Sundays have always been hectic, since I have started working. Those cosy late mornings, bunking the lecture, skipping the lunch, all have suddenly vanished in blue. Life has changed, I have changed. Now I am among those people who get up at dot 7.30, sometimes fighting for 5 more minutes of sleep, getting ready and walking through the herd of human cattle at Andheri station, then gasping to breath to get into the local and secure a seat. Frankly life was good from the other side of the bridge.
It was 13th June, and I had to travel all the way down to Mulund, to meet my relatives. Had to get up early, so that I reach early and get back early too. Thus commenced my Sunday morning and the entire day went on good, with lots of talks and food. While coming back in the evening, I boarded a semi crowded local for Dadar and luckily got a fourth seat (well can be unlucky to as I was barely able to sit besides the two fat ladies). I was struggling hard to sit, fidgeting as much as I can to make the ladies shift a bit. Finally when I won the battle and was smiling at my laurels, I figured out a little angel dawdling behind a lady. But of course the lady making faces and looking at her angrily as her head would bump into her. Poor thing, the little girl was sleepy, and had to control her and in that crowd she can't even reach out to her mother.
Frankly even I started feeling sleepy now, looking at this drama for last 15 minutes. I wondered life was so different initially. There were no responsibilities and deadlines. But above all there were no tensions. Sleep when you want to, get up when you want to, eat live and be merry. All that my parents expected from me is to see me smiling all time.
Well coming back to the Sunday and the train, the little girl finally realised me noticing her. She looked at me for a few seconds and I smiled at her. I expected a smile in return but instead got a grim look (I tell you, even kids today have ego problems). She must be thinking I am mocking on her predicament of not being able to sleep. But baccha I pitied you and me too because after your grim look you indeed mesmerized me and now even I was following you towards the dreamland.
My eyes were now watery, they wanted to close and I felt they were heavy enough to remain open. But I can't sleep. It was against my principle I thought (as I always wondered how someone can sleep anywhere and everywhere). I felt like cursing this little angel. Wondered did she have any sort of power to hypnotize?
I struggled for almost five minutes (believe me it was very difficult) when the train got a bit vacated at Kurla and I shifted in the third place. Suddenly, the girl got up and went to her mom sitting in front making a 45 degree angle from the point where she was sitting initially. There she lay peacefully in her mom's arms. I felt jealous and for the first time missed my mom's lap so badly. But I was happy for her. I closed my eyes and sat till Dadar arrived and then before unboarding, I looked at her again. Now she smiled but the situation changed as now I stood in her shoes. I felt she was mocking now over my plight of being so away from my home, my mom. But as my duty of being elder to her, I smiled back and waved her a good bye.
