Anything for the auto

Most of the blogs I write start off with the first sentence with no idea of what the rest is going to be - and then it flows based on the theme. This time I know what I gona write - word by word - because I just lived through it about an hour ago. So writing this here is a mere formality.

People who travel by train over the weekends know what I am talking about. Yes, it is the adrenalin pump and the sense of competition that surges inside passengers as they near the Bangalore Cantonment station - to beat each other to the queue for pre-paid auto. For those who dont, here's a brief introduction. Bangalore Cantonment station comes before the main Bangalore City Junction and holds the maximum crowd every monday morning. And pre-paid autos are widely used to ply around the city the most economic way. And imagine one whole train descending upon a single booth to get to these autos - yeah, now you know what I am talking about.

Some get up as early as 3 AM so they wont miss the station that is reached at 5 AM. They just cant sleep, tz the train and c'mon, tz the end of the world if you miss getting down at Cantonment. And they do everything possible to disturb co-passengers. Sinners, how could they just sleep when it's going to be Cantonment in 2 hours? But these people are the beacon lights who tell others what station it is at periodic intervals, so the latter can sleep in peace for some more time. Some of the rest less-privileged wake up at KR Puram or Bangalore East (that's at 4.30 approx). But everyone on an average is totally up and awake and alert by the time the train crosses East and reaches Bethesda Baptist Church (duno if you ever noticed this, tz more of a small cottage). Anything for the auto!

The biological clock is set that way. Most are almost crowding the entrance to the coach now so they can hop down before the train stops. Jerkins are zipped up, hand and ear-muffins are pulled up, luggages are strewn around and people smile at each other - "hi, is it gona b Cantonment or East? Oh, ok, I was just wondering if I should go take a leak, but don thnk I have time now. tz ok, i(t) can wait!". The poor soul is gona be holding on for another 1 hr till he reaches home but tz ok. Anything for the auto!

And this is when you see the strangest phenomenon! hold on! what is this? People are moving inside the train from the back coaches to the front. Jeez! You see, being in S11, they hafta walk all through, but they can as well do it before the train halts, inside the train, so they move ahead of the crowd. I tell them not to beat the engine and run in front of it (PJ, but that's the best my brain would work then). They twine and twist through the accumulated passengers and crowded entrances as far front as they could reach. Anything for the auto!

And lo! here it comes, the final destination. Those standing first are invariably in a mental state of trauma and emergency. Having beat people in their own coach, it is time now to compete with others. The inter-coach race starts and people hop out of the running train; but, hey, wait, the train is still moving faster than you. What's the use? So, the second and third in the queue, by default, are now ahead. Anything for the auto!

Today, I did not feel like fighting it out. Something told me I have to stand back and take in all the fun around. Early mornings can be real cold in Bangalore and I pulled up my jacket. With the laptop along one shoulder and a bag on the other, I moved out of the crowd to the sideways and walked slowly - deliberately. Some who rushed past me stared - Obvious, I am supposed to be running. Anything for the auto!

I decided to ignore them, and looked around at things I would have otherwise never noticed. There was a new army mini-camp setup near the station and I could see a small fire there to keep the heat up. I hummed my way along the platform and noticed a man cuddled along a bench like he had no bones. The TV showed ads of jewellery shops and health drinks and I managed to get a glimpse of my favorite model (Pavithra - even in dubbed ads, she looked awesome :P). There was a dog curled around with fur fluffed up to avoid the cold (or is it the other way round? Probably it was the cold that made its hair stand?). I was nearing the exit and thought there must be some way out to beat the crowd. Anything for the auto!

And there it was! The ticket collector! A lady roused from her sleep by the call of duty, standing at a very narrow gate and collecting the tickets from the running passengers. Most of them stop and search through their pockets or bags. And there was a wider exit with no ticket collector next to it, but none bothers to notice anyway. I make my way out through that without having to stop and almost get a place at the top of the queue. I turn back and about ten places behind, imagine who I see, the same guy who stared at me running, almost with bewildered eyes :P. Duno why, but it gave me immense pleasure. It takes me five more minutes to get the auto than it would have otherwise. And I reach home, with less tension and peace to write this blog.

Anything for the auto!