kalka-howrah mail

the auto reached new delhi railway station

the youngman quickly got off

picked his suitcase

paid the driver

and rushed in

straight to the ticket counter.

"one IIAC for kalka pl"

"which train"

"kalka-hawrah mail"

"pl fill this form"

he took out his jetter

jotted down his biodata

got the ticket

and rushed straight to the platform

crossing 7 platforms in-between

using the overbridge!

the train was ready

he had reached

just in time

once again!

--

kalka is the border point between haryana and himachal.

howrah is in west bengal.

'kalka-hawrah' mail

moves like a long necklace

around mother India

from around her neck to her left hand

extended towards far east!!

--

the youngman

dropped on the berth

took out 'trading your gut' by alexander elder

looked at his watch

and smiled big

anticipating a great journey

to the foothills of the himalayas!

--

"10.50pm"

but the train didn't start.

11...11.15...11.40....

the train didn't budge!

then...

finally...

it started

and the youngman heaved a sigh of relief!

--

but to his surprise

it started inching in the wrong direction!

"it is just shunting with some coaches" he said to himself.

gradually,

with a push

the train started crawling a bit more

but still

in the wrong direction!

the youngman's surprise

now turned into discomfort.

--

he excused dr.alexander

put down the book

and popped out of the window!

the train was wriggling

in howrah's direction

and slowly gathering momentum!

--

the youngman's discomfort now changed to panic!

he picked up dr.alexander and his suitcase

and leaped towards the exit door.

the train had yet not picked pace

it was moving very slowly

and was well within

the very long platform.

--

"should i get out or

should i wait?

may be it is just trying to change direction!" he discussed with himself!

he waited...

finally

the wriggling train

took mercy

and

and

and

picked some more pace!!!

--

"what's happening?

why is it going in howrah's direction?

kalka is that way?"

the youngman now started sweating!

the pace of the train was not much

and he could still easily deboard the train!

"but what if i am in the right train?

what if it is just going out of the station to change lane?

there are over a thousand others too in here!

all can't be wrong!"

and then

the train

finally

with a jerk

picked more pace!!!!

--

the youngman

now knew something needed to be done fast!

the platform end was in sight!

he had to decide in a few seconds.

he could still jump off

safely!

" i should get off

and get ticket for any other train to chandigarh.

there are many going chandigarh way.

from there i can catch a bus to kalka easily." he thought

"but what about this ticket?

what about this money i have already spent?

what if this train were to turn back out of the station?

what if the train just returns from nizamuddin station? or from faridabad or mathura?

i can wait!

yes,i can wait!

yes, yes, i must wait!!

i should have patience!"

--

and with those thoughts

the platform ended!

the youngman felt something in his chest.

but he gathered himself

and dr.alexander

and went back to his berth!

--

the train gained pace

with a long hoot

which pierced the youngman's ears

and hit deep within!

--

faridabad came

the train didn't turn.

the youngman waited boldly!

mathura came

the train didn't turn

the youngman waited bravely!!

--

1-2-3-6-9 hours passed.

the train was now rushing towards west bengal!

the youngman had

by now

patched up with the reality!

"i had never been to west bengal. i have never seen the howrah bridge. god wants me to see all this! it's all god' wish! i can easily pay for this unplanned trip!"

--

t.t. came

the youngman

took out the ticket

and handed over!

"are you nuts! where are you going?"

"howrah!"

"but the ticket is for kalka!"

"then, sir, why is the train moving this way?"

"where else should it go?" t.t. replied

"this was supposed to go to kalka" the youngman quipped back.

"that was the other kalka-howrah mail on the next platform. these two cross each other in new delhi everyday. you got into the wrong one! why didn't you drop down well within the extra-long platform? and why didn't you get down atleast on the next station? or next to next?"

--

the youngman had no answer!

he looked at dr.alexander

dr.alexander popped out of the book's cover

"you can't be a trader! stop bothering me."

--

---

----

and then

suddenly

the alarm clock rudely pulled

the youngman

out of his dream

straight onto the platform

of morning!

--

he found himself sweating

on a winter morning!

"thank god!" he murmurred!

he quickly took out his trading diary

and wrote

"1. check thrice before you board the trade

2. if, by mistake, you still board the wrong trade, get off well within the long stoploss platforms.

3. don't wait for the wrong trade to turn back. just get off! there are many others leaving for your place!

4. if you miss the platform, atleast get down at the next station (lower high or higher low) and take the reverse ticket!

5. go and see the howrah bridge atleast once in life.......with planning!"