Waiting List: Purgatory on Earth
When my friend told me that I was on a waiting list number of 13, for the Second A/C berth to Kerala, I was cool. I thought that was a small number, thinking that within 10 days it would clear up.
Boy, how wrong was I? The second A/C carriage is just one, with hardly about 20 passengers.
It's only when I stepped into the carriage, that I realised that I was as good as someone with no ticket at all, the kind that gets kicked off at the next station.
So why Purgatory?
Well, Purgatory is this place between Heaven and Hell, where you get judged on whether you go up (Heaven), or down (Hell). Of course, till we actually reach there, but once we do, that's when all hell (not literally, at least not yet :p )breaks loose.
You look for the nearest person who shows a little sympathy, and maybe offers you Hope, Hope that there is a side door somewhere which will get you on the list, someone who can bypass all this stress and just get you in.
Well, at least in my case, there was just the ticket collector, who knew of course, that the biggest plight of a passenger on a 31 hour train journey, is where does he sleep those two nights.
Thankfully, the ticket collector took me to a bed which was vacant till 3.30 in the morning.
I was like "What do I do after that?" That's when I saw a bit of Hell in his eyes, and realised being at his mercy, I should back off, and hope that the guy who comes at 3.30 a.m. is more merciful.
Well, 3.30 a.m. showed it's ugly head, and that's when I realised that I got lucky yet again, for the passenger let me sleep it off, while he had his few nips.
My brush with Purgatory, was close. Next time, I make sure the ticket collector is on my side, along with the rest of the world.
You, my friend, must learn from this.
Never, ever , never, get a waiting list ticket for the second class A/C.
Unless it is a number 6 on the way to Goa :P Now that was Heaven! :D
Boy, how wrong was I? The second A/C carriage is just one, with hardly about 20 passengers.
It's only when I stepped into the carriage, that I realised that I was as good as someone with no ticket at all, the kind that gets kicked off at the next station.
So why Purgatory?
Well, Purgatory is this place between Heaven and Hell, where you get judged on whether you go up (Heaven), or down (Hell). Of course, till we actually reach there, but once we do, that's when all hell (not literally, at least not yet :p )breaks loose.
You look for the nearest person who shows a little sympathy, and maybe offers you Hope, Hope that there is a side door somewhere which will get you on the list, someone who can bypass all this stress and just get you in.
Well, at least in my case, there was just the ticket collector, who knew of course, that the biggest plight of a passenger on a 31 hour train journey, is where does he sleep those two nights.
Thankfully, the ticket collector took me to a bed which was vacant till 3.30 in the morning.
I was like "What do I do after that?" That's when I saw a bit of Hell in his eyes, and realised being at his mercy, I should back off, and hope that the guy who comes at 3.30 a.m. is more merciful.
Well, 3.30 a.m. showed it's ugly head, and that's when I realised that I got lucky yet again, for the passenger let me sleep it off, while he had his few nips.
My brush with Purgatory, was close. Next time, I make sure the ticket collector is on my side, along with the rest of the world.
You, my friend, must learn from this.
Never, ever , never, get a waiting list ticket for the second class A/C.
Unless it is a number 6 on the way to Goa :P Now that was Heaven! :D
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