Mysterious Man

Mumbai is a mysterious city with even more mysterious people living in it. 70% of these people travel in local trains. If you are listening closely, you get a ton of hilarious and an equal amount of emotionally moving stories to remember. Here is something one of my friends experienced. He was in the first class gents compartment standing near the door breathing in the cool but polluted Mumbai air. His short hair waved a little in the wind. Goregoan was arriving. He would have to get off three stations later. He was pretty late for college and he regretted over-sleeping that day. Goregoan station could be seen at a distance as the train chugged towards it. The train slowly pulled up the platform. He made way for other passengers to get in and get off the train. Among other people, a shabby looking man got in. As the man got in, my friend was somehow compelled to look towards him. He had a peculiar aura. He had curly and messy hair and wasn wearing dirty and ragged clothes. He seemed like a homeless man. My friend looked at him with curiosity. The man turned towards him and my friend looked away. He decided it was best if he took his place near the door again. He decided to try and ignore the man. The next station, Jogeshwari was arriving. My friend again made way for other passengers as the train pulled in. The man got off giving a small, inscrutable smile to my friend. As the train started pulling out, my friend turned to look at the man. The man looked at him while continually giving that same inscrutable smile to him. My friend raised an eyebrow and gave him a befuddled look. He then turned away as the train started moving farther. My friend had looked at that man long enough to remember his face precisely. For some reason, he kept thinking about the man. Five minutes later, Andheri could be seen. As passengers got in, my friend was busy looking at his cell phone. As he looked up he was stunned. It was the same man. But his presence wasn't the only surprise. He had had a haircut, was wearing formals and had shaved. The man looked like a homeless guy before but now he looked like the CEO of a reputed company. He looked at him, wide eyed as the man continually gave him the same smile he had given before. The train had barely taken five minutes to reach the subsequent station and the man had arrived there with a completely different look! This seemed physically unfeasible. My friend kept on staring at him. He couldn't have been mistaken. It HAD TO BE the same man. The announcement of the next station- Vile Parla brought him out of his trance. He turned to face towards the exit while still looking at that man. People started crowding behind him to get off at the next station. My friend couldn't help turning and looking at the man, continually. The nudge of the crowd formed behind him forced him to get off the train. Yet, he stood at the platform in an attempt to take a last glimpse of the man who had managed to confuse him so much. As the crowd cleared, the man could not be seen where he stood. My friend frantically looked for him at the seats and everywhere around the same cabin. He had vanished. My friend stood there, bewildered as he could feel the chills going down his spine. The train started moving. It had been an incredible experience. He didn't get to see the man again, although he boarded the same train every day. It was although the mysterious man had disappeared into thin air. 

'Platform kramank 2 paar aai hui local bara bajke bees minute ki Churchgate jaane wali baara dibbon ki dheemi local hai. Yeh sabhi sthano par rukengi. Kripya railway line paar na kare isse durghatna ho sakti hai . Ek platform se dusre platform par janeke liye pull athva subway ka upyog kare.'

Many MUMBAIKARs are familiar with these lines. Mumbai local not only serves as a transport but also a place for meeting, changing thoughts and talks. It's a completely different world once you enter into one of these trains.