Phases..

"Kaveri Express..swalpa samay mein...platform number......" could not hear the rest amidst the symphony of languages in the City station. I reached the station an hour early. It was nothing short of a record, for my punctuality never adheres to any timezone...a sad aspect which, the harder i try to overcome tougher it becomes.

I boarded my compartment after giving a rundown on who are my co passengers. As usual it comprised mostly of "Youths" in their early 60's-Courtesy Collective Curse of my friends, whose BP touched stratospherical levels, because of my timelines. I always carry some book or other and if i donot read one paragraph atleast before the train moves, the journey simply doesnt happen for me.

I lookedup to the elderly male voice which asked "Excuse me...is this S 8?"...
it was almost immediately accompanied by an impatient lady's voice which silenced the male voice with .. "How many times you will ask the same question".....

The old man had a pitiable look on his face and looked slantingly at me to check whether i am watching him...felt a bit relieved to see me not paying much attention...his ego/pride was clearly hurt by that comment.

The elderly couple were soon joined by one guy in his late twenties or early thirties...who hurriedly checked the baggages....spoke something in rapid tamil to his mom...gave his dad a irritating look and rushed out....somehow he was in a hurry from the moment he boarded the train...

"hey ramesh...remember to meet them before you go da....."
the lady repeated for the third time to Ramesh (the angry young man)....

"You wait here while i go and check with them and come..."
"Latha...i want milk...my throat feels dry and i need to take my tablets...come fast"
"Haah.....you are worse than a kid...always want something or other to eat n drink...wait..i will go chk with them and come..." the harshness in the voice wud've carried all the way to the engine.....

With that angry comment that old lady went to meet someone...the old man now looked clearly defeated and remained with his head bent and looking outside the train window..avoiding the eyes of rest of the people on the compartment..

"Chaaai garam..Chaaai garam....Coffee cofeeeee....." came a boy...i asked him if he has hot milk...he said yes...by that time the lady returned.....the lady was looking angry...dunno what happened on the other compartment...

"adada....u wont keep quiet for few mins is it...how much is the milk.."

"Five rupees"

"haaa..hmmm...ok...give two cups....in chennai..for ten rupeess you can get one litre milk....anything in blore is very expensive"

The train jerked and the old man spilled some milk on his shirt...

"Aiyooo...r u a kid...u dont know how to hold a cup after all these years is it..." and with that started a big wail of outburst from the old lady which clearly left the old man embarrassed....

Ramesh entered hurriedly again...said something quick to his mom and shot a "i-am-going-you-take-care" look to the old man and vanished...maybe he felt embarrassed to be seen with his parents...

The oldman now visibly hurt...mumbled something and looked straight at me...somehow i felt i knew him personally...felt very sorry for him...i immediately disliked the mom and the son for so shabbilly treating that old man...though i knew nothing about them it was very clear from his physical state that the best part of his life has been spent on the welfare of his family and he was clearly in the final leg of his ardous journey....

For the rest of the journey no one spoke...soon we all slept and those elderly couple left before i woke up...

I got down from the train....my dad was waiting for me at the station...his face bloomed on seeing me..."how was the trip..you slept well?had dinner?"

"How many times i have told you..dont ask so many questions the moment i get down...Who asked you to come to the station...dont i know how to come home..." i asked in the most irritated tone i could muster...immediately his face lost color...

Somehow...he resembled that old man on the train...