A train journey that sparked a love story

[A story I had written years before.]

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She picked her bags and boarded the train. She found her reserved seat and sat down. The train was crowded as is all trains of the Indian railways. Though her seat was reserved, there were five people trying to sit on the long seat meant for three. Thankfully, her seat was by the window. Otherwise, she would have felt claustrophobic. She made herself comfortable as far as she possibly could. Thankfully it was evening, so it was not that hot. She could have booked a seat in the first class AC compartment but then she felt better here because according to her the AC compartment did have chances of germs being present from the multitude of travellers and one was never sure if the bedding and all were changed.

The passengers next to her were people travelling to their homes after a day’s work. They had boarded the reserved compartment and occupied the seats and probably would vacate it once the TTE came. She took out her book and started reading. The train horn was heard and the train started moving slowly. The passengers were rushing to board. She always wondered why people tried to board a running train. Some people never learn, she thought. The men near her started taking out a pack of cards and played by placing it on an office briefcase. They were all looking tired but happy to spend some time with each other. They had to while their time while travelling back. She pitied their daily routine where they had to travel such long distances to work and back. It was their personal problems may be that they chose to travel instead of staying near their workplace. Anyways, she went back to her book by Paulo Coelho. She was engrossed in her book till she suddenly heard a call. It was the ticket examiner.

She put her book away and took out her ticket from her handbag and showed it to him. It was till Chennai. She was going back to her workplace from her hometown in Kerala. He checked it and gave it back to her and wished her a safe journey. Well, that was nice because, in all her years of experience with the Indian railways, no ticket examiner had wished her thus. He must be new, she thought and smiled. She was also new to her job. She had qualms about shifting base to another city and working alone, away from her family but a bank job seemed too good to throw away. Her workplace was also nice, so she did not mind her discomfort although she did feel lonely in her apartment. The passengers near her had got off by then. It was getting dark and the train soon approached the Palghat railway station. The catering people meanwhile were coming to ask for dinner orders. She had brought some sandwiches but she had eaten them earlier because she felt hungry. So she ordered a fried rice and curry. She also bought a bottle of water because her bottle was empty.

She soon got her dinner. She started eating her rice and curry. It was okay and quite up to the mark. The seats next to hers were now occupied by people who had reserved seats from Palghat which was a major station of the southern railways and the important one before the train departed for Tamil Nadu. The station was bustling with people. There were many trains going to and from far away destinations. Train journeys were at all times exciting to her. She loved the smell and the experience of the whole journey. She went to the wash basin to brush her teeth.

She prayed to god before sleeping. She had made her bed on the lower berth which was hers by reservation. Her co-passengers had already occupied the upper births. They were a family going to attend a wedding in Chennai. She liked the kids. They were smart and also talked to her about her book. She was surprised that the kids were interested in books rather than gadgets. She asked them about school and learnt that the kids were in high school. They talked animatedly about science and the various projects by scientists. Their parents were smiling at the way she and the kids hit it off. They exchanged addresses and promised to call each other. She was also happy to answer their queries about her job as a computer engineer. The kids’ mother also talked to her and asked where she belonged to and all. She suspected that she might get a query about marriage soon. She had plans to marry but not at the cost of her job. She wished people understood that. She loved her work and considered it as worship. Also, she had plans to start a school for poor children or at least aid one.

She gently indicated that to the mother who was lying on the opposite berth. The gentle rocking sound of the train continued and soon, she slept off. The next morning, she got up hearing the cries of a coffee vendor. She ordered a cup. The family was still asleep. It was only five in the morning. She got up and drank the hot coffee. She then went and washed her face. She came back and took her laptop and opened it to ready some files because she was reporting to the office after getting off. She had got quarters in the office annexe. So, it was easy for her and the other staff who were staying there.

She looked at up at the boy who had now got up. His sister was still asleep. She greeted him and he did so in return. She asked him if he wanted coffee. He said that he would brush his teeth and come. He went and came back in a few minutes. She then bought him a coffee and he thanked her. She asked him if he had a pen drive which was free. She said that she would give him some free educational software she had developed. He was excited and gave her one. He asked her to delete the games which he seldom played now and the cartoons too. He had outgrown it. She asked him to sit down beside her and showed him the software and how it worked with homework. He listened to her patiently and looked on as she copied the software to his pen drive. The files were copied and she handed back the pen drive to him. He was very happy. He put it safely in his bag and woke up his sister to tell her about it. She was also very happy. They both thanked her. The parents were now awake. They bought coffee for all of them and listened to the boy as he told them how she had helped by giving free software for homework. The lady was impressed.

She told him about her brother who was the CEO of a company which produced such software’s and helped poor children especially. She became interested and talked to the mother about it. The lady showed her brother’s photo and she was struck by how handsome he was. She wondered whether he was single. The lady noted her interest and smiled to herself. She had succeeded in making the girl interested. She gave her his address and asked her to meet him if she was interested in such programs later on.

Three weeks later

They both had met in his office. The lady had talked about the girl and he was impressed both by her looks and her ideals and work. He had inspected the work which she had given to the boy. They had fallen for each other and agreed to the sister’s proposal of marriage. The boy and his party went to her house in Kerala and met her and finalized the marriage after talking with her parents who were pleased to have got such an alliance with a good family. The kids were happy too because they got such a fine aunt. They all travelled back together on the same train to Chennai. He had asked her if she wanted to take the flight but she refused it as she loved train journeys more. The boy’s parents were happy too because they had got a daughter now. She was very kind as they could see. She was cordial too and would make a great hostess. As the CEO’s wife, she would have to host a lot of events and parties. She had not told about it to her newly wedded husband, she had only a small trousseau as she was simple to the core. She did not prefer fancy jewellery too. He had noted it silently because his sister had pointed it to him. He agreed to buy her a new set of clothes according to her liking of course because she would need it.

They soon went to his house after getting off at the station. He had arranged his workers to make sure the house was ready and the food was cooked by his cook. They came to the house and she was taken to his room and asked to use it. She was smiling shyly as he entered. He closed the door behind him and made her sit on the bed. He then said that he had thanked the Almighty for such a lovely and kind wife. She said the same too and they both smiled at each other. There were guests coming over, so they got up to get ready.

(This is written in the Indian context, so some people may think it as awkward? Marriages are by and large arranged by relatives even though some have developed a modern outlook)

©sayee

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