Train Adventures - 1

The time is 4.00PM. Sanjana is waiting anxiously for someone on Platform No.3 of Central Railway Station.

That morning Sanjana shouted at Sindhu, for she denied to go along with her to Sanjana's home town for Vinayaka Chavithi holidays. Sindhu replied No very stubbornly. And Sanjana too told her stubbornly "I can't just like that leave you alone and go". Sanjana finished all her luggage packing and she took her cell out of the pouch and dailed her friend. Sindhu replied, "Sorry Sanju dear, I already told you I am not coming, please start off. Happy holidays. I can't even come to give u send off, please dear....". Sanjana just replied, "I am starting to Central, if you come I will board the train, otherwise we shall meet in the room tonight" and cut the call. Sindhu know about her friend that she is very sensitive and mean what she say. She went hurryingly to Team lead and told that she need to leave to her home town, cos it is serious to one of her close relations took the permission and started off. Sindhu took an auto and called her friend. Sanjana is already in the cab half way towards Central by that time. Sindhu said "Dear friend, I am coming for you. I took permission for you dear.Will try my best to reach the station in time." A wide smile passed over Sanjana's lips. She is very happy. After reaching Central, Sanjana checked and found that her train is on platform no.3 and started walking towards it. As she is heading forward, she observed dairy milk bars piled up in the transparent display shelf of a shop. She immediately remember that is her friends favourite and purchased 5 of them. Then she purchased 2 birayani parcels for self and her friend, then 2 glasses of packed fresh juices, mineral water. The she boarded the second class AC in which her father took the ticket and sent it to her.

Then she kept all the luggage under the berth and she suddenly remembered that Sindhu needs a ticket. So she immediately requested her co-passenger to just take care of her luggage and hurried to ticket counter. It is just like a hell out there. A very long queue. The time is 5.00PM. Sanjana is not used to stand in such queues. Her father makes everything available for her whenever she is need and hence she never faced such crowd and queues. But now, it is her turn to manage and get the ticket for her friend. She stood in the queue and waited. After 5 minutes, she thought time wouldn't be sufficient if she wait until the queue before her moves off. So she headed directly towards the counter. It is horribly very rush over there. She requested a man, that there are only few minutes for the train to leave. Please allow her to head forward. He heard her innocent polite words and just gave way. Sanjan would have asked some 6 people in the same manner. At last she got a general ticket and returned to the platform no.3.

The time is now 5.25PM. Within next 5 minutes, Circar Express is going to leave the Chennai Central Railway station. Sanjana, took the cell and dialed her friend. She can't hear the voice clearly in the traffic sound, but understood from few of her words that she is somewhere near to the station and in auto. Then still there is a minute more and Sanjana thought she can better take her luggage out of the train and headed to her compartment. After few steps, she heard a voice from behind, "Sanju dear, am here for you". Sanjana smiled and turned, took the luggage from her friend and shouted, run times up. By that time the train started and moving slowly. Both of them boarded somehow into the compartment which is near to them. Since it is interconnected thoughout all the compartments, they walked easily to their compartment and settled.

After an hour, TC came. Ofcourse Sanjana know that Sindhu's ticket is just a general one and she wont be allowed to sleep in 2nd class at night. So, as soon as the ticket collector came, she herself showed her own ticket and mentioned that some of her friends are in another compartment which is sleeper class and this friend just visited to see her and the ticket is with others. The TC told, its fine, but ask her to return to sleeper class at night. Both waved their heads as if very sincere fellows. It is night, and Sanju and Sindhu started their dinner. The TC once again came, and mentioned again and left the compartment. Sindhu told that she will go to sleeper class and pay the fine there. But Sanjana denied as it is very hot out there and she want her to stay back with her. After dinner, Sanjana closed the curtain and both sat without uttering a word. In the next station Sanjana knew that the TC will change. And as her ticket is already tick marked indicating that it is checked, TC would not disturb that passenger as the curtain will be closed. So, they sat like that half sleep whole night. Then in the morning, the TC is calling from outside".... Hello, Hello...." Sanjana woke up and found only herself and opened the curtain. TC asked are there anyone sharing your berth night. Sanjana simply replied, "No. My friend stayed some time and left to her Sleeper Class after dinner." Then Sanjana found that her friend is heading towards them.....So she took the chance, there she comes again now. The TC saw them doubtingly and asked to show the tickets. Sanjana showed her 2nd class ticket and also another sleeper class ticket. Sindhu was surprised when Sanju showed SL ticket. The TC scribbled something on the tickets and left. before leaving he mentioned, anyway, if you want you can go to you friends sleeper class, but SL people can't stay here.Sanjana replied, "Ok fine, then we will move to SL class and come back to collect luggage when getting down" and both headed towards SL class. Then Sanjana asked Sindhu where she went. Sindhu replied she just went and stood in the adjacent sleeper class for sometime in the early morning when connecting doors are opened. Then after some time the station where they need to get down is nearing. They went to 2nd class and collected the lugguage and got down. Sanjana's cousin is waiting to receive them and thus finally reached home. After reaching home Sindhu asked me, where did u get an SL ticket for me. Sanjana started laughing and then replied, "it is the ticket when I came home last time holidays from chennai. The TC missed to check the date. He just checked the berth number". Both of them laughed thinking of the TC for a long time and then slept off after a nice lunch.

It is really a great adventure. It is a long weekend. But Sindhu would not go to her native place always due to some perasonal family problems. So, when Sanjana asked her friend to come to her place, Sindhu told lie that she will be leaving to her native place. Sindhu did this cos Sanjana can't leave with a relaxed mind and go. But the night before, when Sanjana asked many times, Sindhu revealed that she is going to stay back in chennai. Sanjana don't want to leave her friend alone in the holidays. Sanjana decided to pay fine if TC mention; she also made up her mind to pay whatever the amount for her friend to stay in AC. That is magic of friendship. It makes one do anything for a best friend. and this is a real time example of such friends.