off his daughter. ( It's a satire!)

"Hi,  I am Rishabh," I introduced myself.

"Hello, I am Ganesh," replied the kid who was travelling with her. His reply was in a way as if I was eve-teasing her.

She looked at me sarcastically(again), and pulled the cheeks of the kid as if she was praising him for winning a battle.

 

"Ohhh….Hello Ganesh! What do you do? Sorry…I mean you are studying na," nervous me asked.

That little bastard didn’t replied.

I felt insulted & ashamed as if I was naked. To cope with this shitty situation, I looked out of the glassy window of the train.

Hoardings started coming in the visuals outside.

                     “Do you lack confidence”

                    “Darr k aage jeet hhhhhai”

                   “kya aap kamzor hain” (related to sexual health ads)

No…I utterd loudly as if a teen is caught watching porn.

   They, both were looking at me. Again, I said “so sorry” and kept my head down.

               "Hiii….I am Taara," she said to make me comfortable( I guess,now).

              "Hello, Ganesh….I am Rishabh, sarcastic me replied. 

SHE SMILED……ME TOO. That reply was my revenge.

Soon came the next station, She stood up on her seat and sat back again after watching the station name. I, kind of got relief. Few passengers got off and approx no one boarded.  

During our next eye contact, I asked, “Is he your brother?”

"You can ask him too," she said looking towards the kid.

"No, ask di," he replied.

After getting answer in a very different way, I took out some crunchy chocolate toffees from my bag and gifted to that sweet little bastard.

    

"Say thank you to the uncle na," she replied making me feel like a half burnt.

"No..It’s okay. Call me Rishabh..just Rishabh."

"Thank you," greeted that chomu.

"Where do you live?" I threw an atom bomb by asking this.

"Just one station before you boarded," the sweet kid replied.

Cool…Listen , I am a student and finding tuition jobs too…Can I give tuition to Ganesh……Please..I don't know how on the earth did i dare to ask this to stranger, that too a girl.

"It would have been nice  but being a student, I take care of all his study problems. Sorry!" she diffused the bomb instantly.

     She: By the way, what are you studying?

     Happy me: I am preparing for bank exams, And you?

     She: Same….but I am little weak at maths.

 Ganesh laughed.

Taking three seconds and thinking of not meeting a girl like her again, I said, ”I can help you.”

She: But….listen! 

"Okay, but you have to bring these chocos daily," Ganesh replied.

Now my perception about Ganesh instantly changed from a certified bastard to the sweetest kid i ever knew.

     Before getting off the train, I took her cell no. and the address. We agreed on my first visit to her place on next Monday( After 3 days).

Those three days passed like a time period during which a civilisation could have started and ended.

Finally the Monday came and I started the journey in the evening from my place to her with the same excitement created during those three days.

Reached there after half an hour & rang the doorbell…the song played..

   AJEEB DAASTAAN HAI YE

   KAHAAN SHURU KAHAAN KHATAM,

   YE MANZILEIN HAI KAUN SI

   NA TUM SAMAJH SAKE NA HUM.  

                                                                                         (To be continued...)

                                                                                              with fun