Vishnu's Dream

Vishnu, a Fourteen-year-old boy born to a Hindu Nair family in Irinjalakuda, Kerala is studying in ninth standard in a Government school. His father is a carpenter and his mother a housewife. Vishnu's grandmother also stays with them in their house. Vishnu's house is near the Irinjalakuda Railway station. And it was a routine for Vishnu after returning from school to go near the station to watch trains. Vishnu was very fond of trains. He would always say to his mother that he wants to become a Loco pilot (train driver). Every day until dark, Vishnu sits on a rock near the tracks watching each train arriving to and departing from the station.

      This habitual routine made Vishnu know, the timings of all the trains that passed through the station. Sitting on the rock he could hear the announcements made at the station. At 4:30 pm Thrissur-Ernakulam passenger, at 4:50 pm Mangalore-Trivandrum express and at 5:30pm a Goods train and so on. If a particular train was running late, Vishnu would tell himself that this particular train is late today. The sound of an oncoming train from distance would bring an enthrallment in Vishnu. On hearing the horn of the train, he would look curiously towards the end of the far-stretching tracks and would see from the far horizon like curve, the giant machine approaching. Likewise went Vishnu's everyday routine train watching.

One day as Vishnu was sitting on the rock near the tracks and as a routine was watching the trains. A 110.k.v Diesel Locomotive Engine arrived to the station with empty bogies following it. It was a Goods train that they used to halt at the station everyday evening and resume its journey the next morning. The train stopped and the driver got down from the engine and after some routine inspection near its brakes and near its wheels, went to the station master’s office, with the engine running. Usually, the diesel engines are not turned off soon after they are stopped, since it is difficult to start it quickly again. So the diesel engine continued idling.

The diesel engine was now idling and vibrating the tracks. The diesel being burnt inside and the exhaust of black smoke rising above, its air brake reservoirs releasing the excess air through its air valve. Vishnu from outside could see the red and green indicator lights blinking inside the driver's cabin and the sound of a wireless that was left by the engine driver beeping. Seeing all these, Vishnu got fascinated and abruptly a thought bumped into Vishnu's curious mind, of what will happen if he gets into the driver's cabin and see what's inside. He thought that, certainly he will not get a golden chance like this again. He said to himself “It is my biggest dream to get into a train engine and see what is inside it”. And of course there are none of them around and they will not notice him.

Vishnu slowly got down from the rock and crossed the first track and went into the middle track where the train was halted. Vishnu was nervous for a while but eventually he made up his mind and climbed the engine steps and entered the Drivers cabin. In the cabin, Vishnu could see the driver's seat, the red and green lights blinking on the control board, and the Air and Oil pressure gauges dancing. Seeing all these Vishnu got extremely cheerful and enthusiastic. It was his long-time dream to get into the cabin and see all these.

On the left side he could see the Brake lever and below it was written "Release the lever and then accelerate" which meant that to move the train, the train driver will have to release the brake lever and then will have to the push the accelerate lever.

Vishnu out of curiosity, knowing nothing released the Brake lever and soon a green button started blinking with green light on it. Vishnu pressed that too. And suddenly the train started to move forward. Vishnu got stunned on seeing the train moving, his heart raised beating, he sweat profusely and was startled experiencing all these. He started pushing the other buttons to somehow stop the train, but all that was in desperation and the train continued to move. Suddenly Vishnu got up from his afternoon sleep's dream. In reality Vishnu was lying on his Grandmother's lap and was sleeping. During this sleep, he had dreamt all these.

       Vishnu got up from his grandmother's lap, washed his face and went to the kitchen, and saw his mother in her household work. He went and stood beside her, she patted on his back and gave him his evening snacks and tea. Finishing it, Vishnu as his routine went to the rock near to the railway station, where he sat and like every day watched the trains passing. Hoping that his dream and passion of becoming a Loco pilot may one day come true.