Monday, September 23, 2013

A Horrible Journey....A Perfect Couple

23rd september . A horrible five hour journey in train .It had always been better  to travel for 3 hrs by bus. A passenger train stopping @ every station- big and small, loading with more and more people, I was frightened. Soon it was overloaded and sitting in an inch of place was so uncomfortable. My friend kept on looking @ me, asking me every now and then if I had enough place. Actually she was the one sitting very uncomfortably in the corner of the seat.

I was thinking how the people in the very next station gets into the train when it is horribly overcrowded. As I was thinking, train halted in the next station. People were rushing in, children raising their heads up for some air, women shouting @ men who were using their strength to push people aside for a place to sit.

Just then an old couple stepped inside- a traditionally well dressed ,perfect Andhra man with Kanduva on his shoulder, asking younger people to give way so that his wife could stand comfortably somewhere. But there was not even enough place to move. So they stood in the same place searching for some empty space. My friend and myself thought of giving our places to them. But we ourselves sat in a very less and congusted place. So we kept looking @ others who could give place to them. Just then old man found a place for his wife to sit. And he felt extremely happy for it. But he kept standing, his hands trembling-unable to hold the support above him. When my friend asked where he wants to get down, he asked us the same question in return. When we said Chennai, the last stop, he just smiled and signalled us to sit. He wants to get down @ a station just 2 stations before the last one. I was wondering how long he could stand like that. After few minutes, unable to stand without any support to the back, he requested a woman standing comfortably next to a seat, laughing @ her collegues jokes. She didnot move. My friend too requested her, saying that old man needs some support to stand. She agreed and there he stood comfortably.

He stood there happily, but his wife was not happy looking @ him standing in a small congusted place. As the next station arrived, the girl sitting next to the old woman got down. Though it was a small place to sit, the couple sat happily. 

While we were all concerned about journey to come to an end asap, the only thing the old couple were concerned was about each other. It was so good to see them caring for each other. Thats why its said love and affection should only grow with time. The old couple is a perfect example for it.



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