(An incident which made my life, and can make yours if you try.)
The train from Jabalpur arrived late at Delhi railway station, nothing new; this was the problem every time. I, Rakesh DubeyCobra VirChakra, had to rush, as always; and run on the platform, rucksack on my back to catch the train every time. Shatabdi should have departed the station by now towards Chandigarh, I feared.
Glad! I some how made it to the train, which was sliding from the platform. Holding the bars of the door, I applied my muscular strength to board it. It is at that moment I realized, that a boy in front of me, was blocking my way. “Chandigarh Jana hai.”He retorted, “Than go inside” I said loudly, "train is moving", I added, " Is it the right train"? He again blurted. I had no choice but to push him inside to board the train in time. "We have made it", I said, "we would have missed the train, the way you were deciding"? trying to put some sense into the perplexed boy. I wondered, the boy seem extremely poor, as seen from his clothing and a torn cotton bag as his belonging. He visibly appeared out of place in AC chair car compartment. Well! I thought, he may be having reasons, to be in that situation at that point of time. Pushing the glass door into the AC ice cool compartment, I made my way to the vacant aisle seat.
Before I could settle, my attention was drawn towards a crisp sharp feminine voice, from the window seat "The Indian Railways has gone to dogs", she said;turning my face towards the window seat, I noticed her, she was a beautiful lady, although her face now was in scrimmage, not happy as the train was departing 10 minutes late. "Yes" I said, "but had it departed in time, I and the other boy would have missed the train".
Where is the boy? I wondered and looked around. That is the time I noticed, the boy was having some problem with the Ticket Collector, few other elite passengers were also crowding over him.Sensing some trouble, I got up and went outside. “He is a ticket less traveler;” the elite passengers standing in circle around the same boy, who had boarded the train with me; shouted in one tone, "they are thieves”. "Do not let him in" they all added.
“He has a Ticket” I shouted, "leave him", I said, flashing my "Vir Chakra", Gallantry Award, Government of India, Railway Pass, “he is with me.” The over zealous passenger shouting around him, were now left astounded.
I took the boy inside and offered him the seat in-between me and the disgruntled, beautiful lady. “Who is he?” she complained, shrinking in her seat, “do you have a ticket”, she asked the boy. "No", he said, than “why are you here?” “I do not know?” He said. What! She screamed and got up to approach the ticket collector to complain; never returned back, as she could possibly able to manage a better seat.
The boy was a poor farm labour, going to seek work in Chandigarh. Meal was served; we were hungry and enjoyed the wonderful journey, of course with discomfort to other elite passengers. I did a good deed, this was probably the first time the poor boy had experience, enjoyment and comfort of an ice cool AC coach along with good meal
WE ALL HAVE THAT STREAK OF GOODNESS IN US, BUT HOW OFTEN WE DARE TO TAKE THAT STEP. MY WIFE VANITA DUBEY, ALWAYS TELLS ME, DO A GOOD DEED; HE MAY NOT BE THERE TO REPAY IT. BUT SOMEDAY, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE ELSE WILL REPAY YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED.
The train from Jabalpur arrived late at Delhi railway station, nothing new; this was the problem every time. I, Rakesh DubeyCobra VirChakra, had to rush, as always; and run on the platform, rucksack on my back to catch the train every time. Shatabdi should have departed the station by now towards Chandigarh, I feared.
Glad! I some how made it to the train, which was sliding from the platform. Holding the bars of the door, I applied my muscular strength to board it. It is at that moment I realized, that a boy in front of me, was blocking my way. “Chandigarh Jana hai.”He retorted, “Than go inside” I said loudly, "train is moving", I added, " Is it the right train"? He again blurted. I had no choice but to push him inside to board the train in time. "We have made it", I said, "we would have missed the train, the way you were deciding"? trying to put some sense into the perplexed boy. I wondered, the boy seem extremely poor, as seen from his clothing and a torn cotton bag as his belonging. He visibly appeared out of place in AC chair car compartment. Well! I thought, he may be having reasons, to be in that situation at that point of time. Pushing the glass door into the AC ice cool compartment, I made my way to the vacant aisle seat.
Before I could settle, my attention was drawn towards a crisp sharp feminine voice, from the window seat "The Indian Railways has gone to dogs", she said;turning my face towards the window seat, I noticed her, she was a beautiful lady, although her face now was in scrimmage, not happy as the train was departing 10 minutes late. "Yes" I said, "but had it departed in time, I and the other boy would have missed the train".
Where is the boy? I wondered and looked around. That is the time I noticed, the boy was having some problem with the Ticket Collector, few other elite passengers were also crowding over him.Sensing some trouble, I got up and went outside. “He is a ticket less traveler;” the elite passengers standing in circle around the same boy, who had boarded the train with me; shouted in one tone, "they are thieves”. "Do not let him in" they all added.
“He has a Ticket” I shouted, "leave him", I said, flashing my "Vir Chakra", Gallantry Award, Government of India, Railway Pass, “he is with me.” The over zealous passenger shouting around him, were now left astounded.
I took the boy inside and offered him the seat in-between me and the disgruntled, beautiful lady. “Who is he?” she complained, shrinking in her seat, “do you have a ticket”, she asked the boy. "No", he said, than “why are you here?” “I do not know?” He said. What! She screamed and got up to approach the ticket collector to complain; never returned back, as she could possibly able to manage a better seat.
The boy was a poor farm labour, going to seek work in Chandigarh. Meal was served; we were hungry and enjoyed the wonderful journey, of course with discomfort to other elite passengers. I did a good deed, this was probably the first time the poor boy had experience, enjoyment and comfort of an ice cool AC coach along with good meal
WE ALL HAVE THAT STREAK OF GOODNESS IN US, BUT HOW OFTEN WE DARE TO TAKE THAT STEP. MY WIFE VANITA DUBEY, ALWAYS TELLS ME, DO A GOOD DEED; HE MAY NOT BE THERE TO REPAY IT. BUT SOMEDAY, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE ELSE WILL REPAY YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN NEED.
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