Saturday, April 3, 2010

The Daily Passenger

Nikita Singh,aged 28,was an IT Manager with Punjabi Fincorp. She had joined the organisation recently and after finding a house on lease at New Rajender Nagar, New Delhi was returning to her hometown, Agra, famous for Taj Mehal, Fatehpur Sikri and Red Fort.She had taken a seven days leave to bring the necessary articles to support the daily life at New Delhi.She had also decided to bring her mother for the time being to support her in this endeavour.She had booked a ticket on Malwa Express,which was sheduled to leave at 8pm. As she was new to this area,she decided to reach early at railway station. She got off the autorickshaw,hired from her office at Rajendra Place and paid rupees thirty five as fare.She took out her suitcase and pulled it on wheels to platform no.1.It was around 5pm.As there was ample time for her train to leave,she decided to kill the time by reading poems written by herself in a diary.These poems were to be evaluated by General Manager of Punjabi Fincorp to be printed later on in their monthly magazine,'ANKUR'. She started looking for a bench at the platform no.1. Soon she spotted a bench which was occupied by an elderly man,sitting cross legged,barefooted,aged around 56 years,eyes closed.His shoes and socks were lying under the bench.She sat besides him and put her suitcase under the bench silently.