WHAT TO DO?- II

 CONTINUATION ...FROM  - I

In fact, I do not understand his English, though I am 1969 SSLC. In those days teachers would break our knuckles if we didn’t learn. But in College you will not beat the boys-no? Nothing helps like beating sir”. For once we are unable to concur or contradict. By now another on-looker, the third in the opposite row, has studied us and takes upon himself the role of a learned judge and proclaims, “Like what Kundrakkudi Adigalar said education should be changed, sir. Unfortunately, Indira Gandhi died unexpectedly; otherwise, that lady would have reformed education”. Suddenly sensing danger, our first acquaintance asks us, “Sir has Dindigul gone? See, we lost track of everything in our absorbing conversation. We never understand the loss of time while talking to educated people”. We are deeply confused as to whom he refers to as educated. Now he assigns us a serious responsibility. “Please look after my back [the reference is to his bag]. My friend is in S8[we are in S 1]   I will come back in 10 minutes”. He flips an ‘out of context’ question—“you need anything?” We nod in the negative. “Please wait, I will bring something” and our friend moves off leaving the place vacant and silent. Now springs up the ticket examiner asking for the occupant of the vacant seat, eager to fill it up. We try telling him that the person would come back after a while. “I will be in S-12; ask him to come there” says the TTE and vanishes. Thus pass the early 2+ hours of travel. Now, our lateral neighbour decides to eat and calls up “Meenachi, Meenachi”. The volume of noise gives the impression of his appealing to Goddess Meenakshi for food. From nowhere appears a stocky lady with a big vermilion [kumkum] on the centre of her forehead and quickly heaps over half-a dozen Idlies with the necessary additives before our neighbour. With a superb footwork, our neighbour effortlessly angles himself, hiding the idlies from public view. In a couple of minutes, the lady again downloads a few more idlies. Our neighbour quickly devours all of them and signals the end of it with a belch. Unlike the other intruders, our neighbour opens his mouth only for self-enrichment by eating. With him we are safe and free from any embarrassment like having to teach History and Science at college. But a different form of disturbance is in store for us a little later. Now, our first acquaintance comes back with a 10 year old boy and makes him sit near the window availing of the space tentatively open as the occupant has gone for a face wash. All seats are full. The deeply fermented idlies make our neighbour an embodiment of stoic silence, being possessed by sleep. The rocking train adds to the lullaby and in seconds our man hangs his head [not in any shame of course]. Soon the narrow seat and its open end towards the gangway make our man conscious of the fall-- imminent.  TO CONTINUE