You know why I travel in the first-class?
See these marks on my head?
See see. (parting his hair)
One day I was coming back from work when a boy asked me,
'Sir, will I get a job?'
I said, 'Why not. If you are willing to work hard, you will get a job.'
He replied, 'But I have not studied. No degree, no qualification.
So will I get a job?'
I said, 'Why not. See this newspaper. There are so many openings.
Times have changed. And you even speak english.'
He only laughed. And I read my paper.
But later he got up, took out something pointed from his pocket
and started stabbing me.
(like those divider things that come in compass boxes
- you understand?)
Here only. Right on my head.
Three times. Then the other passengers caught him and held him.
They only stopped the train.
I remember thinking, there was so much blood!
Then we all went to the police station. They put him in.
Actually, I didn't know what to do.
I did whatever the other passengers told.
I know they kept him there for at least one night
because I had to go there again the next day.
But I didn't do the whole court thing - what was the point?
(my son wanted me to.. he is like that, but I didn't see any point.)
It came in one or two newspapers also.
After 3-4 months, I started doing the local trains again.
But now I travel only in the first class.
You know why I am telling you all this?
I just lost my phone. It slipped and fell outside.
My wife had recharged it yesterday only.
(I'd told her to wait.. but she is like that.)
I just wanted to tell, that how when big things happen,
the small ones don't matter.
And this is a very small thing, no?
I think, as one grows older,
more than being certain of what one likes,
one gets more and more certain of what one dislikes.
Don't you think? That tolerance levels reduce??
Aha. Yes, but I can put it more harshly than that -
I think one gets more and more and more selfish.
See my grandmother. She complains of us not calling her often.
But if she gets a ring when her tv serial is on, she'll cut the call off,
even if it is an outstation call from the States.
Don't ask me where I am right now
or what I ate for lunch.
There's no point in that - you know how I detest all small-talk.
But I can't classify events.
And when I try, everything turns trivial
and I end up having nothing to say.
On the pic: I was traveling in Ruby with the cat and mouse, when she spotted the street light. It was also the cat's birthday:
May you have many many more!
each one happier than the ones before!!
