Short-story

THE TRAIN

Once upon a time, there lived a poor and elderly couple they used to visit the railway station of a small town every morning as well as evening. There, they wait for a particular passenger train,that arrives at six in the morning. The same train returns at seven in the evening. When again, they used to wait for its arrival and after the train left they returned home empty handed.

    But in the five minutes that the train halted,the couple used to go in opposite directions. One towards the engine and the other towards the end of the train. As if looking for someone, and everyday they call out a particular name.

    In the same platform there was a tea vendor who had his tea stall there for many years now. He lights his gas stove at 5 in the morning to make tea. His first customers used to be out of the same passenger train for which this elderly couple used to come and wait each morning and evening.

    The tea vendor used to watch the couple quite attentively every day even while doing his brisk business. The passenger train was rarely late. And after midnight it used to be the first train in the morning.

    One morning when the train arrived,the elderly couple as usual went in opposite directions, calling out the same name. But as the train trickled out of the platform. They came and sat near the staircase trying to catch their breath.

    The tea vendor who used to watch them from a distance each day could not hold his inquisition that day. He walked up to the elderly couple and asked,

    ‘I have being watching you both, coming to this platform, without fail, for years. What do you come here for? Are you looking for someone?’ He asked in a concerned tone.

    The couple looked at each other when the elderly man in a hesitant and guilty tone said,

    ‘Babuji some fifteen years back. In the same passenger train. We had left behind, three of our children, because we didn’t have money to feed them. So we come here looking for them. We shout for the elder one. Who was six then. Thinking he will remember his name and respond. But till date we have not met with any success.’

    This is poverty at its worst. It is a true story. In life we often are upset over minor things, even when God has given us everything. Remember, destiny can be extremely kind to some, and extremely harsh to some others. So thank God, for each iota of goodness that you have in your life.

                    -Nihma kv