narration
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It was nearly mid night, when the train started from New Delhi. It was too cold to bear for a south Indian like me. I was told that the train would reach Phaphoond around two’o clock at night. The tales I heard about that place did terrify me. It was a backward village at Chambal, where even electric supply was hardly available. It was under the hold of naxals and rowdies. I had requested a colleague of mine to arrange to pick me up from the station. I asked the caretaker in the compartment to wake me up when the train reaches that place. Finally I got down at Phaphoond at 2′o clock. Only a few people got down at that station and within a minute they vanished from there. The station was very small and I could see only plain roads on both the sides of it. The place was too dark and absolutely silent. I realized that no car was waiting outside and it would be safer if I stay inside the station. Except a few street dwellers I could not find any one there.
There was a small room supposed to be a ticket counter, on the other platform. I tried my luck to find some one there, but in vain. I sat on one of the cement benches counting the stars. The howling of the dogs and the undesired movements of those men staying in that place were taking a toll on my peace. When I started sleeping, two policemen came and woke me up. After enquiring about me, they advised me not to go out till the dawn breaks.
A middle-aged man was observing my movements all along. He approached me and asked if I needed any help. My nature is to believe people and I asked him to help me in reaching my address. He took the luggage from me and started walking. I tried to walk as fast as he did. Though I trusted him, I kept the route we were walking in my memory.
He showed me the house where my friend was staying. He stayed on the first floor. He was sharing the main entry path and gate with his landlord. The man cautioned me not to enter the house unless my friend comes out and receive. I called my friend loudly by his name. A voice came from the landlord’s portion asking who I was. I replied that I had come from Chennai to stay with my friend.
I also asked them to open the gate, so that I can go to the first floor. She refused to open the gate. The worst thing was she even refused to inform my friend that I was waiting. The man joined me in calling my friend loudly. After ten minutes of shouting he opened the door. While I was paying the man, my friend asked me “ Why didn’t you come at night, was the train running late?
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