Night After Being Out

It has been around 13 month,but I still remember that night . There was nothing miracle happened at that particular night, but still it had an ample reasons to keep in my memory in somewhere deep inside my soul. A dejected man, leaving a degree programme just after one month of joining of college, had to  face the things in totally undiscovered land that too when time was already jesting at him.

This story is of 3^rd  September, 2011.Before coming to Night, you are yet to be familiar with forces which made it to happen on that particular Night .I still remember the date 13^th feb,  2011, perhaps not only date ,it’s the reminiscence to all those days which witnessed my Endeavor to Crack the gate-2011.

I never admire myself till the moment when I do something far ahead of my caliber and this time I did.  Sleepless night, hunger less days did not pay me this time and result was far-2 below than my standard. A Cherishing surrounding turned as a mournful for me. Niggling words all around were ample to take away the faith from me. A reverential effort turned out to be a frivolous one for others. But at sudden, l got an interview call on the date of my farewell .It was for the course which I dreamed for. A dawn after so many time, gave me enough courage to go to gandhinagar and face the task. I did well there and show was up to the mark there. An austere face ,which it had been there from last 6 months has started to turn as smiling one. I found place as the serendipity one for me. After the few days, the result was declared and was in my favor. I smiled but chortle was still miles away from me. But still, a grinning gesture is always better than the austere one and it certainly leaded to at least or say at max finish my task before I could had been forced to stay at college more. With perpetual shoulders of pals, I any how contrived  to do so.it was 10^th june when I finally ended my undergrad days. loads of luggage did not bother me as I had pals to move ahead with me . The departing day realized me that I still had bit of emotions in me. My friend had tears in their eyes but i did nt. May be It had been dried after Gate.

I reached at home. I had around 1 months and 20 days to rejuvenate me. I endeavored for it  and finally concluded to face gate again. It was not for the sake of others, it was just for the sake of my-self.it was just to bring self confidence back in me. So I started studying little bit and slowly-2 the day of departure came. This time I had tears, I was packing again but this time for new destination. I had the train to ferry me but not the traveler to travel with.  I reached there and my family was there with me to help me to get settled.After settling me there, my family started going back. As my mom tells me that this is the first time when i looked back while seeing them off at gate. She got an intuition with my this reaction. A good flat mates, a better living conditions did not help me to get settled in new surrounding there. May be the austere face was still carried by me there. Some subjects of my apathy were making thing harder for me and bit of Gate pertinent studies were only reveling things for me. After around 1 month i.e.at around 29^th august, thought struck in my mind ..Why don’t I leave this place???  An unsmiling face since 13^th February was certainly emboldening me to do so. Loss of 1 year or more, seemed insignificant for me. During all those interrogation of mine, a deep faith of me came in front strongly and told “first of all you deserve to be happy in any case, and without happiness you would be just able to be alive here but not be able to live here..and yes, you  can!! Just  those damn three hours can’t have the privilege to take away your smile”. After winning over myself, I had three foremost important tasks for me. First one was to convince my family. For any family, children smile is always most prominent things they try to have it. Mothers have the beautiful privilege to feel the emotions of her children even if they are far away and when I called home to seek their permission in my already made decision, I found that they were familiar with it and their this familiarity did benevolence on me to do this task in one day. Then there after , yet another task was there,  That was to convince my pals which was toughest for me. After having hours of discussions, hell lot of talks among friends, I was able to move ahead. Now the third task was for me to bind up the thing as early as possible. I did so but with a goof and that was telling a lie to teacher who sympathized with me on my lie!!! However later on, I told the truth but this lie still reproaches me and seem long lasting for me. While I was about to contrive my ticket for my hometown suddenly I got a call from one my senior , enquiring about that whether someone is free in batch-mates to join a college as post o lecturer in dehradoon!!! It was a miracle for me and I replied positively without wasting second. So now Destination was clear to me, it was dehradoon. Now I again had to manage the ticket for new destination. Any how, I managed to get to ticket from Vadodra  to dehradoon. Vadodra was  around 100 K.m. from my present stay. So after binding up, yet again dreadful task was waiting for me. I had the ticket of 3^rd September.

