We almost missed the train!
We were in the air-conditioned waiting room at Vadodara (Baroda) railway station since 23.15 hours, waiting for our train scheduled to arrive the next day at about 00.06 hours and leave at 00.11 hours. I was watching the display informing arrivals/departure of all trains. Our train was scheduled to arrive at platform number 1.
Wait. What is that being displayed? Avantika Express to arrive at 00.05 and leave at 00.15 hours at platform number 1. Our train Gujarat Mail to arrive at 00.06 hours and leave at 00.11 hours at platform number 1. I wondered how could that be physically possible? I started keenly listening to the announcements - if those could cast some light on the miracle that I was expected to witness shortly. None.
Was that our train which is chugging into platform number 1? No, it is Avantika. Now it was time to act. I rushed to the Station Master's cabin. Informed him that something was not right. He looked at me as if I am speaking Greek or maybe Latin. I was talking physics.
"No, no. We are announcing that Gujarat Mail is coming at platform number 2."
I was shocked to hear him say that as there were definitely no announcements. I had to ask him to come and see the displays. He sent somebody with me to outside the platform to convince that indeed there was an error. That meant that the Station Master had no control from his cabin! Once I could convince them that I was pointing out to a possible fatal error, I rushed to the platform, collected our luggage and with my wife I rushed to platform number 2 just as Gujarat Mail arrived. We are able to catch the train. What about the other passengers who were still in the waiting room? How many missed the train that day?
We had attended a marriage reception of the son of a friend in a hotel nearby to the railway station. As I wanted to spend maximum time with the family, we lingered on until the last guest had departed, bills paid, and it was time to vacate the premises.
The dinner was sumptuous. We enjoyed it! Great efforts had gone into the arrangements. A small item I missed. It was the after-mint. I just could not find it anywhere. Possibly, the hotel does not provide for mouth fresheners at its banquets.
Our host dropped us to the station at around 23.15 hours. We went to the air-conditioned waiting room, which was warm, stuffy and stuffed. Almost all seats were taken. I found a man signalling us to take seats right in the front - a stool and a plastic chair. I realised that it was the waiting-room attendant pointing out to his seat. Thanking our stars for merciful small gestures, my wife and I took our places on the stool and chair indicated. I observed that the attendant was unable to speak or hear. In short he was rendering his services in the world of sounds in a meaningful and silent manner. He was going about from occupant to occupant doing his duties faithfully in silence.
He came to me with the register for me to scribble the PNR and other particulars therein. He then proceeded to the next occupant. I nudged him a bit and almost furtively thrust a small insignificant currency note in his hands as a token of my appreciation. A short while later he was showing me something written at the top of a newspaper page. He had written in English the two words that thrilled my heart -
THANK YOU.
In acknowledgement, I gave him a Thumbs Up sign and then he proceeded to continue doing his duty.
We shifted seats when a better comfortable location was available. Just before we were to leave, he came to us again. He was holding something in his hand that he wanted me to take. I took a small pinch.
"No. The entire is for you," he gestured as he poured what he had in his hand to my hand. I shared the same with my wife. We were thankful to him for the return gift.
Roasted Aniseeds! After-mints!
We were in the air-conditioned waiting room at Vadodara (Baroda) railway station since 23.15 hours, waiting for our train scheduled to arrive the next day at about 00.06 hours and leave at 00.11 hours. I was watching the display informing arrivals/departure of all trains. Our train was scheduled to arrive at platform number 1.
Wait. What is that being displayed? Avantika Express to arrive at 00.05 and leave at 00.15 hours at platform number 1. Our train Gujarat Mail to arrive at 00.06 hours and leave at 00.11 hours at platform number 1. I wondered how could that be physically possible? I started keenly listening to the announcements - if those could cast some light on the miracle that I was expected to witness shortly. None.
Was that our train which is chugging into platform number 1? No, it is Avantika. Now it was time to act. I rushed to the Station Master's cabin. Informed him that something was not right. He looked at me as if I am speaking Greek or maybe Latin. I was talking physics.
"No, no. We are announcing that Gujarat Mail is coming at platform number 2."
I was shocked to hear him say that as there were definitely no announcements. I had to ask him to come and see the displays. He sent somebody with me to outside the platform to convince that indeed there was an error. That meant that the Station Master had no control from his cabin! Once I could convince them that I was pointing out to a possible fatal error, I rushed to the platform, collected our luggage and with my wife I rushed to platform number 2 just as Gujarat Mail arrived. We are able to catch the train. What about the other passengers who were still in the waiting room? How many missed the train that day?
We had attended a marriage reception of the son of a friend in a hotel nearby to the railway station. As I wanted to spend maximum time with the family, we lingered on until the last guest had departed, bills paid, and it was time to vacate the premises.
The dinner was sumptuous. We enjoyed it! Great efforts had gone into the arrangements. A small item I missed. It was the after-mint. I just could not find it anywhere. Possibly, the hotel does not provide for mouth fresheners at its banquets.
Our host dropped us to the station at around 23.15 hours. We went to the air-conditioned waiting room, which was warm, stuffy and stuffed. Almost all seats were taken. I found a man signalling us to take seats right in the front - a stool and a plastic chair. I realised that it was the waiting-room attendant pointing out to his seat. Thanking our stars for merciful small gestures, my wife and I took our places on the stool and chair indicated. I observed that the attendant was unable to speak or hear. In short he was rendering his services in the world of sounds in a meaningful and silent manner. He was going about from occupant to occupant doing his duties faithfully in silence.
He came to me with the register for me to scribble the PNR and other particulars therein. He then proceeded to the next occupant. I nudged him a bit and almost furtively thrust a small insignificant currency note in his hands as a token of my appreciation. A short while later he was showing me something written at the top of a newspaper page. He had written in English the two words that thrilled my heart -
THANK YOU.
In acknowledgement, I gave him a Thumbs Up sign and then he proceeded to continue doing his duty.
We shifted seats when a better comfortable location was available. Just before we were to leave, he came to us again. He was holding something in his hand that he wanted me to take. I took a small pinch.
"No. The entire is for you," he gestured as he poured what he had in his hand to my hand. I shared the same with my wife. We were thankful to him for the return gift.
Roasted Aniseeds! After-mints!
