Monday Morning

After a tired weekend, got up unusually earlier (tat was 8.30AM) than a usual Monday morning. I could still feel the tiredness in me, but slowly managed to got up and settle down.

Gotta reach to office earlier, to check out the feedback after the work delivery which happened on Friday. After the huge shock of seeing the SA-Aus match result on the Newspaper, I found myself preparing for the office slower than usual. This is the first time in life, I'm feeling like bunking office and sleep the whole day or better watch the India-England match. Ohh!

Within an hour or so, I was rushing to the railway station to catch the local EMU train to office.While climbing the stairs i could very well see that i have missed my usual 9.50 train, just moving out.Next train in 10 mins...but...I have to get my season ticket before that.

Huge queue on the counter :( painfully long to the legs..esp. I'm standing on sixth in line, when the announcement came, "Next train to Chennai Beach will arrive shortly". I know it would usually take 10 to 12 more mins after that first announcement. However still impatient I was moving zig-zag, jumping up and trying all possible ways to peep into the counter while that guy was taking undoubtedly long time to issue even a single seaon ticket.

9,8,7...4 mins still for the train to come, by my guess. I'm standing 3rd in the line now, thanks to the opening of the adjacent ticket counter. However by this time I have found the reason for the delay - even season ticket issuing has now been computerized. Earlier the guy at the counter would take a standard post card like thing (standard template for every other station along with the rates imprinted), mark the validity period and may sometime write down the ticket holder's name. Otherwise we write it down ourself. Less than a minute job. Blindingly fast !! Now i could see him searching and typing something.

I could see the train approaching. 2 more mins it will enter the station. The guy before me is done. I'm giving the amount now. "First Class - Quarterly to Kodambakkam, quick sir". He starred at me..no reply. I know for sure that if i miss this train, 10.20 is the next one. Worser than that is the pain of missing a train narrowly. "God damn!..won't u do that quicker ?"

He was searching for keys, almost 30 secs before he keys in the current and the expiry date. Starting station, Destination.. "K..O..D..A..M..B..A..K..K..A..M". Oh!, my mom types faster than that. Few more entries, god knows what he did. The train is already on platform."Man, I'm missing this train".
"Sriram is your name Sir?". "enna kodumai da"... I corrected, and worser than that he wanted me to spell my name. He finally pressed a button and the printer made a hissing sound. Afterall, the printer was faster than I expected.

The ticket is now a small chit, very similar to how the Long running trains issue on online reservation. But why for season tickets? Now the TTE is sure to take more time checking for the right tickets on the crowded mornings. Earlier there was clear difference between the Second Class and First Class tickets, with the former in Yellow color and the later in Green. Vat an improvement in quality and speed. Laloo prasad Yaadav ki Jai..!

I turned back, hearing the gaurd signalling a whistle. Luckily i'm exactly front of the First Class compartment and the train just about to move. Can I make it?? A voice disturbed. "Here is your change sir", came a hand along with the small chit. I half- handedly gripped the ticket and the change. Come on rush..you can do it.

Just before seconds i gripped my ticket and moved out of the queue, i heard the announcement "Next train to Tambaram will arrive shortly", and the guy who was standing next to me on the line till now was shouting at the counter.."Sir seekiram, Oru Sanatorium Monthly". No reply as usual, or probably I was already on the train and heard nothing else of their conversation.