 

On 2^nd September’s night , I just walked to ATM to ensure the balance in my account…and came with epiphany  that I lost 2000 Rs!!!damn!  a person who just earned rs. 8000 through his teaching assistance ship of a month, has lost 25% of his income without being assurance of the date that when he is going to get the some other one!!! I was about to leave for new place and accommodation, fooding were hardly going to help me in saving the rest one!!!  So this was the foremost problem which I faced before leaving the Gandhinagar.I returned back to hostel..i still remember that I hardly had the nap over the whole night. Next day was the Saturday and I reached the bank at 9:30 to ensure that I must be the first one who’s problem should be taken in account by the employee. Yes , they responded positively and started working over it. They Tracked sequence of my withdraw and found that I with drew 2000 Rs. From a ATM near to my hostel on Thursday night?? I was seriously amazed as I did not do that!!! I told my ATM Password to 2 of my flat mates and they were the only one who were knowing about this.One of them was in urgent need of money that too was of Rs 1500, but he did this?? that was not the thing to digest for me. I just keep remembering my Pantnagar days when between our pals, we usually remembered the Others ATM pin than the our one but still everything was too clear for us. But those golden days had gone and I need to get back to hell i.e. present situation for me. So at around 2:p.m. I got the check from no due department of rs 22000, but damn! I was in need  of cash right now , cheque was never going to take me out of hell. So overall, I had rs 3000 as a cash. I told about this is to my family member later on at 2:00 p.m. but as it was Saturday , so passing of closure time of bank did not let them help me financially. After all my calculation I came to conclusion that It might be sufficient for me if I deposit the check early at Monday morning. So game was still in my hand . My train(no 12287, Kochuveli-ddn express) was at 21:52 p.m.in night from vadodara so I planned to leave my hostel at around 4:00 p.m I thought that at least while I will be finalizing the things, my flat mates  would get a auto for me to drop me to the bus station, but they preferred to sleep or going to play football . It hurt me but not in that amount to get me take out my tears which I had kept in side of me after arriving in gandhinagar. I finally managed to book an auto at rs. 110 .My room was at third floor.even at the date of arrival ,it took me around 30 minutes to shift in room from ground floor. Auto driver was waiting for me out side and continuously screaming that these delay going to cost him more than the what he is going to get through this ferry but I being too busy in carrying the luggage from top to bottom, refused to pay attention over it and after half an hour, I finally came out. I left  with no one with me to seeing me off. I was out of campus. I was out of hell. Night was coming towards me.

I left the place at around 4:00 p.m.It took around one hour to get me dropped to Bus station. Meanwhile in between all those times, I was just thinking I am again going to face a  drop year now. This was the last thing , what I had ever wished at end of my college and ultimately It happened. I was getting what I never wished to have it, but I was happy. Coming out of that place was making me more pleasant one than the thinking about what I actually I got. Between all those thoughts, I forgot to notice Ahemdabad’s road side culture last time. Ahemdabad is certainly a good city to live with some beautiful culture all around. At time, I was bit curious to be the part of “garba” as it was due in coming weeks  but this epiphany seriously did not let me think anything but to come out of hell. Finally I arrived at bus station. But here I had to pay for the time when i kept auto driver on hold. He dropped me just at the gate and ticket counter was just on opposite side of that one of busiest road of Ahemadabad. I had one trunk, one bag, three carton, one trolley bag with me. It was certainly containing all my degree certificates, my all necessary things of life. I could not dare to leave my luggage here and cross the road to buy the ticket. So again I had to book a rickshaw wala to get me dropped there . As he had to take whole circle he stuck to charge 50 rs. For it. I tried hard to low it down but I surrendered finally. He dropped me there and went back with jesting over me on my condition. Again where he dropped me and where the ticket counter was , had a distance of around 50-60 mt. and I think it was enough for stealing my things and as que was too long, it was not like just to go, collect and comeback . So I had to again pick my luggage, bestow it near counter and meanwhile keep eyes on other luggage. I did so and finally got a ticket too. it was of Rs.  80 and that was of ahemdabad to vadodara superfast bus service. I remained glued to my luggage while waiting for bus to come at station. Bus came. I started to enter there but the conductor came and told “ it is not allowed to travel with this much of luggage in super fast bus . Maximum one bag is allowed and you are carrying 6!!!! So you better stay here and wait for ordinary bus to come”. I enquired “how much time the ordinary one would take to reach vadodara”?? He replied “2.5 hours to 3 hours”!! It was already 5: 45 P.M. and an ordinary bus would certainly take another 30 mins to 45 mins to be here, that means  I would be there at bus station around 9 to 9:30 p.m. holy crap!! My train is at 9:50..no way I am not going to let this bus go anyhow. As conductor was in full mood to not to help me, I noticed the driver to be Shrewd one. I went to him and asked him to intervene, he told to do so but asked something in return!! I offered him 100 rs. But then he asked same for conductor , so I tepidly gave him Rs.100 more . I had not even sit on the bus and still I had spent rs. 500. Tensions streak started coming on my forehead. But any how I managed to sit in bus and started my journey. I was on a way to Vadodara.!

