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Time Capsule in a Train

For most of the people who are unfortunately adult now, one of the exciting things we did during vacations was travelling by train. The first thing that made a train journey exciting was - the window seat. Oh the joy that was felt when you found an empty window seat, was indescribable at that age ( because it was overwhelming and also because we didn't know enough words back then).

This was equally complemented by sulking when there would be a grumpy adult already occupying the coveted seat. Then you somehow try to make a hybrid crying - complaining face to appeal to that person's conscience. If that didn't work then complain in a low voice to your parents go get the window seat. Mostly the tactic worked and you would be watching the moving landscape for the rest of the journey.


The second fond memory of those times was eating in the train, not alone, but sharing it with your co passengers. And as the grass always seems greener on the other side, anything offered by other people always looked tasty. If anyone is not sharing their biscuit with you you try to stare them to submission, so that they finally offer you one.


Oh those were some good days! Simple days. Ignorant and blissful days! Now a train journey is about efficiency, travelling at night so you don't waste a day. A curtain of blackness staring at you from the window, that is if you are looking outside the window and not typing away on your phone like I am doing now. But today is little different. Today brought a piece of those sweet memories of childhood journey back. It compelled me to write this entry after a long time. It made me feel happy and content.


I have already stretched the suspense too thin so here's what happened:

I boarded the train around 9:30pm. Found my side upper berth and deposited my bags there. Removed the footwear and with the grace of a dancing bear, climbed up and sat there stretching my legs. Whipped out my phone to let everyone know that Mission is Accomplished. I repeat Mission is Accomplished. After feeling like Hritik Roshan in Lakshya when he climbed that cliff, i started looking around.

A family had opened their tiffin for dinner. An uncle was sitting on the seat opposite to them staring into nothingness stoically. As the family was unpacking all the things they had brought they offered uncle some food. As is the norm, the uncle politely refused. After few seconds another member of the family insisted to share the dinner, but our stoic uncle refused again politely with a smile. The family then proceeded to clean off their consumables.

I was watching this from my high vantage point, slightly hoping that someone from the family would glance at me. I was already done with my dinner, but it seems the grass still seems greener on the other side even when you are an adult. 

It felt good to see some positivity around. In the age of globalization where me and my have mostly replaced give and share, that family was happy to share food with the uncle. Their actions spread some goodness around which I was lucky enough to bask in. It was like watching a small time capsule in a train - full of good memories and good feelings.


I feel a little conflicted about this last paragraph though. I remember the ending line of the movie 'A Wednesday' where Naseeruddin Shah's character refuses to tell his name saying that people find religion in the name. I believe that there are good and bad people in whatever category you want to create be it based on gender, geography, religion etc. The family that offered food and the uncle who refused with a smile didn't seem to be of the same religion. The family that offered food had not even thought of that. The distinction between religions didn't make the act of kindness any greater or any less meaningful. It was just that - an act of kindness. I hope we all see the world through the same lens.

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