From top of a building it would appear as if the train is sucking heads. The coaches (or bogies) compete for maximum number of heads in the limited duration of time during which the train stops at the platform. In this fierce competition, the bogies try to split out the unwanted heads from its belly. These charged up emanating heads collide with the heads entering the mouth of the coach. The intensity of the forces, produced collectively by the heads in opposite direction, augments the inertia of both ends. Besides the motivation in the individual head to successfully come up against the conflict, the success also depends at the side where the magnitude of the collective force is higher than the other end. Irrespective of this struggle outside, the coaches remain satiated with the head feed, before entering and exiting a platform!
The bogies hate one rule - the feeding unit will be either all inside or left out completely before it closes its mouth. It misses lollipop, but understands that not all wishes could be fulfilled!
During the morning rush hour, the crowd is unmanageable at the platform. The units of this homogenous crowd behaves like a mono-chip robot with the instruction hard coded - you will have to board the train before the fellow robots around you, otherwise you will no longer be a robot. And robots love being robots! It took me four trains before i could unlearn, learn and successfully execute this code. I welcomed myself to this new super-human world!
With space left for a single foot to support my body (other foot placed precariously on top of the first one) , i was stuck like the participant of 'Hole in the Wall' when they just jump through the hole. My neck was inclined at 30 degree to my new center of gravity line. I felt a drop of sweat trickling down my forehead towards the chin. I tried in vain to free either of the hand, stuck somewhere, to wipe the drop of sweat. That drop managed to overcome the friction in its path (thanks to Gillette - the best a man can get), and self-aimed on the satin frock of a very young lady standing at 0 degrees from me. That drop landed on the tip of her left bosom and provoked the thought of dripping milk and a case of teenage motherhood among those who saw the effect and missed the cause. The cause remained a secret confined within myself.
Another lady at 180 degrees to me, sported a web of hair tied in a bun. Even though my rate of breathing augmented after the first 'incident', the exhaled air failed to move a single strand of hair in that bun. It was a case for comb manufacturers to invent a new comb to arrange hair of this type - too hard to be human hair. At every slight movement of the train, my face was greeted personally by this bun. The intimacy between the two grew quick and strong. No sooner the driver applied a strong brake, than a part of the bun went straight inside my nose and helped me to release the tension with a sneeze. The sneeze was a loud and clear message to the owner of the bun that the 5 minute stand is over. In response, she shifted a little to search for a new suitor for her hair-bun. The train driver got reported of this illegitimate intimacy in his train and he brought the train to stop at the next station. 'Auto- Shuffle' is activated when the train stops at a station to suck, churn and vomit its feed.
The bogie and the train reminded of the population growth in India. Irrespective of the measures implemented, the situation would not improve. The attention of the people is diverting from fighting for space to satiating the oxygen requirement! Suddenly, a loud, distinct and relatively longer sound of a fart was heard. The fart was as innocent as that from an infant. That fart increased the existing turbulence surrounding me. People, who heard the fart started reacting differently - by making faces, tilting their heads upward, widening the eyes, smiling and blinking their eye-lids voraciously. The matured ones, or projected as matured, stood as they were. The innocent fart owner must be feeling the guilt of his action, which permeated through the air. I realized that smell travels slower than noise, but if potential, it has the power to coerce its victim to commit suicide by instilling the thought of jumping out of the running train to overcome the trauma. Soon, the effect of holding breath for a long time started to appear on near by faces, followed by the disgusting look, which also challenged the matured ones, when the smell again hit their olfactory sense. There was nothing which could be done !
A temporary worst situation in an ongoing bad phase, reduced the impact of the bad phase. Its like bathing in cold water on a freezing winter morning, to lessen the impact of the existing cold. The arrival of the next station brought relief in the form of fresh air.
Most of the passengers were just commuting. Like an adverb, some were listening to songs, watching a movie, reading a book, working on an excel sheet, SMSing or playing handheld games. Some more interesting ones were enjoying the company of their partners or doing pull-ups using the bar above. An elderly person, in such a crowded environment had his eyes closed and was meditating by controlling his breath. Not only did he made himself immune to the effect of a dis comfortable surrounding but also considered such an environment as a launch pad for inner peace. That is called making hay when it rains heavily!
The passengers who daily board the train at the same time, develop a bond with the faces they see regularly. Its a pristine relationship, without any expectation from either person. They see each other everyday, smile and nod, and continue with their commute. But, a concern is generated, if they do not see a common face for a long time.
Professional and personal networks of the people commuting to work in trains have been strengthened and expanded. Some manage to change jobs while others find the love of their life.
A lot can happen during the daily 'boring' transit to work in the trains, only if you are open for the change!
A temporary worst situation in an ongoing bad phase, reduced the impact of the bad phase. Its like bathing in cold water on a freezing winter morning, to lessen the impact of the existing cold. The arrival of the next station brought relief in the form of fresh air.
Most of the passengers were just commuting. Like an adverb, some were listening to songs, watching a movie, reading a book, working on an excel sheet, SMSing or playing handheld games. Some more interesting ones were enjoying the company of their partners or doing pull-ups using the bar above. An elderly person, in such a crowded environment had his eyes closed and was meditating by controlling his breath. Not only did he made himself immune to the effect of a dis comfortable surrounding but also considered such an environment as a launch pad for inner peace. That is called making hay when it rains heavily!
The passengers who daily board the train at the same time, develop a bond with the faces they see regularly. Its a pristine relationship, without any expectation from either person. They see each other everyday, smile and nod, and continue with their commute. But, a concern is generated, if they do not see a common face for a long time.
Professional and personal networks of the people commuting to work in trains have been strengthened and expanded. Some manage to change jobs while others find the love of their life.
A lot can happen during the daily 'boring' transit to work in the trains, only if you are open for the change!
