Railway Station

The early morning breeze was soothing and she needed it very badly. With her handkerchief, wet from her salty tears, she alighted from the auto and walked to the ticket counter for a train ticket to Mumbai.

Raichi was very much perplexed with her son’s erratic behavior yesterday and was also very hurt. She never expected her son to be so blunt and harsh. He was such a fine boy, studious, well read, good looking and above all so caring. She never knew that he could utter such words and  was very much upset with him and herself also.

She bought her train ticket and searched for the waiting room on the platform. The waiting room was empty with only a few ladies - sitting there and occupying seats in such a way that they could sleep on them. It was very early in the morning and being a Sunday, the daily commuters would be very few.

She took a corner seat which had a window next to her and put down her small overnight bag. She knew she would not be able to stay at her father’s place for more than a day because she cared a lot for her son and also, she had to resume her office in a day or two. She had been on leave for a few days, and had plans to spend this Sunday entirely with her son, as he also did not have to go to his college. But…..

She slowly relaxed her body and spread her legs a bit to ease the tension in her body. She remembered the first time she had taken her son on a railway trip after the sudden demise of her husband. As such, her son was very much attached to her, and in the last few years had almost worshipped her., She had always ensured that he got what he wanted or deserved., All his child like wishes were fulfilled and she worked extra hours to make some more money in addition to what she got from her regular job.

She slowly closed her eyes and tried to close her mind too. The eyes were still dripping those salty tears. Surprisingly she did not feel any anger towards her son, only a remorse, that how could he utter such nasty words to her. A slight fear, for the first time in her life also crept in her mind. Could he really do what he was saying? She opened up her eyes with a start and just then a girl in her early twenties entered the waiting room. Seeing the group of women sprawled on the seats trying to catch some sleep, she sauntered across to where Raichi was sitting and slowly put down her bag and purse on one of the seats and sat directly opposite to Raichi. She was wearing a floral print kurti and leggings. Raichi observed from the corner of her eyes, that the girl had a good figure, and shapely legs. Atleast the leggings did not bulge around the hips and thighs, like what she had been seeing on most of the middle aged females, who wore leggings and well, somewhere she had read, that it looked as if a fifteen kg of sausage was thrust into a five kg plastic bag. She silently admonished her selves for observing all these details in one eyeful. But then she was still in her forties, and no one could ever judge her age from her face and figure. She had a wonderful metabolism and thanks to her parent’s genes, she never ever, put on weight and was fleshy at exactly the right places. Although she sometimes felt she could do with some more flesh on her two globes. She immediately blushed at her thoughts and for a moment forgot her worries.

She now started observing the girls actions and  could see that she was fair in complexion with a very beautiful pair of eyes. Her eyes appeared to be having great intensity and were talkative.

The girl suddenly leaned towards her and very softly said,” Aunty, your eyes are red, are you alright?

The way she made this gesture of asking her in such a concerned and mild way, touched her heart and she broke into soft sobs once again.

Oh, Aunty, please take care, we don’t want these sleeping women to wake up, yes?

Raichi wiped her eyes and nose softly and slowly took hold of the girl’s hands and said, thanks dear, you seem to be a very sensitive and loving person.

What is your name?

I am Rujuta, and with that she added, I am studying in an engineering college here and my parents do not know that I am out here. All because of my boyfriend.

With that She drew her legs towards her body and closed her eyes.,

Raichi was now dismayed. How could such a loving girl be in such distress, and at such young age?

Ruju, I hope you wont mind my calling you …?

No Not at all., but yes it reminds me of my boy friend, because he also calls me with the same name.,

Sorry, but Ruju, can you let me know where you going and why are you leaving your house?

Aunty, I am not leaving my house, neither am I going anywhere.

I am only going away for a few hours, and have switched off my mobile, so I am not disturbed by my boyfriend and can get some peace here, and some time to think and see where I am headed for. See I have taken a Local train ticket to the next station, and as the waiting room was not so full, I decided to spend some time here.

