I get into the ladies' coach.
My mum who stays back at my aunt's must have been anxious. That is how she is. I always increase her anxiety quotient. The coach is full, nowhere a place to sit. A little later, comes a woman and asks to all who have been sitting about their destinations. And then come others doing the same. She doesnt ask through words but a sound like "chtchchth' They have booked their places. The train is in motion. It arrives at the next stop. And I see, a sea of females getting pushed inside the coach. A thought crosses my mind. " Life is a struggle". And this stands true for all of us, whoever we are, wherever we are. We all are struggling in life. But this extra struggle that forms part of Bombay life adds to my charm for the city and for the residents, they have no choice but to internalize it. I have a smile on my face because I am in the lifeline of Bombay i.e. the local train. In the meanwhile, the lady sitting in front of me gets up. The train is approaching her stop. The lady sitting next to her offers me to sit. But I have no right to take that seat as I had not told her that beforehand but someone else had. So i tell her that it is not for me but for her. And I still remain standing. But this girl had asked a few more and had allotted multiple places. So she informs me that I can take the seat when this other woman gets up. So, this other woman gets up and I am all set to take that one. This lady had been sitting in the middle, so I assume that I need to sit exactly where she had been. But before I can even think, the lady of the corner shifts inside and gives me her corner instead, which I take.
It is just the edge of the bench. Not very comfortable it is for me. I sit there for a while. I see some other women doing the same. The moment somebody gets up, all of them shift one place and by default one has to start from the edge.
So I am now equipped with one of the etiquettes required to take a seat in Bombay local. Great!
My mum who stays back at my aunt's must have been anxious. That is how she is. I always increase her anxiety quotient. The coach is full, nowhere a place to sit. A little later, comes a woman and asks to all who have been sitting about their destinations. And then come others doing the same. She doesnt ask through words but a sound like "chtchchth' They have booked their places. The train is in motion. It arrives at the next stop. And I see, a sea of females getting pushed inside the coach. A thought crosses my mind. " Life is a struggle". And this stands true for all of us, whoever we are, wherever we are. We all are struggling in life. But this extra struggle that forms part of Bombay life adds to my charm for the city and for the residents, they have no choice but to internalize it. I have a smile on my face because I am in the lifeline of Bombay i.e. the local train. In the meanwhile, the lady sitting in front of me gets up. The train is approaching her stop. The lady sitting next to her offers me to sit. But I have no right to take that seat as I had not told her that beforehand but someone else had. So i tell her that it is not for me but for her. And I still remain standing. But this girl had asked a few more and had allotted multiple places. So she informs me that I can take the seat when this other woman gets up. So, this other woman gets up and I am all set to take that one. This lady had been sitting in the middle, so I assume that I need to sit exactly where she had been. But before I can even think, the lady of the corner shifts inside and gives me her corner instead, which I take.
It is just the edge of the bench. Not very comfortable it is for me. I sit there for a while. I see some other women doing the same. The moment somebody gets up, all of them shift one place and by default one has to start from the edge.
So I am now equipped with one of the etiquettes required to take a seat in Bombay local. Great!
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