A Daily Passenger's Dilemma

It’s rather a usual Monday morning with billions of humans using public transports and millions others in private vehicles on the road crawling towards the concrete cum glass jungles, the place they call their offices. Delhi is no exception from other metro cities in India; the only difference is that it has now got a special mode of transport called Metro Rail. But mind you, only the mode has changed here not the mentality of people who are habitual to the blue lines, earlier “life line of Delhi” (or end of life line of Delhi, LOL). It’s still the same rat race for seats and overcrowded to the extent that you can even smell what the person next to you has had in breakfast (or in dinner). 

I am lucky enough to get a seat today which was just next to the seat reserved for the elderly people. Now reservation in India is a common phenomenon these days, you can find reservation for maximum categories and those not having are fighting for it. They should now start calling it world’s largest reservation country instead of largest democracy. Ok, the reserved seat next to me was occupied by a good looking, and I suppose, college going girl (wow, I am really lucky today) with emotionless face.  I said good looking, coz a pair of blue jeans from Levis, a light yellow top “Guess” written on front side, a pair of shoes from Addidas and dark black goggles (oddly large for her face) can make anybody, good looking. (Sometimes I wonder why they don’t announce “jeans” as the national dress for girls in India, officially). Such was the charisma of this girl, I hardly noticed, a lady, probably in mid 40’s of age, extraordinarily glowing face for that age with a spring smile, sparkling eyes,  well dressed in blue sari and caring a black leather personal bag, boarded the Metro and came as close, to my seat, as she could. She didn’t ask the girl next to me for the seat as it was reserved for elderly people, perhaps she was shy to call herself elderly.

 Suddenly, I realized that the “good looking” next to me was gazing at me from behind her dark black goggles with very dirty looks as if ordering “can’t you see, a lady is standing?” “Vacant the seat”.  My heart started pounding “should I offer my seat to her?” but then I thought “why me?” being a daily commuter I know it’s really very difficult to get a seat in Metro and nobody would let it go easily. Also, she is seating on the seat reserved for elderly, she should vacant seat for her. I firmly decided not to leave my seat.

Meanwhile, the lady kept her glow and smile on her face intact and the crowd kept building up with each passing station. The auto announcement system in metro proclaimed “Next station is Rajiv Chauk, the doors will open on the right” and a current of electricity ran through, otherwise effigy like crowd. The “good looking” without raising her face whispered “is this Rajiv Chauk next?” as if asking to herself only. I replied “yes” loudly. The lady standing near to us moved a bit towards her and said “Yes, Beta! You want to get down here”. The girl nodded her head in reply.

To my surprise, the girl put one of her hands on to my thigh as if helping herself to stand up and with other hand started searching something on the other side. The lady lean forward at once and picked a white hollow stick with nodes, which was folded several times with the help a elastic band throw its hollow, and said “here it is” while handing it to her, my eyes spread wide.

The “good looking” unfolded the stick in one hand and kept the other hand in air in search of the exit door for Metro, now even my mouth wide open in shock, and the lady helped her to exit before taking the seat next to me. 

For next few moments I felt like frozen, (I think, skipped several heartbeats too) my brain stopped thinking and just kept watching her from glass pane of Metro. The lady, now sitting next to me, was still caring the same glow and smile on her face. 

Disclaimer: This short story has nothing to do with any alive or dead, it's just a work of my imagination.