AHMEDABAD DIARIES: CHAPTER VII I'M COMING HOME

After about a week of will I or won't i. Finally, I have decided to go home for Christmas and come back on the 30th or so. Well, as of now that's what the plan is and that is what I have told my manager. Got the train ticket and finally, ready to leave. But honestly, planning it didn't come easy for me. Here's what happened. I was not sure about anything so I did not buy the tickets beforehand. Everything fell into my peon's hand. I gave him the responsibility to get me the tickets and make sure that it doesn't get cancelled or something. As I said, it's a small town, so people know each other. So he does, he know a few people in the railway station and he said he could probably get the tickets done.

My manager told me to go on Saturday and come back on 27th, I however wanted to stay at least till the 28th for some reasons. (Well, we'll get to that a bit later on!!!!) So, I took the ticket for Monday evening and if things go as planned then I'd be home on the 25th at 4am in the morning. Christmas sorted!!! Well, at least as of now. Everything is planned and everyone at home has been told about it. So, I cannot in any case screw this up now. There is however a major glitch. It's Saturday, I am supposed to leave in 2 days and I still don't have the ticket. I was so sure of going, even if I did not have any ticket with me I would have just boarded the train and probably bought ticket inside the train. That's how desperate I was.

I hope you can understand that as well, as this is the first time in my entire life that I was set to miss Christmas. Well, our family hasn't been all these festival crazy types of people but being with family on days like this can make a huge difference. So, I guess I was not prepared to be alone on this day. probably, because I knew if I stay alone things will not be pretty at all and I don't wanna go through this. I mean, I think it's much better option to just avoid it while I can instead of going through this and fussing about everything all a long the way. I mean that is just not right. So, I am gonna do what my heart thinks is the right thing to do. Hope I am doing it right though.

Okay, so it's Sunday and I still don't have the ticket. Growing restless now. Been calling my peon and he's like "Sir!!!! Don't worry the ticket will be in your hands this evening". Okay, I had no other option to believe in it. So I did. Evening came and went by but the ticket never showed up neither did my peon called me or something. Kind of pissed and frustrated about it now, but still keeping my cool. Then he called me at night.

Him: Sir, sorry. Couldn't come today. I will send my brother with the ticket tomorrow.

Me: Okay. By the way, you are sure that we will get the ticket now. The train is for tomorrow.

Him: Sir, don't worry about it. I told you I will get you the ticket. So I will get you.

Me; You better get me the ticket. ( With an uncomfortable smile on my face)

Him: Sir, you just don't worry. Pack your stuff and get all your stuff to the office. Ticket will be in your hands.

Me: Okay. Then. I shall see you tomorrow. Goodnight.

Woke up with all my stuff ready and left for work with my luggage. I decided I am not going to call my peon anymore. If he's serious about the ticket he will just bring it, if not I will just board the train and will find my own way. At around 10am, my peon called and said his brother is going to come to the office to hand me over the tickets. I said okay. After few uneasy hours, he really came with the tickets. Relieved to say the least. Then, he asked me if I needed to be dropped. Of course I needed to, so I said yes!!!!!

Oh, yeah and there is one small glitch. My ticket is from Ratlam to Delhi. So, I will have to buy general ticket from Dahod to Ratlam and sit in the general bogey for 3 hours. Hmmmmmm........ Other days, I would have been a bit annoyed with it. But today, something is better than nothing. So, not complaining about it, maybe because I know the train leaves at 4pm and I will have be be in the general bogey only till 7-8pm. So, it's okay. Pretty excited about it now. And only I know how I spent the next 3-4 hours waiting for 3 pm. Finally, cometh the hour and here's is my man to drop me to the station.

We reached the station at 3.45pm and the train was supposed to come in 10 minutes. One look at the queue at the ticket counter and I was like "Oh my good lord!!!!!!" How will I get a ticket now. It was friggin long. We kind of stood in line for a while then, the announcement about my train and all nervous now. I couldn't even stand properly now, maybe because I knew we would not be able to buy the ticket now. So, I told the guy to just enter the train without ticket and I will figure something out in the train or just pay the fine. He asked me if that was okay with me. I said "YES"!!!!!!!!! I just wanted to get into the train now. So, we entered the train and I sat in my supposed seat.

Hmmmmmm..... Relieved with a sense of happiness in me and I was prepared to face the TC as well. I had planned that I will just pretend to not know anything about it and will just pay the fine or maybe give him some money. The train rolled on and by now, the thoughts of being in Delhi was the only thing in my mind. Two hours passed by and no TC and finally, reached Ratlam at around 6.30 and still no TC. Now I can sit in my seat freely. I friggin have a legit ticket now. Oh and yeah, did I tell you. The train is friggin packed. For the first time in my life I am seeing such a rush inside a train.

A few calls here and there, a lousy dinner in the train and finally its time to sleep. I am supposed to reach Delhi at 3.30am in the morning. So I tried sleeping for a while but couldn't. So, I made few calls at around 12am. After all, it was Christmas day. And slept at around 1am and woke up 3.30 thinking I will reach Delhi soon. But little did I know that due to fog we will not be reaching Delhi any time soon. So, I tried sleeping again but just couldn't and these few hours seemed the longest of my life. Finally, at 8.30am I reached Delhi.

Foggy winter morning, the chill in the air and the feeling of being home. It was just too friggin awesome. Excited? Yes, I friggin am. Can't wait to reach home now. So, I took a taxi and reached home at 9.30am. Mom was waiting at the door for me. Only I know, how I felt when she opened the door for me. This is the place where I belong, finally, a bit late but I am home.

Well, that's it for now. I think I gotta plan my holidays as I have a lot to do in so little time. Will see you very soon. Till then take care and stay safe. Merry Christmas Y'all. bless you.

Adios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!