ONLINE GIRL...MY JOURNEY TO DELHI

- October 27, 2020

With so much emotions, memories and sadness I left my home. Before reaching to my destination I had to stay at Lucknow to meet my sister. I was excited to meet her. My journey to Lucknow passed within two hours, memorising my and my sister’s childhood.

I was touched by the way they (sister's family members) welcomed me with such love and grace in my sister’s home. I told her that I had my bus which will depart at 9:00PM. I smiled and said to her in a funny way to save her hospitality for the end when i will leave. I also said to her to show all the hospitality and love before that time. Besides saying ok, she first asked, “Is your ticket cancellable? Are the cancellation charges applicable for this booking?” I said, “Not at all.” listening this she left me for the kitchen. While serving tea and snacks to me all the family members insisted me to please cancel ticket, and advised me to leave my destination tomorrow morning. My sister also insisted her mother-in-law to ask me to stay and leave tomorrow.

My sister also told me angrily that she had invited some guests. It was her husband’s aunt and her daughter Priya. To flatter me, she also told me that they would be excited to meet you. “If you would not stay, they will feel bad and they will ask about you and who would accompany Priya in your absence?” she said.

I said, “No, I will have to go to office tomorrow, I cannot stay”

I did not agree till that time but after saying namaste to her guests. I made my mind to stay there. So, I talked to my boss and requested that I would not be able to do duty tomorrow but I could compensate my work by doing extra duty. With flattering him for ten minutes finally he agreed but said to me to come on duty if i could manage.

Sitting beside my sister I told her that mummy gave me a Taabeez which was made by a renowned saint and mummy said to me to refrain from eating non vegetarian food, for the sake of its blessing. But I thought she did not listen to me but she was busy in offering sweets to everyone.

I was enjoying snacks and rasna, and the time came to have food. Everyone was talking and laughing. We sat on dining table and I was served with very hot and luscious chicken curry. We enjoyed non-veg in dinner while we continued our talk with family members and with the guests. I also talked to Priya. We were walking on the roof. She told me that she had a boyfriend so I thought I did not have any scope to move forward but carried on talking to her.

I woke up early in the morning, and told my sister that I had booked a new ticket for a bus for Delhi which will leave at 9 a.m. from Alambagh. She said, “OK, No problem, I am going to prepare breakfast for you.” I prepared myself to leave in a hurry for the bus; I took my breakfast which was brown bread and omelette.

I reached bus station one hour before the departure. I tried hard to sleep in the cosy seat of Janrath bus but was heavily disturbed by the voice of same echoes, “When will the bus leave from?” And in reply a same answer was echoing in a very rough voice, “The bus will leave after one hour. And after boarding the passengers who booked ticket online.” It was the conductor of the bus, Shaalu, a girl. I heard her voice again and again and it seemed that girl had eaten Gutka (tobacco) that’s why her voice was so rough. She was asking to everyone, “Did you booked ticket online? Did you book ticked online?” She was also announcing with her rough loud voice, “Only four persons are remaining who booked ticket online, or only three persons are remaining who booked ticket online.” She also came to me asking, “Did you book ticket online.”

In this one and half hour more inside bus, my ears were listening the one word which was more emphasised and that was “ONLINE, ONLINE, ONLINE” Finally the bus left at 9:30AM. You might be thinking that I would feel better now. But not, as, I remember my mother’s advice, to refrain from eating non vegetarian food. But I disobeyed that and mistakenly eaten in dinner time and also in breakfast. But there was nothing now but a regret...