Wednesday, April 11, 2012

People I meet on the train..

Sometime back, I had written about a very happy man I used to meet on the train..

 
pic courtesy: wikipedia
This is sort of a follow up to that I guess. It’s a new town this time round: Chennai. Though it lacks the charm of the Mumbai Local, Chennai has a very functional and convenient MRTS which I take for my daily commute to work.

This is the story of a blind man- and a very happy one at that. He gets in sometime before me and he gets down at the same station as mine. The first time I saw him I was pissed as he was not moving and blocking the way while alighting. Taking him to be one of those perennial train-door-hanger types who always block others, I gave him a little shove as we were alighting. It was only when we got down and he unfolded his walking stick that I realized what a totally insensitive thing I had done.
What really stood out was the way he took it all in, all smiles. It takes tons of patience and maturity to keep that kind of cool. He must be subject to this kind of treatment everyday and it really amazes me as to how he remains calm and composed with his simple unassuming smile. Makes me think twice as to why I complain so much.

And these days as I alight at Light House station, I watch and observe; how other commuters do just the same, their reaction later and how their expressions change once they see his black shades and the walking aid. The moment they had the same realizations that I had for the first time.

Hats off to you sir!! Hats off!!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Balyakalasmaranakal...


Sometime back, I'd gone home for the weekend. Albeit very busy 3 days, I got time to go with my family to our old quarters where we used to stay before moving into our present house. This was where I grew up and had so many fond childhood memories


And I try to keep touch with my past by visiting the place every once in a while, just driving around those familiar roads, stopping by my old block, the park where we used to play and the road which we used to take while walking back from school. This time round, it was very different. For an upcoming expansion project, the whole place was bulldozed over. What was once a lush area with trees and houses and sounds of children playing has been reduced to rubble.


Before leaving, we also went to the other end of the quarters where my school stands. Went to the park nearby. It was so much fun, playing around the old place. The statue of the snake which scared me as a little boy, the slide which was too steep for me, the mysteries of the open fish and a statue of a soldier around which I always felt protected.


A desperate attempt to cling on to these memories..