“musibatein and khushiyan jab bhi aati hain , khub dher saari aati hain.”-  famous saying in hindi, started proving true as I moved ahead. I asked to conductor that I had to go to railway station then would it be alright to leave the bus at scheduled bus station?? He replied negatively and told I would have to step down  somewhere at middle to go to station. I again asked him to tell me where I need to leave the bus to reach the station , this time he replied positively. But as I entered in vadodara , it started raining heavily. I prayed to god to stop this before conductor ask me to step down. But God had been extremely reluctant towards me that year and this time, he did the same. In fact at the time of my steeping down, clouds started roaring with higher amplitude which was frightening me up to deep inside of my heart. But I did not have any other way so stepped down on the road . Paying  Rs.200 as bribe helped this time too as conductor also stepped down to help me to take out my all luggage from the bus. He helped but left me on the road in an open air atmosphere which was still full with heavy rain.It was a feeling of getting lost in the world with no shelter. I was drenched so was my luggage. Thank  god! I kept my certificates inside the trunk. So this rain was not affecting those one. I sighed and started calling the auto rickshaw. Mean while rain was continuously pouring me.after 5 minutes, 3 auto rickhshaw came and looking at my condition they immediately realized that it is a good chance to earn maximum from me.Station was just 5 K.m. but they asked Rs. 200..i growled  and told “go, I don’t need your help”. This growling brought bit sense in them and one of them told me that “come inside, i would drop you at Rs 110.”This amount was also not the apt one but this continuous pouring did not let me to wait for another 10 minutes. I loaded the auto with my luggage and any how , I managed to sit at remaining place. As I was going to board on the train which was scheduled to reach ddn by 11:30 p.m. in the night so I had to have quick dinner before boarding.  I told this to auto driver and asked him to drop me at hotel which is very near to station. He did so. Dropped me at the restaurant which was just in front of railway station. But again hotel manager did not allow me to come inside  with this amount of luggage. I asked him the alternative and he told go to that paanwala and ask him to look after the luggage till you finish your dinner. Pay him rs 10 for it. It was a do or die situation for me as 21:52 was near now. I did same and any how finished the dinner with bill of rs. 60. So over all I finished my dinner at 9:00 p.m. and now its time to move ahead towards station.

 

Again same problem came to me that how to cross the this busy road with this amount of luggage?? This time I had a option to have coolie and I called so . He came and saw my no. of luggage. As my train was scheduled to come on platform no- 3 which was on other side of entrance and with this much luggage, he had to bring a trolley. He agreed to do so, I asked “how much”??he told “300!!!”I looked at him disdained manner but that did not affect him little bit. I told ”its too much” , he told “250 rs is quite genuine with trolley and rs 50 for taking me to the way where police w’nt interrupt me.” I told "why I need to run away from police??” he told with this much of luggage ,you should have payment for your luggage which I am sure you w’nt be having.” He glittered with this sentence and I just could have the feeling that if you are in need people seldom leave any opportunity to make benefit over it.i was just remembering my departure from Pantnagar. Presence of Pals never let situation to get this much hard for me. But again I was short with time span , I surrendered again. He did so with jest on his face and I just had tears on my eyes. This was the first time when I had been caught in such situation. Having that much of luggage, had  turned as a sin for me. While walking through plate form ,  I just checked my ticket to confirm coach  no.. It was  S3. Ok, then I just checked the stoppage time there in vadodara.Departure: 21:52 p.m.  , arrival : 21:50 P.m.!!!! just 2 minutes of stoppage!!! Would I ‘ll be able to board alone on train with this much of time span?? Certainly the answer was no with having this much of luggage. I again caught in situation . I again had to talk to that coolie and again he found it lucrative one for him and added additional 100 rs. I thought let fix him first and see if would get any other one I would certainly let him go.

