One cannot imagine the satisfaction in spending that extra 100 Rs., even when you already have the first class pass to travel on the Mumbai Suburban. One has to experience it first hand, to know.
It is a usual work day, a Tuesday. And your organization has arranged a evening get together. You have some guests in the office and it’s the most convenient day. You have to attend it, albeit for a short time, if that be so. But all the while, until the day arrives, you are thinking about the late evening commute. You are dreading the prospect of catching a suitable train to take your back home. It’s a week day and tomorrow has to be a day in office, no exception.
You make you plans; you work it out. There’s a train starting from Andheri at 8:50 pm. It’s an AC train, a bit extra cost. But you expect to be able to get onto it, relatively easily. If not that train, the prospects are bleak. The trains are filled to the seam and yet more people try to get in than get out. That’s your normal, non-AC local train. But the AC train, that too starting from your station of origin, offers you a better chance of getting on board.
It all goes as per plan. You leave the party early. You reach the station just as the train in rolling in. Except, you cannot get a seat. Because your friend in not in a position to hurry up like you do and you don’t want to leave him behind. So you stay satisfied with the choices of standing spaces that the train offers. You pick your spot, you friend picks his. And you both settle in. The trains starts its journey very shortly. It’s this time of the day when you thank the government and the railways ministry for the most luxurious mode of commute provided to you till date. As mentioned, you need to make this journey once, after you have made your journey using the regular train, all your life. Only then you know, what this all is about.
The train reaches Borivali, the first halt. While it slows down and making it’s stop, you see through the glass panes on the doors. The platform is not too crowded. You breathe a sigh of relief. There won’t be any pushing or those sweat soaked shirts. There won’t be those requests to move a bit, forcing you to leave your space of comfort, to make room for the onboarded passangers.
The train stops. The doors open. There’s no avalanche of passengers being pushed into the compartment. It all feels systematic. The first person to step in, does so with pride and dignity. He take one step in, looks around. Half expecting to find a seat. He doesn’t. But he’s not dejected. He doesn’t look sad. He has that smile on his face, which clearly projects happiness about catching an “empty” train. This, after all, is an empty train, by Mumbai standards, given the time of the hour. He moves in calmly. The passengers behind, waiting to board, do not create the anticipated uproar about the slow proceedings ahead. They wait they turn. They too board calmly, with that hint of smile on the face, while their hearts are exploding with joy. It’s all methodical. It’s all civilised. They all board, no one is left on the platform. It’s a moment to capture. Couldn’t do it on a photo. Tried my best to do it in words.
The passengers settle. The doors shut. The 8:50 AC, continues it’s onward journey towards Virar.