A kaleidoscope of men, matters & moments that make the madness & magic of Mumbai
Study on wheel!
On three random, non-consecutive days of a week, this reporter took a Thane-bound train to Mulund and boarded the ladies compartment, deviating from her routine of travelling from Churchgate. It was quite late in the night. On all three days she noticed the same young girl in the compartment, studying from a textbook. During her second trip, before getting off at Mulund, the reporter asked the girl if she would get off at Thane.
The girl said, “No. I will take a train back to Masjid.” The reporter’s curiosity was aroused and she stayed back till Thane junction to speak to the girl instead of getting off at Mulund. The girl explained that she lives in a very small house at Masjid Bunder with seven other family members. “I cannot study in all the noise but sitting anywhere else at night is too dangerous. I don’t buy a ticket but please don’t tell that anyone. There is a policeman in this compartment so it’s safe and I can take several rides. I study here uninterrupted and then go home at about 11.30.”
No Without sister…
It is funny in today’s world when a young man tells you that he cannot travel alone and needs his elder sister to accompany him.
Yesterday, I was travelling towards Panvel when I got up to get down at Vashi. I saw a 18-year-old guy standing in the door of a ladies compartment. I asked the ladies standing near the same door as how long the guy was standing there. The ladies replied that from last 4-5 stations the young man was there standing and creating an obstacle for the ladies getting down and boarding the train.
Immediately I told him that on Vashi station to shift to the general compartment which was next to the ladies coach. But the guy looked surprised to what I said and replied that he was travelling with his elder sister, surprisingly who was already travelling with her three kids. He also questioned me that what is my problem that he is travelling in ladies coach. I explained to him in little anger that boys above the age of 14 years are not allowed in ladies coach. To which he looked more surprised and little scared and loudly called his sister and “Didi see what this lady is telling me. You come and tell her that I cannot travel without you.” And yes! The lady shouted from the crowd, “Hey you! Don’t ask my brother to change the compartment.”
I could not argue more with this guy as my station had arrived and I had to get down. Seeing the guy seemed relieved and continued travelling in the same compartment.
The girl with brown eyes!
Blue eyes seem to get more attention in songs and poetry. Rarely did it was felt that brown eyes also catch attention and could be termed as your personality trait.
Once while calling a reporter friend at his office this diarist received a surprising reply from the other end, from his colleague. ‘Yes, I did recognise your voice… you are.. that girl with brown eyes’, that’s how the friend’s colleague answering the phone call described this diarist while acknowledging the fact that he had seen her in his office a day before.
It was surprising that within brief moments of exchanging pleasantries on that day he had examined her closely. Taken aback at his answer, this reporter did smile at his witty way of describing her.
Few years later when that same person who had answered the call bumped into this diarist at her office, he asked how are you…girl with ‘brown eyes’?
Contributed by Eeshanpriya MS., Devashri Bhujbal, Chitra Sawant Compiled by Pandurang Mhaske
