AN ANGRY DAY

While leaving, Manish wished to visit the tourist places nearby after his exam. He was excited to finally travel to a new place. He had to stay confined due to tight study schedule. He always had economic outlook while spending money. He booked train ticket in second sitting class, one day before his exam.

In a hurry he reached the railway station. The whole train was full with students going to appear for the same exam. It was around 11:00AM when he took his seat inside the train from old Delhi railway station.

He was watching here and there while most of the students were reading and discussing the syllabus. But he did not believe in reading or discussing anything one day before the exam. Though, it was the day to relax and attain peace in his mind.

Manish had a habit of talking to strangers. He started talking to Amar who was sitting beside him. Amar was going to Jaipur. The train in which we were travelling, would halt at Jaipur and then go to Ajmer. In the conversation, Manish asked him about the tourist places near Ajmer. Amar told some of the places and one new thing he told Manish that each and every railway station has a tourist help section in its platform. It helps tourist and gives all information free of cost. Manish was surprised to listen him. They talked about most things and in the time train halted at Jaipur railway station. Amar bade adieu and left the train.

Few hours spent but Manish had to wait for two more hours to reach Ajmer. In the while he received a computer generated call to rate the cleanliness of the train and give feedback to railways. This call fascinated him and the people who received such calls.

During his student time, he did not have much money but had to stay somewhere where he could sleep comfortably. So he discussed this with one of his friend Nitin. Nitin was very tech savvy, he assured not to worry. Nitin booked a hotel with 60% discount for Manish. Manish asked him how he did that. Nitin told him that he first installed the app which gave some discount, then he refer this app to some of his friends which gave some more discount, so now Manish had to pay only 40% of the price. It was very nominal price for the hotel. He was excited to stay in hotel, it was his first time.

It was ten minutes remaining when he was about to deboard at Ajmer. He collected his bag. He decided to go on walk to the hotel. It was almost one kilometre away but he did not get exact location. He asked some of the persons and fall on the longest route. But he received some calls from hotel’s official to guide him. The hotel’s official talked to him in very cordial way and was very persuasive.

He reached hotel, he saw some people including receptionist was waiting for him. At the reception all the formality was done. One of the persons picked his bag and asked him to follow. He was inside the room. The person briefed him about the room. He could call anytime with the phone resting beside his bed to the person for any need. He could watch TV, take shower and switch on AC etc. The person also told him that he could order anything anytime like food, snacks, cold drinks etc. He thanked the person and asked to wake him up at 6AM in the morning. Manish was pleased to get so much in such nominal charges.

Exactly at 6:00AM the phone which was resting beside my bed rang and the person asked him to wake up. He prepared himself to check out but asked the location of the exam centre and way of convenience from the person. He went to appear for his exam. The exam ended at 12:00 PM. His exam was good.

He was in hurry to get his train which was at 2:00 PM. Even he did not eat anything as lunch but thought to take his lunch inside the train. He reached the railway station 1:3oPm. He checked the schedule board. The train was late by half an hour and it was at 2:30PM. He was happy that he got time to relax and take lunch.

From his leaving the exam centre to the whole journey, he was encountered by the students who were discussing the exam paper. His exam was good but he did not know why he was feeling irritation. The exam was ended now they should chill.

The railway station was so crowded. He hardly found a place to sit. He was alone also he was not in good mood to take talk to anyone or discuss the exam paper.

He again went to see the schedule board at 2:00 PM. He was shocked to see. The train was delayed and now it would arrive at 6:00 PM. His anger was on extreme. Each and every student was angry and planning for an alternative way. He also talked to some of his friends on phone for suggestions. But everyone suggested waiting; if he would plan to travel by bus then also it would take the same time to reach Delhi.

He criticised railways for the delaying the trains. He was totally stuck and did not have any plan for next step. In this anger and frustration one hour is spent, now he had to spend three more hours. He decided to wait. He bought a newspaper and started reading it. Though, he was not in good mood to read anything. He also saw most of these students were now criticizing the railways and governments.

He finished the newspaper and thought what he should do next. He thought to walk to next platform. There, he might get some better place to sit and relax. These activities continued till 5:00PM.

He again went to schedule board. This time he found the train was still delayed now it would arrive at 8:00PM. Though he was already so angry and frustrated, he did not have anything to do next. He was totally lost of the mind. Suddenly, he decided not to see these students and this railway station at least for some time. He walked to nearby market. He had to cross the road to go to market. The vehicles were running very fast so it took some time to cross the road. But he visited the market and walked to almost one to two kilometre distances. He could only see the things, street food etc. on the market he could not buy anything. He did not have enough money. This is also one of the reasons of his frustration. He got back at 7:00PM to the railway station. He again waited for the train.

The train arrived at 9:00PM. He was glad and prepared himself to inter. But before entering he had to double cheque the train number and his coach number. He had a ticket for second setting. He was surprised, what happened next. No, it was not about anything negative. But he was surprised to see so much positive thing that railways did for some of the passengers of the train.

He and the people who had ticket for second setting had been promoted to sleeper class without any extra charge. He was content and this promotion made my brain to calm and to soothe my criticisms. He put his bag in one side and lied down on the seat. He stretched his legs after so many hours of waiting, sitting and walking. He was now in comfort.

Now his mind was functioning happily, so he started talking to a boy whose seat was beside him. The boy offered him some sweets but he denied taking. He appreciated the boy for offering the sweets. They got comfortable in very less time. While in the conversation, the boy told that he also come to appear for the same exam. The boy’s name was Washim.

Manish told him about his angriness and frustration he felt while waiting for the train. He also told Washim that he criticised railways for this delay. But Manish was not able to interrupt him what he told next to him.

Washim said, “It was very amusing that i get a delayed train. As soon as, I know that train is delayed, i left the railway station. I went to tourist help sections of the railway station to just get the information about the tourist places nearby. I visited Hazrat Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Dargah, Anasagar Lake, Dhai Din Ka Jhopra, Ajmer Fort, Government Museum and Baradari all these places are near to railway station. They are so many places that left due to very less time available. I enjoyed each and every place. I utilised most of my time. I want to do some fun after the exam.”

While Manish kept quiet, he felt shy and pity on himself. He was not able to sleep but feeling regret.

With all this his train halted in Jaipur railway station. He took something to eat and again lied on his seat. He found a new family who boarded from Jaipur. They were three people but they had only two confirmed tickets for only two seats. They were very cordial and from their starting they talked to him in very friendly way. Their seats were in front of Manish’s. He also enjoyed their company. From talking to them he found that there was a man, his wife and two of his sisters in law. The person asked him to give some part of his seat to me.

The person gave one seat to his wife and one seat to his sisters in law. But before this they decided with which each other to take rest half time of the journey in the full seat. So for some time the man was sitting in Manish’s seat and after sometime the two sisters in laws would sit in Manish’s seat. The whole journey Manish was not able to sleep. No, not due to some part of his seat was occupied by some other person but he was waking up in waiting for half of the journey.

So moral of the story, we learned a lesson, we should keep calm. We should look for a positive outlook even in the matters of deep distress. We should think what better we can do even in the disparity. Sometime it is very painful to go out of comfort but going beyond our limit can be an inspiration and so many memories for us for the life time.

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