May Lord look after them well

By the time I reached Ludhiana station it was almost seven past ten and the scheduled departure time of Swarn Shatabdi express train from Ludhiana to New Delhi was 6.58-PM; due to heavy traffic on the main entrance of the station, my cab driver brought me to the station from back gate and I took five minutes more to reach the platform no.1, I was hundred percent sure that I will miss the train but to my utmost surprise the train was still there at the platform; my coach number was C6 which was at the end of the train; with one soft trolley bag and laptop briefcase, I was walking very fast towards my coach and by the time I reached coach number C6 the train started, I first pushed my trolley bag inside and then climbed into the coach. By the time I was inside the coach the train had already picked-up speed. 

I slowly moved towards my seat no. 43 where two young girls were already sitting on seat no. 41 and 42 respectively with lots of luggage, one of the girls was watching a movie in her laptop, one very big bag was kept on the floor in front of foot-passage. The girl sitting next to window seat requested me to adjust and I managed to sit with them. By the time, I had caught my breath and managed to sit on my seat while keeping my left foot out on the walking passage of the floor. 

They were watching one regional movie and using one head phone each and enjoying the movie. I also opened my laptop bag, took out a book and started reading. Within half an hour the steward started serving bread-butter and tomato soup to the passengers. By the time he came to my seat, I opened the folding-table in front of me and the steward kept all the three treys on my table, because they had kept a laptop on one table and two laptop bags were lying on another table. 

I finished my soup and again started reading my book after telling the steward to serve my dinner at 8.30-PM. As we crossed Ambala station, both the girls also gave similar instructions to the serving boy and simultaneously put a big smile on their faces. Although, I was not comfortable on my seat but I could not say anything to them simply because they seem to be younger than my own daughters and I was wondering, what she would have done in similar condition and situation.

Immediately after the train left Ambala station, the steward brought food trays for us. Meanwhile, they also shut their laptop and kept it in the bag and made space to keep the food tray on their folding tables. The steward started serving the food and kept the food trays by saying: vegetable-food, both spoke together and said no-no; we want non- vegetarian-food, whereas he served me non-vegetarian-food. I suggested him to give me vegetarian-food and serve them non-vegetarian food. 

During the dinner session, we started communicating. Both of them were students of medical college, perusing MBBS course and going home to Chennai on Christmas/winter vacations. I asked them which train they will go by to Chennai because our train will reach New Delhi station at 11.05 PM at night. One of them replied and informed that they have their flight scheduled for next morning. I immediately asked a counter question, where will they stay tonight? She said, they will stay at the airport, the whole night and in the morning, they will catch the flight to Chennai. 

Some how, I was not comfortable with their travel plans; I could not control myself and told them bluntly that their plan is not fool-proof. First of all, going to the Delhi airport at mid-night by taxi all alone is not advisable, moreover, due to winter, all the morning flights have been delayed from last couple of days due to heavy fog and they may have to wait till noon to get the flight at the airport. It would have been better if they came by morning train from Ludhiana and catch late evening flight to Chennai; that would be really safest and best bet. The girl sitting near the window seat (Ms. Revathi) told me that her father also suggested the similar road-map but Ms. Manupriya (the girl sitting next to me) wanted to reach home in the morning hence this plan.

I was getting very upset and worried about them and was not comfortable with their travel plan; I was more concerned about their safety and security. How will they stay all alone at the airport whole-night during winter time, on top of it, travelling in taxi from Delhi to Terminal-3 International airport will be hazardous for them, but I was feeling helpless. Neither was I their parent nor guardian, how can I interfere in their matter, no-no, its bad manners, if they shut-me off or told me to mind my own business then what? They are grown up girls, doing their MBBS, seems to me very intelligent, matured and smart, so I thought that everything will be alright, and I started concentrating on my book. 

We reached at platform no. 8 of New Delhi station at 11.30-PM, the outside temperature was around 8 degree Celsius at night and the chilled wind was blowing harshly. I suggested the girls not to go to the airport at night; instead, they can wait at the railway station’s waiting room on platform number-one and go to the airport in the morning by bus or paid-taxi and before leaving the station they can also check the departure time of their respective flights to Chennai. 

As a matter of fact, I wanted them to come along with me to my place at Gurgaon, they would have stayed with my wife and daughters at night and I would have dropped them at the airport in the morning, but I could not express my thought to them due to being a stranger to them and lots of hesitation, but inside, I was not comfortable, calm and quiet. I wish, if my wife or daughters would have been with me at that moment, maybe, they could have trusted me and accepted my advice. Before leaving the platform, I again wished them safe journey and proceeded towards exit gate where my car-driver was waiting for me.  

I spoke to my wife and told her that I am on my way to home and sat in the car. I came back after four days visit to Jalandhar and Ludhiana cities of Punjab state. I was going back to my home to be with my wife and daughters but I was not very happy. Because, physically I was here but my mind, heart and soul were very much with those two angels whom I had left alone at the station, in this winter night. They came so far from their homes for study purpose. Since Christmas is round the corner, therefore I decided to offer my prayers to Baba ji and Jesus Christ to look after those two angels and make all the necessary arrangements so that they can reach home safe and sound on the Christmas-eve, Amen! Merry-Christmas!!  

With Prayers

Gurcharan