Maria walked towards the ticket counter as we reached the station.
“You bought the ticket already, didn’t you?” I asked her
“Hmm. But we have to buy a platform ticket for you”
“Why?”
“Don’t know. but they will arrest and jail you, if you leave the station without a ticket.”
“oh”.
We stood in the queue for a long time. There were many counters, but only one was opened. In the corner of the station, I saw two people arguing with the police man.
The police man was wearing a huge khakhi shorts, khakhi shirt, and a funny looking hat. He also had something like socks, on his legs, but it wasn’t socks. It was a long piece of khakhi material wrapped like a bandage and fastened. With his big mustache and the entire dress up he is supposed to look fearsome.
I started giggling.
“Why are you giggling?” Maria asked
“Look at the police man”
“what is wrong with him?” Maria looked at the police man and then me.
“Don’t you think he looks funny?”
“Keep quiet, if he hears you calling him funny, he will arrest you.”
“oh”
After buying the ticket, we proceeded to the platform and passed the police man. I looked at the floor, so I won’t laugh. Maria pulled my hand, and walked faster.
We had to go down the steps to the platform. Two railway porters were coming up the steps and we overheard them discussing
“ente ammoo, From which planet did that woman come? She wanted to pay 1 RS to carry all her bags”
“I think she is mad” spoke the other one.
From the top of the stairs we could see Amma standing near the control room and both of us knew which woman the porters were referring to. Both of us cringed in embarassment. I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me.
Amma saw us coming down the stairs. She looked at me and asked
“Why did you come?”
“I didn’t want Chechy to walk alone Amma.”
The announcement came. We heard Rajadhani express then the mike system swallowed the rest of the announcement, the announcement was repeated again in Hindi and we still heard Rajadhani express and then some gibber jabber.
We didn’t understand a thing. Amma walked to the book shop on the platform and and asked the man who was sitting behind all the books and magazines.
“What did they announce just now?”
“Oh, that one ah, the announcer said,Rajadhani express will be 45 minutes late”
“Oh god! Is the train always late like this?”
“Normally it is 2 to 3 hours late”.
“Amma can you buy me Femina magazine?” Maria asked Amma
Amma was just about to yell at her, but the book shop owner was looking at Amma and she didn’t want to be a bad mother.
“hmm, she grunted”
Maria took the Femina magazine from the rack and Amma opend her purse to take the money.
“Amma will you buy me a balarama ?” I asked her sweetly
“No, Maria needs something to read on the long journey, that is why I am buying a magazine for her.”
My helium balloon suddenly lost all the helium and to make things worst, Maria stuck her tongue at me, when Amma wasn’t looking.
The train finally arrived after 2 hours. The platform was crowded, children crying, mothers crying, husbands holding their wives hand for one last time till they meet again. Sellers were selling their wares, some selling the newspaper, some selling lemon juice, some selling parippuvada. Some were yelling chaya (tea) and kappi (coffee), holding few glasses in one hand and an aluminium kettle on the other hand. In between all this chaos I felt lonely. My mother and sister are leaving. Amma found their compartment and they went inside. I helped them to carry their luggage inside. Chechy came out and hugged me.
“I will miss you Nina”
“Me too” I tried very hard not to cry.
I could see Amma placing the suitcases under the seat.
Amma sat on the seat and looked at me
“be good Nina and take care of your sisters”
“I will”
The train whistled and chechy quickly got inside.
I stood on the platform and watched the train accelerating and disappearing. Mothers were leaving holding their young one’s hands, Sellers all went back waiting to come out again when the next train arrives. I was all alone in that platform and I was all alone….
Agane Maria went to do eng…
Can’t wait and see how Nina took care of the house for a week.
LOL your mom must have been a fearsome bargainer :))
Am glad that Maria finally went to do her Engg.
lol they yell like chhoya choyyya koppy chaaya koppi….kopppi koppi koppi….train journey is nice, but not so good if it lasts more than a day….
Standing all alone in the railway station is somewaht off..!!.. your mom is one hell of a bargainer!!
🙁
ente ammo !!!
Now I want to meet your Mom too. LOL
A feeling of loneliness engulf us all, when ever we go to a railway station to see off some one. In your case, the feeling should have been extreme.
Good post !
ente ammo !!!
Now I want to meet your Mom too. LOL
A feeling of loneliness engulf us all, when ever we go to a railway station to see off some one. In your case, the feeling should have been extreme.
Good post !
Very nicely written, I was imagining when my mom & sis sent me off in the station when I was leaving to my inlaws home
Railway stations are crowded, dirty and what not…but there something about them that makes me feel good…I love to travel by Trains…
You could look after your house at that age…I cant do it even till date…mishaps are routine here.
The policemen did look funny, I remember thinking the same thing.It is always sad saying good bye even if it is for a short time.Did your sisters behave after Amma had gone and you were in charge?
i remember the time i left to hyd frm home. the very few times i cried in front of my family. even my “rough & tough” brother’s eyes were slightly wet.
How difficult that must have been!! A feeling of sudden utter loneliness all of a sudden takes one’s breath away, is paralysing, choking, earthshaking – I’ve been there.
Your mom .. what a GREAT lady!!
Chai, chai..Choodu kappi, kappiyee..parippu vada.. nalla uzhunnu vada..regular seen in all railway stations esp. Chengannur! Also the porters!(red shirt.. hmm). They are standing only for arguments with all those coming to ask the rates..
You were a very brave girl! Your mum must have been a brave, tough woman too.
Thanu: Nina had no idea what she got herself in to.
Silverine: Amma had a good justification..oh pinney..full day labour is only 25rs and he wants 4 rs for 5 mint job??
Q8techdrive: I liked long train journey.. especially coming back from bangalore and crossing the Bharathapuzha in the morning
Sujit: yes.. she was( a terror)
Lg: aha.. entha thonda vedanaya? shabdam onnum kelkunnillallo?
Jac: thanks
Shankari: The indian railway carries lots of memories!!! Thank you fro visiting my blog
Neihal: I had no choice. Amma had to accompnay Maria.. and there was nobody else at home.. I was the next PM in waiting!
starrynights: Thank you.. I thought I am only one who remembered the nikker clad police man and how we used to tease them by calling IPC 320..
Dewdrops: You are lucky you hv a brother.. I always wanted one..
I love Munich: U described those feeling just right.. tht is exactly how i felt
Aqua: I miss the piravom junction ..parippuvada!
Hillgrandmom: I had no choice, but to take tht responsibility
eyyoo..ee kuttiide oru kaaryam..enikku sherikkum thonda vedana aayirunnu..alla eppozhum aanu…
ethine? thonada vedanede karyma njan arinjatho? aha..
pinney areya chechinnu vilchathu ammayi? aha lol
so Maria is on her way now