FOR SURVIVAL

People rushed in, caring least about others. The priority was to board the locomotive; lest they are left behind, away for a while from their accompanied, if any. I was one among the many too! Successful in the mission, I squeezed in the little space near the door, leaning on the wall of the partition. After the allotted seconds, the train began gliding on its tracks.

Lost in my own world of thoughts, I was pulled back to reality by a minor verbal combat between two of the many so called ladies, but witches who were wasting precious words over petty things! The rushing mode of transport slowed down and halted at the next junction for exchange of living beings. It was Vile-parle (a place in Bombay). Something that was happening on the platform on the left caught my attention this time. A sight of not more than a few seconds, still fresh in my hippocampus, so much so that I decide to pen it, and here I do!

He hugged his…sister (I assume)- a girl who looked older to him- and let a man carry him across the tracks to place him on the foot board of my compartment, my train. He waved back to both and departed, when the train began proceeding to the next destination. A pause of a few seconds and a quick wipe of tears were the only actions that preceded this little one’s song. “ Meri jaan meri dilbar, mujhse eitbaar karde….” , he din’t sing, instead yelled these famous lines of the so tagged ‘hit movie’ – Dhadkan. Taken aback by this sudden spurt, all were amused and admired him with genuine love and pity. But not a single soul helped him with a rupee or two. He kept perambulating in the second-class compartment, which got a little empty at Andheri (a place in Bombay).

I was on my way back home from my visit to the Mahim (yet another place in Bombay) church. Being a school student (I was in my ninth grade) then, we were seldom or never given money to carry along and moreover, we never felt the need for any. All that I had was my card ticket and the rest were safe with my father, a commuter of the very same train, in a different compartment though. Helplessness crept in me, for not even a penny could I contribute to bring a bit of joy on that boy’s face, if at all it would. He kept moving about from the first section to the others, gave a meek smile when people mollycoddled him, looked at them with all hopes of getting at least half a rupee, which never happened till I alighted.This boy’s thoughts kept bothering me even after I reached home; wished I had a rupee at least- the first time that I ever regretted denying carrying money despite being asked to!

Very eager to see the boy again with the sole goal of paying him to compensate for my yesterday’s state, I deliberately chose to travel the same route the next day at the same time, with a little cash in hand. I was not destined to see him. I looked around at every station until mine, just to alight with nothing but disappointment to accompany me. How I wished I had at least a rupee with me yesterday, was the thought that kept pinching me hard. I turned around, browsed the station from where I stood. People rushed into the compartments, gushed out of it, wasted precious words over petty things,  the train began gliding….but the little one was to be seen nowhere! I sighed again – how I wished I had at least a penny with me yesterday…!