Traveling by Indian railways has been the norm in my family. The most trusted transport for long distance. Howsoever crowded and unhygienic the surroundings are; it has always been a pleasure looking out of the barred window. Passing by villagers, office goers, street hawkers say a new story. As if, I get an instant insight into their brains or their daily problems.
Same way I can’t forget a story of a small town boy Manu. Guntur is a station in Andhra where just before reaching the station, the train was given a red light. Stopped on the outskirts of the small town, I could see men sitting under the Pipal tree and boys in Khaki and whites, rolling their cycle tyres, somewhere a dog barking and the hot afternoon sun high on our heads. And there was Manu pedaling down faster and faster to reach to his new friend from the choir. A smile on his face, he was sure that today he will get an answer from Vidya.
Government High school at Guntur was blessed with the entry of a newcomer into the XI standard. Her name was Vidya Chowdhary and she had moved from Secunderabad with her family because of her father’s transfer to Guntur Post office. It seems that all the boys of her class were in love with her. And when she passed the corridors, she could feel a hundred eyes tracing her steps. Manu amongst them; was sure that she would not have missed him, when he actually held his heart and gave her the best of smiles when she glanced through her side and decided to move on.
From then on, he made sure he got up for the first mass on Sunday with his mother. Vidya would be there too, in her best Sunday clothes singing with her choir mates. Manu always wondered why he could never inherit his mother’s talent of singing. That way an entry into the choir would have been easy. Now he had specially arranged to be friends with Vijay, Vidya’s cousin. This was the only way to get her to agree; and a favour once in a while helped Vijay to share Manu’s cricket set and access the senior league at school.
After almost a month of eye glances, flirtatious smiles Manu decided to move on. He had employed Vijay to get the job done, and today he was sure she will give a favourable response. So this afternoon, he was cycling down to meet him at the football ground. Vijay was there already and had some other news to tell. Vidya was leaving soon for a retreat centre with her parents for a fortnight. Oh, leaving Guntur without any response is disappointing, thought Manu. That night was very difficult, and around dawn when Manu got up he knew, what he had to do. Without telling anyone he rushed to Vijay’s house. Vijay was brushing his teeth lethargically, sitting on his stool at the sink outside. He shared a plan with Vijay which was to be told to Vidya too.
And finally the day came. Manu was up by 5.30am and ready with his promised red rose, very thoughtfully plucked from Mary akka’s garden. The train from Pota will arrive at 8.oo am, but incase it arrived earlier, no chances could be left out. Vijay also came along and all what was left was the red passenger train carrying the red dressed vidya. Yes, that was the plan. If she agrees to his companionship, she should wear Red. Manu was tensed about the outcome and discussed his presence. It was better to hide among the crowd and wait. May be she feels shy to show up. After the announcement of train, the heartbeats were as loud as the train’s shunting. The bespectacled, pencil moustached Mr. Chowdhary was the first one to be spotted. And oh! there followed a group of kulis, milkman coming from the city, old women in bright Kancheepurams visiting their far off cousin’s wedding, chaiwalla, fruitseller and many more. Mr. Chowdhary accompanied with his son Shyam headed straight to Vijay who was speechless to reason out, about his visit to the station on a school day. After sometime, the station was calm as ever and Manu came out, all this time he was just an observer with a hundred questions running in his mind. What happened to her? Is she okay? Doesn’t she like him?
Taking a seat at the iron bench nearby, he helped his welling tears that is when Vijay gave him a letter. Vijay told that Vidya’s grandmother stayed at the previous station and both she and her mother had alighted there on her insistence.
The letter had a single line written on it “I don’t have a Red dress”. There was no end to the joyous shouts Manu gave out.
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