Gods of smaller things !!!

I never thought the 3rd post for this year will actually be something like reporting a misadventure. But I've got to share this with you all...before my memory fades out the minute details :)

I was in Chennai for the last couple of days, to attend a cousin's wedding yesterday.. and of course, as usual, time just flew by, dotted with visiting ailing aunts, one condolence visit, meeting all the cousins and checking out all the house ceremonies that were missed... etc etc.. this time around.. there was no time for even the Beach :(..... unfortunately, my pending visits list still stands incomplete and I could not even call my friends.... :( sorry guys...

Yesterday night, finally after attending the wedding reception, I managed to rush and take the train to Bangalore. I was travelling alone with Ajay and we were taking the train after a very long time ( The Hosur - Chennai highway is so cool that we got so used to driving down to Chennai frequently in less than 5 hours). The train was scheduled to reach Bangalore city at 4.30 in the morning, so we slept early, nicely tugged under our bedsheets and jackets.

Then I did something which I never did in my life before. Some one woke me up at 5.00 asking for their berth & I realised to my horror that we missed getting down at Bangalore :). I had not realised that my entire compartment was for Mysore quota and not one soul had stirred in their sleep. No lights were on and no commotion to wake me up till it was too late. After collecting my bags and shaking up Ajju awake, I went in search of the TTE who promised to give me a wake up alert :). Three compartments in a row, I saw only sleeping passengers and no sign of TTE. Finally, I found a gentleman standing at a door and asked about the next stop. He was nice enough to caution me not to get down at the next stop which was 10 minutes away as it was too dark and it might be difficult to even get buses back as it was a small town. So I stood talking to him, braving the cold , calling up Krishu and holding on to Ajju who was still trying to sleep in a standing posture. Then he helped me get down at a place which was like an hour and a half from Bangalore and gave me all the directions to go back . Ajju & me made our way to the station master to find out if there was any return train and I kind of found it weird all through. The station master was another gentleman I came across today. After getting to know that I was travelling alone with my son, he was really nice to come out with me to find a safe auto and told the driver to take me to the Bus stand. All kinds of things flashed through my mind as I took the auto through the lonely & dark roads though it was just 1 KM...( I even thought how Kareena must have felt in JWM). The auto driver even made sure that he waited with us till we managed to board a Bangalore bound bus. As I saw the break of dawn, while I travelled back, I could not help but think of all the strangers who helped me just like that... they didn't know me, I had never met them before, I don't even know their names even now, but they helped me without knowing what & who I am... this may not be a major thing, but for me, they made a difference....thankfully... there are still a few people around....Gods of smaller things !!!