[The article below is based on a true story. But it is a pure work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is a mere coincidence]
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Have you ever travelled by a train? What a stupid question, in a country of 1.2 billion residents and the current facts saying that the Indian Railways carries about 7,500 million passengers annually or more than 20 million passengers daily, it is obvious that almost everyone must have travelled by a train. But which class, sleeper, Chair car, 3rd AC, 2nd AC, or 1st AC? You know these classes have their own privileges.
But let us not get into all that. The incident I’m going to share is which forced me to write this. It left me in a confusion state between humanity and duty.
The Wikipedia definition of an AC: Air conditioning is the process of altering the properties of air (primarily temperature and humidity) to more favorable conditions. More generally, air conditioning can refer to any form of technological cooling, heating, ventilation, or disinfection that modifies the condition of air. An air conditioner (often referred to as AC) is a major or home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to change the air temperature and humidity within an area (used for cooling and sometimes heating depending on the air properties at a given time). But the Indian Railways have changed the meaning of AC and I will even hold the people equally responsible.
Okay it's time have the honors, so let’s begin. On a windy chilly night I boarded the Kerala Express from Nagpur at 9.30pm. I had booked the 3rd AC ticket for my journey till New Delhi. But when I saw the charts I found the first AC totally empty. So I went to the TC and asked him for an upgradation. After paying the required difference I got myself a seat in the 1st AC coupe of the Kerala express with a gentleman of 48-50 years of age. Now I had to behave!
“Hello Beta, I’m Mr. Pandit”
“Namaste uncle”
“What do you do in life?”
“Uncle I’m an engineering student”
“Oh nice! Which Branch?”
“Electrical and Electronics engineering”
Before he could interrogate me more, our main character of the story, the first AC attendant arrived with a newspaper, a magazine, 2 water bottles and most
importantly the bed rolls.
The train stopped at Bhopal and because it was a 2minutes halt many people jumped into the first AC coach in hurry and in the process searching for their respective coach, a young girl knocked on our door, “which side to go for A2?” Before I could even fully glance at her, “go straight, 2nd coach from here” replied the man.
Then he pressed the bell (there is a single pole single throw switch, like a light switch to call the attendant).
“haan ji sir”
“Arrange the bedding”
“Pardon me sir”
“What?”
“Sir it’s not my job to put on the bedding. I have given them to you, please set it for yourself”
I then got up, and began setting my bed sheet.
“Wait, just hold on!" Mr. Pandit told me and then shouted at the attendant, “Why will you not? Do you even know who I am?”
“Sorry sir but that’s not my job”, and he left.
And within 6-7 minutes he was back with a guilty face trying to hold Mr. Pandit's feet for an apology. I was like what happened and I could see the attendant crying “mujhe maaf kardo sahib, galati ho gayi huzoor”
Mr. Pandit was more than happy now, but with anger “you just get out of here you, otherwise I’ll kick you a** off”
“maaf kardo sahib, abhi bistar lagata hun”
“You don’t even touch the bed sheet and he caught him slapped him continuously. Left-right-left and kicked him out of the cabin and murmured to himself, “aise log duba rahe hain railways ka naam”.
The ticket collector came in no time, the attendant must have complained, and then they both abused him. The attendant looked at me for may be for some support, but I was helpless.
After he was thrown out again, the TC told Mr. Pandit “these kind of people are decreasing the status of the Royal Indian Railways”
You may find this article to be plain and might not have enjoyed the fight scene but believe me it was much more intense than I could transfer it here. Now the question arises, was it correct to harass the attendant? Was he so rude? Have these people really degraded the the name of the railways? Help me people!
