THE STRANGER ON THE TRAIN

                                                                    




Year 2004.
It was raining heavily. we had just come back from our trip to Delhi. We had gone to live with my uncle in the Defence and go around all the touristy places in Delhi. I had a wonderful time with my sibling and cousins but little did i know, that there was something more for me in the kitty.

                                                              That day, i got my first ever letter, sent on my name. For a  child like me,  with no friends out of the station who could write letters to me, it was a little fascinating. First letters, first paychecks, first cards are always memorable. My parents at home wondered where i'd get it from, or was it any kind of anthrax.... . is it a letter from lashkar e tayaba, are we all going to die.....parents you know !!

                                                                       I then recalled a sweet and memorable encounter with a stranger on the train to Delhi earlier that month.  The upper berth was my most desired place of dwelling. So , as soon as we got into the train, i hopped on to my berth and started reading some story book (consciously trying to copy other adults on the train). After a while, i found myself indulging in  a heartful chit chat with the neighbourly stranger .
                                                                     
                                                                  We talked  for hours (of course hiding from my parents because of the "you cannot talk to a stranger" rule), about my school, friends, curriculum, his college, and why he was going to Delhi. That guy, i remember,  was  around 21- 22 years old, fresh out of engineering college, travelling to Delhi for job interview.
                                                               
                                                                   We were so into conversation, hours had passed and i didn't even realize telling him about my assignments or my schoolwork . I always liked talking to new humans. Then, we spoke about our return journeys and surprisingly we had booked the same train . we thought we'll meet again on our journey back home. You know, we all know some things wont happen, but...are just very comforting to say. But we never met again.
                                                                    So, coming back to the letter. Apparently, i had told him that i had an assignment where i had to stick pictures of different kinds of turtles in my English subject. We , at that time didn't have a computer of a cell phone. And we were not posted in a metro city. So, for me, getting a colored copy of turtles was a huge task. I had asked him if he could help me with it.                                                                                                                                                  The letter had two beautiful colorful copies of  turtles i had ever seen in my life. For a child of 10, who had never been taken seriously in life, that was a moment of acknowledgement and it made me feel really worthy.  along with it, he had sent me an amusing piece of  writing, wishing me luck and where i can find him to be in touch. SAD PART is, i lost the piece of paper.




Dear stranger, wherever you are, this gesture of yours will always be remembered. I will be pleased to meet you in person and would love to gift you the real pictures ( not photocopy :P ) of all the captivating birds i've kept for you from my instax. !!!


I've realized that life, is a beautiful collection of memories. And that, memories should be cherished as long as we don't have dementia. Happy memories !!

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