The train
was in time. I had reserved my seat well in advance. It was a comfortable
window seat. This journey was very important to me. This could be a turning
point in my life. My interview for a prospective job was scheduled for the day
next. I could have started up early the next day and reached; but I decided to
go a day in advance as I considered it necessary to have enough rest and a
sound sleep before I face the Board of interview. I was to appear before the
Staff Selection Board. The Board would have five members in it to conduct the
interview. Unexpected questions could come one after the other from any one and
therefore I was well prepared. I had been thorough on the current events. I had
done a lot of home work on all the subjects that were expected to come up. I had
referred to various guides to know how an interview would be conducted and what
could be the possible questions. My preparations had gone well. I was ready to
face the Board. I would have to establish my credentials regarding my
qualifications and previous experiences. I had all that and much more than what
was prescribed for the job. I had put all my certificates neatly in a well
secured folder, in an orderly manner. One had to only move through the pages,
like that for an album, to view the certificates. The folder was a little big
in size to accommodate some larger certificates too. It was difficult to put
the folder in the small airbag that I carried for a day’s stay. Even otherwise,
I thought it wise to keep the folder in my hand itself so that it would be
safer than the bag, which I was likely to keep away from my person. Even if the
bag gets lost, the certificates should be with me. That contained the final
output of all my efforts and all that I gained and saved thus far.
As the
train moved on, I began to concentrate on building up my confidence by
re-playing in my mind whatever preparations I had been through for the last few
days. I had completed almost a good lap of my journey when I felt the natural
call for urination. Should I carry the folder with me or leave it on the seat?
I thought for a moment and then decided on the later. It would be awkward to
carry a folder while going to the toilet. It would take only a few minutes. I
could afford to leave it on my seat, as the train was moving fast and no one
could possibly take it out and get away from the train. Otherwise also, who
would need my folder? It was, after all, a reserved compartment with only a
limited number of people in it. I felt ashamed for being over suspicious on
people. Who could be interested in your certificates man? I asked myself. I
thought of giving a word to the man seated next, but he was in a very sound
sleep. Let him. He would get annoyed, if I wake him up. All these thoughts
crossed my mind, as I left the folder on my seat and went to the toilet.
The moment
I started urinating, I felt that the train had suddenly reduced its speed.
Might be that the next station was approaching. I had to be fast and reach back
to my seat before the train could come to a stop. But my bladder seemed to be
full and I could not stop the urine flow in between. When I came out after
finishing, the train had already stopped in a station. Some of the people were
coming out from their seats to get down from the train. Some got annoyed for
blocking their way as I rushed through the narrow passage to my seat, while
they were eager to get out fast before the train moved.
To my
horror, I found that my folder was not there on my seat. I looked down on the
floor and nearby to see whether it had fallen accidentally. No, it was not
there anywhere. I looked at the man next. He was still in his slumber. I had
only one hour more journey to reach my destination. But what purpose was there
in finishing the journey with out the folder? I didn’t know what to ask and
whom to ask. I glanced through the compartment to see any one or any thing
suspicious. Every thing seemed normal for all. None even bothered to look at my
desperate face. And then I heard the long blowing of the whistle for the train
to move. I had to think fast. I had to act fast. I felt sure that some one had
picked up my folder and got down from the train. Or it could be that some one
from the platform took away the folder through the window. I felt sure that the
folder was not in the compartment. It could only be with some one outside. In a
quick move, I took my bag from underneath my seat and got down at that station.
Standing on
the platform, I looked all around me and through the people moving out. No sign
for any hope. The tail end of the train was also leaving from my sight. I sat
on a bench and thought whether I should put up a complaint with the railway
authorities or the police. That would be of no use. I kept watching the people
who remained on the platform even after the train left. Then I saw a boy in
dirty clothes crossing the rail at the far end of the platform. He was carrying
something in his hand. By seeing the size of it, I got a doubt that it could be
my folder. I ran to the end of the platform to see clearly what he was carrying
and where he was going. By the time I reached, the boy had returned running
with nothing in his hand. I became suspicious. I caught hold of him and asked
what he was carrying. In the split of a second, I had the feeling that someone
was staring at me as I held the boy. Without answering, he jumped away from me
and ran off. He ran so fast that I could not trace him to where he disappeared.
