With Love from Middle Berth…

Like many other people, I too like train journey a lot. It’s a long journey, where we can have the fun of travelling and the joy of site seeing... When I got the call from my cricket team coach for the cricket match in Bangalore, I felt very happy… I heard a lot about the Bangalore’s crowd… especially Girls! So its all decided and finally the day has come… Though the train was at 9.30PM, we reached the station by 7PM itself: The BIRDS in my hometown are also as attractive as its in BangaloreJ. Finally, we got into the train… Because of the hectic rush, we got the berths in different places. I have got the berth in S10 along with my friend - Anand. He got the upper berth and me - the middle berth.
Soon after we entered, a family got into the compartment with big luggage and other stuffs. Anyone can easily understand that its a Mallu family settled in Bangalore going back after a long vacation. A middle aged person and his family – Wife, his daughter(hmm I think she is in her 10th standard) and his son who is just about 2-3 years of old also an old lady I guess she is their nanny - somewhere in 80s. They have got 3 berths in the other side and one by our side – the lower one. We passed a smile to all of them... After all they are going to be with us inside this compartment for the entire night right.. That person was very friendly in nature and soon we started off with a conversation… When her father asked us where we are going, my friend shouted loudly “we are district cricket team members and are going to Bangalore for a Cricket tournament!” Poor fellow! He felt, people will be impressed to see professional cricketers… but to his disappointment, that person responded this way – “Why you kids are wasting your life by playing cricket... Can’t you concentrate in your studies and get some good jobs…?” For this comment, his daughter passed a cute smile but did not say anything… (Hmm…she is slowly getting on to our track, we thought…) Though we were having a common discussion, only her dad and mom bothered to respond… Her grand mom was praying all this time and her naughty crooked brother, though he can’t speak anything clearly, was good at showing irritating gestures towards us... Stupid kid! :D all this while, she was just being a silent listener - as if she is a very serious person, but WHO CARES! hmm but at times she used to pass some smiles at our witty numbers… we then changed out tactics… Later time, we were trying to win her brother’s heart by offering cool drinks, ice creams and chocolates to him.. But that little devil took everything we offered but never bothered to friend with us… SHAMELESS CHEATER!

Time went past… we had dinner… still no positive response from the girl.. Ahem ahem.. Seems like a tough customer I felt… But Anand was still busy giving his last try - pretending as if he is recollecting some of his old (fake) stories (Like he hit 3 sixes in successive balls to win a match bla bla), which is his last and regular tool to impress people, especially when there are girls around.. But as usual, its of no use… no one in fact showed any interest to give any attention to those boring stories… Slowly we given up and thought of sleeping, so as that family... The girl stepped on to the upper berth and was about to sleep.. And her mom got on to the middle berth and her nanny already FLAT on the lower berth.. When her father took that naughty kid on the lower berth for sleeping, the kid started crying to get on to the middle berth, It seems he needs to touch his mom whenever he wants but is not ready to sleep with her (what a weird habit, Isn’t it?). Still his father tried his best to fit him by his mom’s side, but the kid was stubborn with his decision that he will sleep with his father only but he also want to touch her mom as well… GRR…

Then my idiot friend Anand came in for the rescue... He offered MY berth to them even without asking me! He said – “Jithu, why don’t you let them sleep on the middle berth da.. He will be happy then..” More than pleasing them, that @$$ wanted me to go totally out of that girl’s sight!! As soon as he made his announcement, her father was looking at me for a response or rather he was expecting me to get down off the middle berth, and as she was also looking at me to know what is happening, I could not say a NO in this situation and I had to say - “Ohh no problem Uncle,No prolem at all”. In my mind I was searching for new abusing words for my friend who offered my berth to that person… However, I was happy about the fact that I have got a chance to get her sympathy with my broad minded attitude... Ahem ahem…

Slowly I fell asleep and was dreaming about the film Titanic which I had watched recently… I kicked Leonardo Dicaprio out of the scenes and filled in myself for his role... Kate Winslet was very happy to see me in place of Dicaprio… Everything was perfect… James Cameron described me the scene and we were shooting all the sequences.... Meeting Rose… falling in love.. the famous spitting competition…Titanic pose… then we were getting ready for the sinking of the ship… everything was perfect.. clear sky… shining stars… but suddenly it started drizzling… I wondered, in the movie there was no rain.. then how come suddenly… PLING.. PLING… Ohh.. Few drops fell on my face as well.. ohh its really raining now and its getting stronger, I felt.. Who knows, it may give some added effects to the film than the original one.. and after all rain is the symbol of romance, so its ok with me… I was getting ready for the shot.. but then I realized, it tastes salty!

I woke up from my sleep and closed my eyes tightly to see if I were really dreaming… I slowly realized..Yes, I was dreaming all this time!! FFEWW… Yet another dream!! The ship… The ocean... Rain, James Cameron, Kate Winslet all disappeared from my mind but except one… The salty taste in my mouth… I opened my eyes… I woke up slowly.. The train was still moving smoothly with its rhythmic sound… I rubbed my eyes…. Then I realized, my face is really wet and it tasted salty!!! Somehow, I got my nerves back and woke up from the berth and switched on the lights.. Then I realized, It wasn’t the salty rain which I dreamt of… It was nothing but the naughty lil devil’s tank was leaking while he was sleeping… In simple words- That little stupid idiot PEED on me!!! “AaaaaaHHH Grrrrrrrrrrrr, What the hell is this!!” I shouted.. All in the compartment woke up.. and I was standing in the middle with wet face!!! I was speechless… His father apologized to me and said, sometimes he does so! I could not look at the side where his sister was sleeping… In midst I saw Anand - struggling to control his laughter!! Bloody bugger!!
While going towards the washbasin, I could hear his father telling the boy – “baby, Why did u PEE on his face... See he how sad he is now… never repeat it okie sweettu?” and then follows by my friend’s dialogue – “Its okie uncle... No problem.. He is just a kid na.. “

I could not do much, than cursing my fate…