Ruju, you are smart and you have done the right thing, by taking some time off from your present environment and mental state.,I wish I had also taken a ticket to the next station and not to Mumbai. I wasted so much money. Well, doesn’t matter, because it will be well spent if I can get some of my mental equilibrium back.,  Ruju, can you let me know what is your problem, may be I can give some advice, and you can give me some in return. See, I value the present generation‘s quick decision making ability a lot. Today, you have lot of references to use for taking a decision, which I did’nt have when I was very young, not to say that I am very old. But still coming from a village, things were not easily accessible. Now your turn to speak, I have spoken a lot.

Aunty, I am very happy to meet you, my mind has already become a bit stable and I think I will be back to my normal state in a couple of hours. , But my issue was something different and unique. My boyfriend, is also studying with me, and is very ambitious and dreams of going abroad for his studies. But there are some financial limitations. We have decided that we will not discuss anything about our families, till we decide that yes, we are truly compatible. I only know about him and he knows only about me as a person and as a girl friend. Aunty, you will be surprised, we have spent hours sitting together at a coffee shop and other such hang outs, but have spoken very little to each other. Whenever we meet, we discuss our future lives and the goals which we have set for each other. Fortunately, none of us have much interest in movies and spending money on other fancy activities because we both are from a limited income families, and we respect money. Aunty, let me tell you, we even maintain a diary, as to how much we spend every month. We pool in our money and decide how we will spend the money in the whole month. That is one thing which we both appreciate about each other and yes I truly love him.

Raichi ‘s expression were  like a person who is dumbstruck. Ruju, you both really sound out of this world, but yes, I also appreciate such concern for the money and the families. Keep it up. Ok, Go ahead.,

We have known each other for more than a year, and we intend to see that our families do not face any problem on account of this., Hence, we will study well, and take good placements and within next five years we should be on our own., But yes we will convince our families to happily get us married., I am sure there will not be any issue on that. You know, we have also decided that we will try for placements abroad and earn a good amount and help our families.,

Raichi was now very much interested in Rujuta’s tale and was still nodding her head even after Rujuta had finished speaking., May be she was absorbing what all was being said, and she was forming a picture of the whole story in her head.,

Ruju, do you really have so much faith in your boy friend, and now that he has ditched you, all your dreams must have gone for a toss?

No aunty, he has not ditched me, and he can never ditch me, because we understand each other well, and it may sound clichéd, but we do not intend to move away from each other, come what may., A small tiff, or a serious row,will not deter us from our path. We are not going to follow a traditional path in our lives. There is only one life and we intend to make the most of it. If we have got together, then God has a reason to bring us together, to enjoy each other’s company and make a success out of it.

Raichi’s head was now spinning. If you two are so bonded together, then why are you sad and come to this place?

Aunty I told you I have just come to gather my thoughts and stay away from the situation and environment for a while till I get my head cleared of all the doubts and negative thoughts which come into my mind. I am not running away from the situation, but colleting my thoughts and developing strategies to overcome any negative thoughts which may have come to my mind during these last hours., There are always two responses to any situation, Fight or Flight.

Yes, Ruju, I am the example of Flight and you the Fight,

No Aunty, even yours is a Fight response, otherwise you would not have sat here listening to my story and ideas, and in the process, allow your train to leave the station.,

Oh is it so? I completely forgot that I have come here to leave for Mumbai? Dear you did know that my train was leaving? Right?

Well, if I say yes, would you believe me? But Yes, I knew that your train was leaving and I kept you engrossed in my talk, so that your thoughts got diverted. I know you are angry about something, but then every reaction does not have to be of anger, hurt, or hatred. There are situations, and there are situations. So, Aunty, would you care to tell me your side of the story?

Ruju, I love my son a lot, and he also loves me a lot. I have brought him up as a single mother, and he has been so well behaved, that I have never had any issues with him. He has been a good student in school and now in college also, he has been helping me in the daily chores and he has never thrown those silly childish tantrums, because he understands that his mother is working overtime to meet his requirements. In fact, he has always been saying that he will get a scholarship and go abroad after his college on an overseas placement and earn a good amount of money and either come back or call me there for good. I sometimes do tease him that he will forget me once he gets married, but he always brushed off the topic, saying it was too early to think about that, and if at all he got married he would only marry a girl he loved, and who understood his family well, and vice versa. But then yesterday, he passed a remark that threatened my whole existence.

Aunty, it is all right, I am sure he must not have meant it, because, as you describe him, he cannot hurt you in any  possible way, and even in his remotest dreams, he would not say or do something which could shatter you so much., I wish you would not think of leaving him, when he may be needing you the most.