I looked at where I felt the glance on me came from. A man was standing there
alone. As I looked at him, he took away his eyes from me, kept on an
indifferent face and looked distantly. Might be he was wondering why I caught
hold of the boy.
As I sat on
a bench in dismay and without knowing what to do, I kept a watch on the man. I
did not know why. But somewhere in my mind I had a feeling that he could be of
some help to me. I badly wanted to share my misfortune with some one. Might be
someone could give me a lead, if only I talked. Might be this man could be of
some help. As I looked at him, I found him staring at me again; but looked away
when my eyes met his. Was he expecting me to talk? Looking at him, suddenly a
suspicion began to creep up in my mind. Why was he staring at me when I caught
hold of the boy? What is his interest in watching me again and again? Why was he standing there alone for such a
long time and not leaving the place at all. Was he watching my moves? I got
suspicious of him.
I went to
him. I could see a surprise flashing on his face as he looked at me for a moment.
But, quickly he gathered himself and kept on that indifferent and distant look.
My suspicion began growing. Why was he not looking at me or enquiring to me as
to what I wanted from him? I was so close looking at his face, where as he was
ignoring me and trying to remain aloof.
I decided
to talk. I said that I lost a folder from the train and that it contained all
my certificates. I told him that there was no money in it and the person who
got it would have no use with that folder. I paused to see his reaction. Was he
deaf to remain so indifferent even when I talked? No emotion over his face.
Even a deaf man would try to show that he was deaf. But this man was standing
like a post, unruffled of his surroundings. Suddenly it dawned on me that this
man could be a lead. I had to make him respond.
Quite
blatantly, I told him that I was ready to pay all the money I had if he could
return the folder to me. To my astonishment, the man slowly changed his posture
and looked at me intentionally for the first time. I felt that I might get a
good thrashing or scolding if my judgment of him went wrong. I had already lost
everything and I was ready to accept anything.
His gaze
penetrated deep into me. Then he asked quite casually as to how much money I
had on me. That was the only one simple question for which he wanted an answer.
Nothing else mattered to him. My suspicions became confirmed.
“A little
above three thousand rupees”, I replied promptly. I was lying. I had another
two hidden in an inside pocket of my pants which could be accessed by me only
after going to a toilet. I had been a victim of pick-pockets before and that
was a measure I resorted to for overcoming such exigencies.
I emptied
the inside of my pockets in front of him to make him believe. Again he gazed at
me deeply. He told me to wait on a particular bench till he returned. “Let me
find out whether my boys have got it. But meanwhile, do not tell any one. Or
else you would never get them back”, he warned.
He was back
in twenty minutes. My folder was in his hand. I gave him all the money I had in
my pocket and requested him to return some for my stay and travel. I was trying
to reduce the cost for tracking my folder. He was generous to return some money
for my travel. As for stay, he said that I could very well sleep on the
platform as they all do. Before leaving, he was magnanimous to give an advice
too. “You should learn to keep your things safely while traveling”, he said as
if to justify his actions. Probably, he himself must have picked it up and passed
it over to the boy, thinking that it might contain cash. It was not easy for a
boy to pick it up from my seat.
The mental
torture I underwent on losing my folder was much more than the tension I
carried on thinking of facing the interview board. The incident taught me to
take things to my stride. It was immaterial now whether I got the job or not. I
could always try for another. I had received all my certificates back. I was
not going to be perturbed by anything. The next day, I was sharp in time for
the interview. With exuberance brimming in my heart, I entered the room to face
the board. And yes, I had slept soundly in a comfortable room on the previous
night.
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