1. The Train Journey

It was quite dark. I looked at my expensive designer Swiss made wrist watch. I smiled and felt proud to own it. It was the only expensive thing that I owned apart from my huge collection of books.

It was already 9 PM and if I did not have the package in another 30 minutes - I would be dead by morning.

The railway platform was deserted and one could only see the mongrels rummaging for leftovers in the overflowing garbage cans and the hawkers in rush to close their shacks and rush home to the comforts of their wives and fluffy quilts. It was unusually cold for October night.

I digged into my bag and pulled out J. D. Salinger’s ‘Catcher In The Rye’ and pretended to read it. It was my favourite book; I had read it a hundred times… I adored Holden and his disdain for superficial and phony.

I had been to no better and phony a place then Pencey. Though Holden managed to escape it but I could not wriggle out even after repeating a couple of grades. I improved with time. My school seemed to love me and didn’t let me go – it stuck to me like a leech.

What I am today is not entirely to be blamed on my alma mater, even my parents need to share the blame for dragging me through the corridors of the best of best educational institutes.

I am a professional crime fighter. Don’t confuse me with the ‘men’ who have fancy prefixes and suffixes and bulging muscles, rather I have an ordinary name and almost no muscles to flaunt.

The government secret agency inducted me in their 22nd batch of the super stealth sleuth after umpteen tests and examinations. I was trained with a group of 25 youth; most of them didn’t survive the gruelling training and those who survived today brag about being the best in the profession. I am attached with the unit who has been chasing the gangs of poachers and smugglers since its inception on the suggestion of the fifth government of independent India.

“Sorry, I am late. I couldn’t get anybody to drop me here. I had to do a taxi… I hope I didn’t keep you waiting”, she interrupted my thoughts. She handed over the big packet to me. She looks as beautiful as ever. I wanted to kiss her on the cheeks but before I could say something she had disappeared.

The train was scheduled to arrive at 9:30 PM. I went back to reading the book on the cold bench. By 9:15 PM the hawkers had packed up and left and the few of the mongrels had huddled up and found a cozy corner. The train was to stop for 3 mins at the platform before it would speed to Junna. I had to look for my compartment; search for my seat and settle down in 3 minutes.

This was not my first travel by train but was my first to Junna. Junna was a sleepy town in the foot hills of Himalayas and its only claim to fame was Sh. Lal Chand, the sitting MP. A pot bellied middle agent seasoned politician who managed to snag an important position in the ministry. Had it not been for him I would have had to buy ticket till Tarapur and then look for a local transport to help me reach Junna. It’s an open secret that he threaten to defect to the opposition party in case his government was not read to connect Junna by rail to the rest of the country.

It’s not easy to travel in Indian trains. Firstly, the trains have no arrival and departure time; secondly one is not sure if he would sit on the seat he booked and reserved or would he just get to rest his half a moon on the Rexene seats and lastly one has to tie his belongings to oneself for obvious reasons. Now that I had the package in possession, I was assured I would be safe.

At 9:30 PM, I could hear the long whistle of the train signalling it was approaching the station. I picked up the bag and the packet. I shoved the book in the bag and secured it with a Velcro. The train came to halt after a lot of huffing and puffing. Not many were getting off… I rushed towards S7 bogey. I had seat 54 reserved for me. As I steeped on the footboard, I heard Vijay calling my name. I didn’t expect him to be there as he had been on a sick leave for a month – he kept his embarrassing illness secret from everyone but me.

In nick of time I pulled him in. He was out of breath. “Boss wanted me to join you. I have some important and classified papers in the bag for you”, I didn’t pay any attention to him and was annoyed as it was supposed to be a solo assignment. He knew that.

We made way towards seat 54. It was the side seat with a sleeper berth. I was travelling sleeper class as the unit only reimbursed for 2nd class. Vijay flashed his ID card and said something in the ear of the passenger on seat 53. He quietly picked up his cheap plastic suitcase and scurried. I didn’t see him after that and never asked Vijay what he whispered in the ears of the man.

“By five we should be their. We have a twin rooms booked in the rest house. I got some papers which you should look now… it would help plan the day”, Vijay tried to start a conversation. I was in no mood for chit chat. I had a long day and wanted to catch on my sleep. “You study them and make a list of things we need to do tomorrow, while a rest a bit”, I said and jumped on the upper berth.

It was awfully cold. I only had a sweater on... I was asked to rush to Junna while I was on my way back from Rampur. Rampur was comparatively warmer and pleasant. I phoned Kavita to meet me at the station. Kavita was my estranged girlfriend but was still kind to me and helped my once in a while.

Kavita was a journalist with the leading newspaper. I met her about a year ago when she had been chasing some facts on the poaching of the Tigers in the Kumaoo hills. I likely her exuberance and bully nature… she persisted and chased me all around for some sound bites. I could have avoided her but was attracted to her charm.

Our meeting frequency grew and we dated for about couple of months before she introduced me to her family. I made it a point to meet her and her parents when I was in town; my job involved a lot of travelling. We could have been married had it not been for my father who strictly opposed it citing economic divide and culture as the reason. My mother also sided him. My relations grew bitter with Kavita who felt insulted and we decided to move apart though I could never move on.

The jerky movement of the train and the cold seat made me squirm; I didn’t feel rested. I was using the package Kavita handed my as pillow. I pulled it from under my head and undid the thread that kept it together. There it was my tweed coat wrapped up nicely in a newspaper. I put it on.

“Damn, do u want to sleep all your life? We are at Janna. Come on wake up… hurry… I am hungry and cold… I need a warm cuppa tea…” Vijay appeared irritated and was talking to himself while he was arranging his stuff in the small bag he veritably carried on all his sojourns.

I jumped off the berth… picked up my bag and was out of the bogey much before Vijay. It was a cold morning. I walked to the nearest tea stall and asked for 2 cups of tea and some 'mathi'. I was on my 2nd 'mathi' when Vijay reached the stall. After dawdling for a while I paid the stallwala and walked out the station gate.

There was no transport in sight. It was too early. We were told the rest house is about two kilometres away. We could have either waited for the town to wake up or walk. We agreed to walk. We asked for directions and walked toward the rest house.

All along Vijay extolled about the virtues of walking in the morning. I nodded just to keep him talking with an occasional remark or two.

Junna was much better than I had imagined… It had the pukka roads and dustbins along the road to prevent littering and not to mention the 'Sauchalaya' which would put the Delhi administration to shame. Sh. Lal Chand peeked from here and there with the big broad grin to greet you in his constituency.

“There it is”, I shouted. I was glad to see the rest house. I was tired and hungry and not to mention sleepy. Had Kavita not given the packed to me I would had been dead. I missed her.