Ruju, I have walked out of home very early in the morning, and till now neither he has called me up nor come out to look for me.

But Aunty how would he know that you are here?

But my mobile is On,unlike your mobile,which is Off.

So you are yearning to go back ?

Ruju, you will realize when you set up your house, what A Home means to a home maker. It is a symbol of your existence, your struggles, your achievements and the togetherness of your near and dear ones. But Ruju, I think, I will stay here for a while. I am disappointed, that my son has still not taken care to call me up or search for me. I think… no I don’t want to think about it now. Like you said, let me brood in silence for a while, and pull away any negative thoughts which come to me mind. I love my son, and he loves me. It is only a small tiff, and may be what he said, he did not mean it and ….. her voice trailed off in silence. Her eyes were closed and after a minute or two she opened her eyes only to find Ruju not in her seat. She immediately became worried about her and looked around for her. She bent down to pick up her bag, thinking she will go to search for her, and as she prepared to raise herself from her seat, she saw Ruju and her son, Nimit entering the waiting room. She was totally perplexed and at her wits end.

Nimit, what are you doing here, and Ruju, how do you know him?

Mom, Please relax, have some tea and we will settle everything now itself.

But first let me tell you mom, that I love you and I will never leave you,

And me? Said Rujuta.

Not even you, darling. He suddenly bit his lip, when he saw Raichi staring at him.

Sorry, mom, this was all a plan to bring you back home, said Rujuta.

So you knew I was Nimit’s mother, and you both know each other, Nimit, you knew I was here, but how?

Raichi posed a series of questions to both of them, and sat down in a heap in her chair.

Mom, first take this tea and relax  I will explain you everything.

First let me know, why you left home, because I got up some time back for a glass of water and I didn’t find you in your bed, but a slip of paper on the table, where you had written that you are leaving home and that I should not  try to find you. I almost freaked out. And I tried your mobile several times, but you didn’t lift the phone.

But Mom’s mobile is on, how could she not hear the ring, interjected Rujuta.

Let me see, said Nimit, and he took her mobile.

Then he burst out laughing. Mom you keep your mobile on silent mode in the night, and it is still on  silent mode.

You poor darling. No wonder you tried and tried, and I did not lift the phone, making you more miserable. I am sorry dear. But Nimit, I am upset with you.

Mom I want to know that only, what are you upset for?

Nimit, yesterday when you came home late, and was almost dozing off when I called you for dinner, you uttered a sentence which broke my heart.

Mom, can you please be more elaborate, because even in my wildest dreams, I would not do anything to hurt you. Wait, let me guess. Oh shit, sorry mom. Oh no!

Mom, yesterday in our college I was practicing for a play for our annual function, and one of my dialogue to one of the vamp character was,” I will beat you with a belt.,”

Unfortunately when I came late at home, and was almost in my sleep, you tried to wake me up for dinner, but I was very much tired, and in my slumber, I must have rattled out the same dialogue., And you heard that dialogue and it was your turn to  freak off. Am I right?

Yes Nimit. And I was like , I totally lost all my energy and would have fainted.

Mom, I am very sorry, it will never happen again, and please understand, I am your son. You have given me the best education and the best things in life. You are my role model., How could I ever think of hurting you., I am sorry again. And now let us go home and have a wonderful time, with lunch outside and a stroll in the mall, all at your expense Mom, because our quota of expenses for this month is over., What say, Ruju dar.. His voice trailed off.

Ruju, I want to know how you came to the railway station and made an attempt at getting the Oscar award for acting?

Mom, Nimit had told me that once or twice you had attempted the same thing of going off to your parent’s place when he was a child, and he inferred  that you would have gone to the railway station. So he sent me giving all your details and told me to see if we could attempt at a different, innovative way to pacify you and not allow you to board the train to Mumbai.

And , well you both seem to have succeeded with flying colors.

Well, Nimit, obviously Ruju is your girlfriend, but what about her Parents?

Well, mom, don’t worry, she only has a father, and we all will be a small nice family together with two sets of couples, what say, Mom?

Raichi blushed all over, and they moved out of the Railway platform with very satisfied looks on their faces.