When l met a Finicky Young Lady...

I recall one of my train excursions from back in the day. It was a sunny summer day in 1972 when I boarded the "KP" express bound for Sitapur, Lucknow. Moreover, there was the encounter with a strange, fussy lady around 24, with a dusky complexion, sculpted form that was twine-thin, pencil-shaped eyebrows that looked down on sweeping eyelashes, and she was approximately 24. She was seating right next to me.

The train was scheduled to arrive at the station's central terminal. She was stumbling about, trying to reach her railway cabin as quickly as possible. She eventually came upon train coach SL-4 and was able to swiftly match her ticket number to the cabin number on the train car.

Panting and squeezing into the railway with her heavy bags. She was about to go on her first train excursion, something she was quite excited about. Traveling by train was not a pleasant experience for her. After taking a quick check at the seat, she hurriedly sat down next to me and gave me a strange look.

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A little while after sitting, I glimpsed at her and said -"Are you having trouble sitting?"

"Think nothing of it," she replied.

"Are you also going to Lucknow?"

"No, Sitapur," she said with negligence.

"What is the reason for your trip?"

"Get the prospect of new things occurring & to be a guest at the marriage ceremony." (She was sick on a long inspection).

"I am going home for vacation," replied without asking anything, by setting himself conveniently.

(She became restless while staring at a scruffy elderly guy on a crowded train.)

In spite of this, the young guy recognized from her facial expressions that she was distasteful to him).

"Don't you love train travel?"

"No, not at all. There are so many kinds of reasons why a packed train can be so miserable. Being pressed up against a smelly armpit is disgusting" ( She threw into sharp relief).

"But I have been an avid supporter of train journeys since childhood."

"Most of the passengers who travel in trains are nasty and good-for-nothing", she grimaced.

"It's rude to point at anyone. They come from different states, who are going somewhere to run their everyday life."

Never expect them to be dressed up in a certain way, like the way you judged not acceptable" (the young man tried to change her opinion & and general conversations were seemed to transform into a personal heated debate)

Ignored his point and asked -  "By the way, what are you doing with your life?"

" Certified as a Bachelors in Humanities."

"Oh! sounds pretty good." (inadvertently, she was engaging with him)

"And what about you?" 

"Postgraduate in biotechnology."

On her positive response, the young man gazed in appreciation.

"So now, what are you planning for the next," she asked in a formal way.

"It has a long way to go in planning and preservation to be successful", he said.

" Maybe get married by this year."

"And you?"

 (Affirmed with such fervor & his eyes were filled with love)

"I'm getting hitched next month."

(On seeing the young man being freed, she got perplexed and lied)

"That's nice" (Felt like saying "not-so-nice").

"What does your fiance do?"

"May not be good to disclose much with strangers at all,” (she reminded him of his limitations).

Found her somewhat discourteous, said maneuvering himself - "Alright, no problem, respect your privacy."

"I like the sense of humor of a grownup woman like you," (he was willing to prolong the conversation...).

"But, the men are unwise who applaud women for anything” ( she said scornfully & in an imprudent manner).

The train then came to a halt at the next station. She stared out via her side window as a coconut vendor and a tea vendor entered the train.

When the tea vendor drew near to Youngman, he requested a cup of tea.

"Hello, give me a cup of tea."

The tea-seller started preparing & removing the cup from his cup holder, which was made of iron wire in a square shape with a moveable shaft, consisting of a number of small spaces of the identical shape. Those square spaces kept small cups of tea in them.

(Then he picked up a small cup, poured the hot tea from a tin kettle, and served the young man with his wrinkled hands).

"How much is this tea?"

"Twenty Cents (12 Rupees INR),'' said the tea-seller.

"It's disgusting to have tea from such a dump site, instead, things are clean with a tea that tastes good on its own, at home".

"You are unaware that having tea from such places is amusing," the young man replied, & smiling indifferently.

" Didn't you see, he did not even take care of his shabby hands?

The young man said calmly, there are two advantages to having tea on the train, one it makes you energetic, and the other the poor tea-seller makes some income.

"What’s the hell energetic, how can you say that?" 

The young guy was hit by another blast of an annoying tone and decided it was best to keep quiet for the time being. Despite this, she feigned to despise him, but the way he spoke drew her into his world. She was so preoccupied with dodging and arguing with him that she didn't know how the four-hour travel had gone.

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The train had arrived at her station, and she hurriedly collected her belongings before turning to face the young guy. After shaking his hand, she added coldly, "I haven't liked traveling with you at all." The replies she gave didn't seem that she really hates men...

After she had departed, the young guy had the sensation that something sticky, low-thickness, and high-opacity... was in his warm hand as he was shaking his soul. When he opened his hand, he discovered a little chit. When I opened it, the message said, "Please phone me at 01436723456 as soon as possible."

He exhaled a breath of relief & his heart was pounding with happiness - "What a day."

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