A memorable train journey

I have always been very lucky to travel by trains. Yes, I consider train journeys better. Once I had traveled by air, which was very bad. I was pukish through out the whole journey. The reason may be, because I was empty stomach. But this doesn’t happen when I am in train. One thing I can bet on is that, the train journeys are much more adventurous for me. Every time something new and bizarre happens. Hence lucky!!

It was my semester break. I change two trains to reach my home town. There are no direct trains. I really hate traveling. But as if I had many options. After 5 months, I feel so homesick that the travel by train is worth all the troubles. Not that I have lots of troubles. But still. It is way too tiring to be in train for two full days, especially when you are alone. In India, the trains are horrible to be in for even 1 day.

I was keeping my bag below my berth, when I saw a man, just entered arranging his stuff. Then, he offered help to me. It was not very heavy, I could manage it. I just gave a phony smile, and thanked him for his offer. Yes, it’s good to be polite, when you are traveling alone, but not very friendly also. That’s the instructions which all parents give “Don’t talk to strangers” or “Don’t accept gifts or eatables from them”. But that was when we were kids. Now, we can break that rule, but a bit cautiously. Well, I always think that I can judge a person well. But then it’s never the case. J Or say I have been wrong most of the times. This time also I was wrong…

He was sitting opposite to me. I just gave a quick fleeting look at him, checking out what he was wearing. Clothes speak a lot about your nature also. He was normally groomed. Well, he looked decent. As the train whistled, and left the station, I gave a call to my mom, informing her that the train has left and I am safe. That should be done, especially for a girl. Very partial, but that was the usual routine. As soon as I cut the call, the guy introduced himself say for five minutes, and then looked at me with a glare expecting me to also do the same. This is what I don’t like about train journeys. But then, I just told my name and my destination, where I was going to. He asked “THEN”. What was that question supposed to mean? Obviously he wanted to know more about me. But then, I was not interested to talk anything. I just gave another phony smile, and appeared to be busy messaging. I thought he will get the indication that I AM NOT INTERESTED. And then did not look at him for quite sometime.

I am not usually very sleepy in trains. But the exams had made me very tired, and even before I could even realize that I am sleepy, I had slept off. The train was not very filled, though I was expecting that it will be crowded. Anyways, I was glad about the train not being crowded. After an hour or two, I got up from my slumber. To my surprise, I did not find that guy in front of me, but as I turned sideways, I saw him sitting just next to me. I could have almost screamed. But I was very shocked. The opposite seat was empty, then, what was his problem. I was very scared. He smiled at me. But I did not this time. I was scared. I thought that I should have never talked to him in the first place. But then I did not know what to do. I had almost started shivering. I checked my bag, and money, which I always keep in my jeans. He kept staring at me, as I did all this. I got even more conscious. I then, gave a very bad look at him as I stood. I asked him to sit in the opposite seat. He at once, got up and sat where I asked him to. This made me even more scared. Then I kept looking out of the window. But every time, I would steal a glance at him, he would be looking at me. I was very nervous. I barely could utter a word. I wanted to change my seat badly, but I was not able to see the Ticket Collector. Then, after a very long time, he said very softly, almost as if I could hear it as a whisper. I was bleeding from my cheeks. Then, I touched my left cheek, and I saw blood in my hand. But, how did it happen? I went to the wash, and saw a cut on my cheek in the mirror. I was so shocked, but then it did not pain at all for hours. Or I guess, I was very scared to think about it. I came to my seat and looked at him, with a weary smile. He told me that when I was asleep, I hit myself against the widow pane and that; he had been trying to tell that to me since a long time. He smiled, as he gave me cotton. I was a bit hesitant, to take help from him, after everything that had happened. But then, I took it and applied some cream. Then, he advised me to take an injection as soon as I reached my home. I smiled as I nodded my head.

After that, I was comfortable, in the journey. We had few very small talks in between, but very casually. I still wanted to follow the childhood advice of my parents. No chance to be taken. He too, was not very nosy. The next day, he got down at a station few stops before my destination. His journey was over, and so was mine in few more minutes. My parents saw the cut on my cheek in the station and directly took me a doc, without even letting me get fresh. It was not a big cut, but I was moved by the entire thing that happened in the journey. I kept thinking later, if I should have apologized to him or not. Well, as the days passed by, I forgot the whole incident, and so the guilt also. But I had learnt that I should not draw to conclusion without knowing anything, at the same time be careful !!!