Saturday, January 2, 2010

20 mins: Slices of life seen in a railway waiting room

I had only 60 minutes between my arrival and departure in Trichur. In between, I had to put my not-always-consistent signature on a few papers. Though I claim to know Trichur very well, I I am not well versed with the landmarks, expect for jewelry and garment showrooms!

I managed to be back at the railway station 25 minutes before my train back home. As it was a working day, I had my loyal laptop to give me company. My status on MSN was "Working from Train"!

On this day, my laptop is My Happiness.

I sat down in the waiting room, pleased at my timing. After a few minutes, took a look around the waiting room to see who all I am sharing the room with.

It is the devotional season. I had people of all ages and from all four south India states around me.
Devotees… Pilgrims… Peaceful crowd.

My attention was drawn to an aged couple. The husband and wife were not pilgrims. They were not accompanied by their children and I recollect seeing them at the information counter where a 6-foot something, slim frame husband who was in his 70's bend low to speak to the executive at the information counter.
They were seated two rows ahead of me.

While I smiled at the perfect body language, soft conversation, how aunty listened to what uncle was saying and how well they were taking care of each other, two boys accompanied by policemen walked into the waiting room.
What was strange about them was that they were handcuffed together. The boys were around 16 or 17 years old. They looked calm and not worried about the fact that they were handcuffed.

I was disturbed to see how young these boys were. How early in life have they got on the wrong side of law! What made them get arrested is immaterial at that moment, as it has already happened. I am not nosy for scoop but very disturbed at the sight of two young men, handcuffed and brought into the waiting room that had people, pilgrims, successful people, aspirants, men, and women but not charged nor handcuffed.

A dead silence blanketed the waiting room as policemen, with guns and the boys walked in. They were seated politely by the policemen accompanying them. The boys were aware of the silence and curious looks.
After a few seconds, like how a cloud cover the sun moves away, the room was back with the buzz, glances, straight looks at the boys but all done very subtly. Nobody wanted to be seen looking with curiosity at them.

Going by the profile of the people in the room, we had a mix of businessmen, professionals, housewives, working women and students.

My thoughts bounced between the three stages of life I saw in front of me. The two young boys; handcuffed. The aged couple who still found lots to talk between themselves and wife confident of husband leading her where they wanted to go. In between, the two stages was I. I had passed the age of the boys were in, I am yet to reach where the couple were.

I am with my Happiness, my laptop (Whatever makes me connect with my office and friends on a day of travel is my Happiness). I am waiting for a train to take me back home. I don’t have anybody to get information for me but myself. I am not handcuffed by law or society as I sit there. I wonder what extent of support I will be eligible for by the time age catches up with my movements.

Do they boys know, what awaits them in my age or as they see days pass by? Will they come across anybody else in this room on a later stage at some other phase in life? They have such a long way to go....so much more to see!
Uncle and Aunty, you have helped me set a very sweet aspiration for old age. Be with and support who you can hold a conversation at length even when in your 70's! :-)

I am still waiting for my train but the train of thoughts in my mind is running on time, no delay.

Happiness, are you there? I need you every day...even when we are in our 70's!