Bus ride !
Its 7:15 in the morning and i am scurrying down the stairs. The exigency of the situation entails that i make it to the bus-stop in another 15 seconds. The bus cannot be missed. School starts at 7:30 and its a 15 min ride in the bus from home to school. Thus with only, Rs.10 in the pocket, this is a do or die situation. Forget formalities, i jump across the wall and rush to the end of the lane to see the bus just arriving at the bus stop. I stare for a couple of seconds and then realization dawns, and i sprint across to the bus-stop. With curious onlookers, i have only one destination in mind at the moment, the back door of that bus. And as i put on a burst of speed trying to reach the bus in time, it starts moving, accelerating slowly and then gathering speed as it moves.but as luck would have it, an auto,the blessed soul, wheels right into its path, and the bus screeches to a halt. That's enough time for me, as i scamper up the stairs of the bus. Panting and out of wind like a dog sticking his tongue out, i give the conductor the weirdest smile i could ever muster and tell her, "Pass" and pull out a weird looking piece of paper that's been through a million incinerators but is still together due to some weird attractive forces of nature. Shes puzzled and scrutinizes it delicately albeit thoroughly. With a stupefied look on her face and an incessant muttering about how these kids never learn, she reluctantly hands back the pass to me and allows me to travel in the bus. The look on her face tells me, "Next time, I'll catch u, buster!"
Again its 1:45 in the afternoon and the schools finished for the day. Its going-home-time! A bunch of us take the walk to the famous bus station near school. At 2:00 everyday, there is a direct bus to my place. So we hurry up. Its 1:57 by the time we reach the bus station and we look around. There are a couple of buses waiting to leave. Ah ! We did make it in time after all. Phew.
Being the lazy bums we are, we stand at the exit of the bus station hoping to get into the bus, ala Cheetah style or 'running bus' as its called here. As the buses start, i realize its not the one I want. Oh shit ! my bus has left ! Crap, why was i late again. Cursing myself and feeling the pit of my stomach fall down a ravenous cliff, I start to walk back to the bus-stand. As I'm halfway down I hear a couple of mates shouting. My bus,the one i wanted to get into,was actually hidden behind the trees! It hadn't left after all without its most valuable asset ;) Its a 100m walk to the exit and before I know the bus is already there, and I again start sprinting towards it. This time, i have my classmates to egg me on as the bus starts moving and unfortunately no auto guy wants to help me out this time :( So as I run harder, I can barely reach the handle inside the rear door of the bus, and then my friend offers his hand to me, but no, i grab the handle in a perilous move, which could have led to disastrous consequences but luckily doesn't, and I heave myself aboard the bus. Phew ! What an effort !!
That was the daily routine of my life in high school. Travelling to school was fun. Getting into buses carrying those loaded backpacks and running behind them. Trying to get into the bus acrobatically and getting off with an equally elaborate stunt are memories that will remain etched forever.
And thinking thus, i boarded an RTC bus after a looooong time today. The sights and sounds of it are inimitable. Last time i boarded one was waaay back, maybe 2 years ago. Nothing has changed. The seats are the same, the noises,the tickets, the costs, the jostling and shoving for seats-not a single thing has changed. The drivers of the 'Metro Express' buses are as arrogant as ever and dont bother stopping near my house. Incidents where my pleas have fallen on deaf ears are still fresh in memory. I always thought these drivers to be heartless and today nothing has changed this ( they are highly sexist though. all it takes is a female to request them and the brakes are automatically depressed as a reflex action. Wonder who makes vehicles like that )
Thus with that in mind, i climb into a bus and make sure i get a seat. Theres one seat left in the mens section and i am lucky to beat this ruffian to it. He glares at me and if eyes could shoot, then his eyes would have blown me to smithereens. Then starts off the rickety old ride which is more tickety than rickety. The next stop i see this old man with a walking stick climb into the bus and search for a seat but alas theres none. And me being selfish, sit there waiting for someone to be the good samaritan. But morons, none ever bothers, they are all immersed in their own world of comfort inside the bus and none wants to sacrifice his place. So reluctantly, i give up my place to this person and the look on his face told me, i did the right thing :) His thank you interlaced with the toothless smile made my day ! He sat down while i stood all the way to my stop.
As i got off and walked to my destination, i was left with this joyous feeling of accomplishing something remarkable.
And then the clouds opened up, and as i find my car in the garage, the trip is forgotten.
ps. Now playing.... Ronan Keating :)
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
theres a truth in your eyes saying you’ll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you’ll catch me if ever I fall
You say it best when you say nothing at all