I finally reached at platform and stared enquiring about the train. No one knowing this train which  was scheduled  to arrive within few minutes . I ran towards enquiry counter to enquire the position and simultaneously messaged my friend to look at status at internet.  I asked at enquiry counter about position. He replied “no information!!!!” I asked “has it been canceled?” he told “no”. I asked “when it is expected to come?” he replied “no information, at minimum after  4 hours!!!” I was shocked !! suddenly my friend messaged me “yr, days are certainly not in your favor, train has caught in some heavy rainfall in south and its route has been largely diverted..the only good thing for you is that it would certainly pass through vadodara, but time is very uncertain one” I was shocked again , remembering that what sin I had done in near past that god has turned this much ruthless over me??i returned back to platform and found an empty bench to sit and put my luggage near by it. I told to coolie that I would give you whole money till you help me in boarding. He agreed with tepid response. I hardly cared for this. Finally I had a seat after few so much rushed hours.

It was 10:00 p.m. and I preferred to have walk over platform with having sip of tea. I interacted with some people , had a discussion till their train came and they moved their ways.i called to home and told them about my situations. Gharwale aapko kina pyaar kar sakte hain , iski koi limit ni hoti hai. My mother started crying after seeing me trapped in that situation. My father who just came there at home after having successive meetings ,all his tiredness flew off and he started talking me and emboldening me to face conditions . He started to check his phone directory that if he could find any contact in vadodara who can help me in the situation. My sisters, leaving her preparation started  trying to give me courage n every possible way. At 11 :00 p.m., it got clear that my train is not going to reach vadodara till morning.i told it to everyone important for me, I stuck in situation.  If I could not have that much of luggage , I could have certainly gone to some hotel and have stay there for a night. But after all  hardship which I had to do for coming here,  it did not allow me to go back. Coolie got back to me to have that money. I gave him his due till now that was rs. 300.Now I had Rs 2000 in my pocket  and I would certainly had to limit my expenses now as I had not even boarded to train and had already spent Rs. 1000. At 11:30, my father called me as he finally managed to  get one contact, he was just going to call, but I made him to stop as I did not want anyone to be waken up so late in night and had to come to me without his wish. My father tried to convince me as I was in bit shortage of money but I refused it in courteous way as all this was happening because of my decisions and I would have to pay for it. I told them about my present status to train and my mom started crying more heavily now. My father and sister consoled her and I cut the phone. I asked the coolie if he could be here to help me in boarding. He told, he will be here at my service but I would have to give 100 rs. right now!! I tried to contact another coolies but after seeing me old customer of their partner , no one got interested over the deal. I gave him  rs.100 and ensure that if train comes till  7:00 a.m. ,he will do the task. It had been 1:00 a.m. now. There at home, my family member divided duty among them and duty was to call me at an hour interval to check me whether I am alright, so in other words, they also refused to sleep properly if I am awake!!!at 2:00 a.m. the shopkeeper who was the only source to have tea there, left and I was alone. I sat back at bench, took out book of Fluid mechanics to pass my time with it. I did so but for very short span of time.

Its 3:00 a.m. now. Just flashback of my undergrad days started to come.  It made me grin, it made me cry , it made me to proud, it made me to be scapegoat. Just a Flashback from 22^nd july 2007 to 3^rd September 2011!This flashback continued up to 4:00 am then I had a nap. While sleeping , I kept each o my hand over two cartoons, put my leg over trunk, locked trolley bag with my bench and used another bag as my pillow. The cartoon which was left ,I kept it between trunk and my bench. I slept up to 6 :30 till that coolie woke me up and told me about his departure as his duty was only up to 6:00 am. And as there was no signal of train to come, he told that he is going . I asked what about keeping my luggage in train , he told that what can he do now as he waited for me.  I looked at him in disgusting manner but that did not help us in either way. He told “why don’t you book another coolie for it??!!! “ I asked  “ I would have to give him another 100 rupess??” he said affirmatively and I surrendered again. New coolie was fixed. I was just wondering that i had not even boarded on train and how much more I would have to suffer before leaving this place. I again missed my friend, but at second moment, came back to reality.I again had to wait ,wait and wait.

Finally announcement  was made of arrival of my train. It arrived at 8:20 am. I boarded in 1 minute , gave another 100 rs note to that coolie and moved ahead. While seating on my berth, I just had one thought “what if vadodara could not have been on list of diverted route??!!!”

PS: Surprisingly train stayed there at station up to 15 minutes!!  And after my arrival to ddn , I checked my balance, and I found that lost 2000 rs . had been returned back!!!  The guy who had this , must had got some heart to return. But if he could not stolen that money , then that night could certainly had been bit different one.