3) Lady in the train

I had to rejoin the barracks after my year end vacation in Chennai and boarded the Tamilnadu express for Ambala Cantt.

It’s a late night train and the northeast showers made reaching the station an adventure; puddles everywhere and the baggage getting wet. I found my seat in S -6 and lost no time in making my bed on the upper side berth. As the train departed, we arranged the suitcases and baggage before exchanging courtesies.

A rotund lady dressed in a saree and spotting a big bindi was traveling with her teenage daughter and a 2 year old son and her aged father to Delhi enroute to joining her husband in Muscat.

We made small talk and she was glad to know that I was from the services. She humoured along,” I was classical dancer before marriage and now I am so fat” in that easy, flowing, South Indian charm. The perky girl introduced too, “I am Anita studying in 9th standard in an Indian school at Muscat and this is my brother Vijay”, indicating the infant on her lap. As to her dad, he was morose and content keeping to himself.

Traveling in his train is a long exercise in patience with the journey time a little less than 36 hours. I helped them fill up water bottles in stations and exchanged magazines as the day wore on.

Anita doted on the baby that I couldn’t help comment to the lady,” Seems very fond of her brother”.

The lady’s face turned grave and spoke after a long silence. She seemed to be waging an inner turmoil as she muttered,” You might wonder as the age difference between them. Anita had a younger brother Ajay. He was the most loving son any parent could wish for. He was 2 years younger to Anita and severely afflicted by diabetes.
He couldn’t play on the grounds like other boys and couldn’t even attend those birthday parties. He was having insulin injections sometimes twice a day and yet he was so cheerful and loving. He would always hug me and was such an obedient child. When he was 7 he passed away, a shock we have still not recovered from”, she said to a flow of tears.

“Even now, we cannot forget his smile and mannerisms. He was so special and amiable that the entire neighbourhood grew close knit”.

“It was then this baby was conceived. When Vijay had a haircut today, my father cried at the resemblance. We think that it is Ajay who has returned victoriously as Vijay”.

I was moved by the poignant tale. We became friendlier after this narration and as the train reached Itarsi, my nose was a running river. She seemed to be carrying a pharmacy and helped me to a Actifed. I slept soundly and woke up at Delhi station with a dry nose.

Her husband came to receive the family and we briefly shook hands. I said,” It’s a wonderful family and it’s my privilege to know you all”.
She said,” you are kind and the country is safe under such officers”.

I said as we parted,” To die protecting a country that has such sisters is always a pleasure”.