I was returning back to a place you crave for when you stay away from it for long. My legs were moving to a destination called home. I was jostling with crowd at this big metro station. Heat and tiredness was killing me. The pollution in the city makes sure that if you pick up somebody at the airport, take her home, and then see her off at the railway station again in a short span of few hours, you don’t look as if you have been breathing the Alps air. I could visualize my room and a very inviting bed from the railway bridge. This imagination hastened my steps.
Suddenly, I spotted a child. She was wearing a cute orange dress, sporting a Mickey Mouse like spectacles and her cheeks were totally pink. A sudden smile played on my lips, but not for long. I froze on my tracks, if it could be called my track with thousands moving at the same railway platform bridge. She was crying horse, “I want my mummy! I want to go to her!” She was running like a caged animal, though the whole bridge or platform was open for her to roam free — an exciting option for her in totally different circumstances. But she was sprinting making a cross, not leaving that self inflected short space.
I took a few steps towards her; a small logical part of my brain cautioned me to mind my own business. Just like others, who were minding their own businesses and moving ahead. My legs tried to obey that voice for a while, but soon I lulled that logical part into sleep. But my heart was heavy with grief; why my legs listened and obeyed even for few seconds? But at that time, I was not allowed that luxury to delve into the depth of reasoning. But I was late by a fraction of a second. She was being talked to by two strangers. One can be termed smart by this world’s yardstick. He was wearing the right kinds of clothes and shoes and sporting right kind of hairstyle. His complexion was right too — it was sun-kissed brown. Another person, who was asking her something, was looking horrible. He was dark-complexioned; his hair was curled in every possible way. He was wearing glasses with dark blue lences. I was afraid, suddenly.
The trio started moving. In the meantime, the child was howling continuously, but it could easily be mistaken for pushiness for a treat of candy or ice-cream, unless you were close by and could hear clearly, “I want my Mamma.” A wish that might never be fulfilled, if she had chosen a wrong escort.
It was hard to keep pace with them in the vast ocean of humanity. I was trying to match steps with them, and continually wishing to catch sight of an RPF personnel. But like endangered tigers, they preferred to be invisible that day. But I needed one desperately. What if they were part of a gang and howled the child in a waiting vehicle. What would I do then? Ok, I could hardly afford to be a disappointed tourist of Corbet National Park and blame it on my ill luck that I could not get a glimpse of a tiger. I was making mental note that I will shout with all my might and jostle down the number of the vehicle. Now we were descending the steps. And the man wearing the offending spec was taking two steps at a time, swinging the girl in his left arm.
We were on platform no 1 now. It seemed as if I had been taking a walk since the time immemorial. But it ended and when I read “Service Center” I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I was at par with them now. The two guys were not part of any evil design but were concerned for the safety of the child. A great wave of relief engulfed me completely.
I took hold of the girl’s delicate arm and asked about her mom and dad’s name. Sensing a female presence and hearing a female voice distracted her for a while. I was greedy enough to fill in the baby’s head with some soothing talks like everything will be alright and her mom and dad would be here soon. I asked about the train she was supposed to board, and it turned out to be the same one by which my cousin was traveling. I rang her mobile immediately and asked her to talk to the guard to delay the train. Meanwhile, I patted that fellow wearing “nice blue colored lenses” verbally. The hunk was asked by the RPF personnel to wait. The fellows sitting at the reception were not the usual insensitive type. They offered the little girl a chair and a glass of water. The announcer was relaying the message regarding that beautiful small wonder.
I could not keep track of the time. But sometime later a decent looking but haggard fellow, slouching slightly, appeared inside the announcing booth. Before saying anything he spotted his apple of eye. I could sense the unshed tears and relief in his voice. “Beta, I was looking for you everywhere.” But she was distracted by something and could not listen those magical words, she was dreaming to hear. An officer immediately restrained him. He could not go near his own child. In this deceitful world, he had to furnish some proof. By some mystery his girl turned and gave a delightful cry, “Daddy!!!” It silenced the need for further proof. He immediately hugged her close to his chest as if to never let go of her.
I don’t know where I kept the hidden reservoir of tears. They were threatening to spill out. But that would be stupid. So I controlled it. But it was not a good idea. My body started shaking, as if it were a bitingly cold December night, and not the start of June. Someone asked me, “Are you related to her?” Shaking my head I came out and starting walking to my destination. When I was within the safe confines of my boundary, I cried to my heart’s content, remembering my mother, her scoldings and threats that she would slap me tightly, if I tried to let go of her hand in any crowded place. How I scoffed at her then!
Why couldn’t I keep pace with the rest of the three? Was it a male strides and female strides thing? NO. I am not a slow walker. But that day, I was wearing yellow sandals with high heels, like a totally stupid person. All of us can witness true India on a railway platform of any metro city, including its great asset: the human resource and the greatest liability too – the population SIZE. I was hoping a smooth and speedy sail in that turbulent sea called humanity. All of these factors made a speedy walk with those high heels almost impossible. I made a silent promise to myself, “ I will NEVER wear high heels where I am supposed to walk so much carrying not so light a luggage.
