“So where are you going son?” asked the old man sitting by his side on the bench.
Arjun was waiting for his uncle to come and pick him up from the small station of Mecheda. When he got the call from his uncle to come pay them a visit, at first he was just not interested. Lots of projects were lined up, his company was involved in a rough takeover battle with another firm. Things were hectic at the work front.But as soon as his uncle mentioned that his aunty is not keeping well and wishes to see him, Arjun dropped everything and took the first train to this nondescript station somewhere in the outskirts of Bankura, West Bengal. He brought his drafter and few sheets to work on them till the time he is here.
He was supposed to reach the station at 7 in the morning but thanks to Indian railways, by the time he reached there it was close to 1 o clock. His uncle called and said he is urgently required at the hospital where Arjun’s aunty is admitted. He will come and pick him up as soon as he gets free.
Arjun hoped to pass the time by playing Angry Birds on his smartphone, but an old man came and sit beside him and was trying to start up a conversation. He thought Arjun was waiting for a train.
“So where are you going son?”
“Actually I am waiting for my uncle to pick me up”. Replied Arjun.
“So what do you do beta?.”
“I am in a construction firm uncle”. Arjun gave a short reply.
“I see.Good. Good. My son is in army”. Replied the old man proudly.
“That’s great”. Arjun kept it as short as possible.
“So what brings you in our small town?” the old man was chatty for sure.
“I am here to meet my uncle and aunty ji”
“Oh. That’s nice” the old man replied with a smile.
“So what do you do in the construction firm?”
Arjun was getting irritated. First the long journey in midst of an insane work schedule ,then this waiting at the station, then the old man asking all sorts of questions. But for the sake of politeness he could not be rude to him.
“I am an engineer there uncle ji. I prepare the layout plans”
“Wow. Seeing that drafter jutting out of your bag, I had some idea. But I was not sure. My son is also an engineer in the army. He is in the Ammunitions factory. He uses this same kind of drafter. He had a favourite drafter from his graduation days.I kept it nicely but when he joined he took it with himself. But as I hear he is doing great job with that drafter of his.”
“That’s great” replied Arjun without looking up from the screen of his smartphone.
“You engineers work too hard. They give so little leave for my son. But today he is coming.” Replied the old man with a happy smile.
“That’s great” Arjun repeated fully engrossed in the game.
“You know this will be the first time he will see his son. He could not manage to get a leave after his son was born. That’s 4 months ago.” chuckled the old man
“hmmm”.
“He is getting this leave after so much trouble. His seniors are over working him.They say he is the best engineer they have seen till now”. The old man went on and on.
There was just one hawker in the entire platform selling tea. He came up to the old man with a cup of tea. “ chacha. Ye lijiye chaai. Aaj to Pratyush aa rha hai na?” [uncle. Here have tea. Today Pratyush is coming home no?]
The old man thankfully took the tea. Arjun thought the old man must be someone of repute inthese parts that’s why hawkers are coming and offering him tea, that too without asking and free of cost.
“you should have the tea made by Raam Bhagwan here. He is truly a god in terms of chaai, as his sname suggests”. Theold man told Arjun with a chuckle.
Raam Bhagwan just folded his hands and smiled. Arjun ordered a tea for himself.
Sound of train’s horn could be heard from a distance. On both sides of the station there were large open paddy fields. The old man got restless in finishing his tea. Arjun could see a blackish blur on the railway tracks in far distance.
The old man gulped down his tea quickly and put the cup in dustbin. The train came closer now the engine was clearly visible and the sound of the horn was more powerful.
The old man was smiling.
The train reduced its speed , huffed and puffed as it entered the station and gradually came to a halt. As the compartments were passing one by one the old man was peering through the windows to see if he could see his son. 4-5 compartments back from where the old man and Arjun were standing, a young man dressed in Army uniform got down with a bedding.
The old man's face filled with happiness as he hurried towards him. At the same time Arjungot a call from his uncle saying he is reaching the station in 5 minutes.
Phewww. The old man meets his son and my uncle comes here. Finally.. ! Arjun said to himself.
He got down and again got engrossed in Angry Birds.
Few minutes later he could see the old man coming with the station master. They were arguing over something. The station master was trying to calm him down very politely but the old man was furious over something. He took him towards the exit of the station. Arjun shrugged and continued his game.
Moments later he could see the station master coming back , this time alone. He couldn't help but ask him what happened.
“Excuse me sir. What’s up with uncle ji? His son was supposed to come today no?” asked Arjun
The stationmaster took a good look at him, “May I know who are you?”
Ram Bhagwan came up from behind, “Baabuji baat kar rhe the inse” [ uncle ji was talking tohim]
“I see. Hisson did not made it” the station master said, in a really strange manner.
Arjun was kind of taken aback , “I don’t understand. Did not made it means what? He missed the train or something?”
Stationmaster took one look at Ram Bahgwan who looked away. “It’s the saddest thing.His son was an engineer in Indian Army. First engineer from our village. He was the proudest man in the whole district. He got him married with much fan fare.Around 6 months back his grand son was born. 2 months back Pratyush finally got his leave sanctioned and was coming back home. Just a day before that his supply convoy was ambushed. He died on the spot.”
Ram bhagwan wiped a tear using his gamcha.
“The day when he was supposed to arrive uncle ji came to receive him with a band. But henever made it. Uncle ji could not bear the shock and somehow still belies his son is coming back. Often he turns up at the station waiting for his son to get down form the train”
Arjun was at a loss to say anything.
“His family has asked us to co operate. I have to make up stories for him. Like today Isaid his leave got cancelled that’s why he could not come. I even showed him a fake telegram saying he could not connect the call from there. He does not understand technology so much. So he believed me and asked me to send a letter of complaint to his superiors as to why they are not letting him have a leave to see his son. Ram Bhagwan keeps an eye on him when he sits here waiting for his son. But none of us have the courage to remind him that he is not coming back” .
Arjun just stood there wondering what to say. The station master patted his shoulder and went away.
Ram bhagwan too went back to his stall. By then Arjun’s uncle reached the station.
One week later ……
Arjun was back at the platform to catch the return train. Aunty was feeling much better now He could see the old man sitting at the same spot on the platform near the tea stall of Ram Bhagwan.
“Hello uncleji. Remember me?” Arjun greeted him.
The old man did not recognized him, but looking at his drafter he recollected something, “oh.You are an engineer? My son is also an engineer in Indian Army” said proudly.
Arjun felt a knot below his throat. He gulped it down.
He took out the drafter and gave it to the old man, “Uncle ji. Here, take this drafter as agift from an engineer in construction to an engineer in Indian Army.”
The old man was surprised and touched in equal measure, “why are you giving this to me son?My son has similar kind of drafter. Its his favorite I kept it nicely but when he joined he took it with himself. But as I hear he is doing great job with that drafter of his.”
“Then my drafter will be lucky to be used by such an engineer” replied Arjun softly and sat down beside the old man.
He ordered 2 cups of tea from Ram Bhagwan.
“so tell me uncle ji, How was Pratyush as a student….”
The old man tightened his grip on the drafter as he continued talking about his son with the happiest smile. Arjun listened to him with rapt attention.
He was thankful that his train was scheduled to come before Jammu Tawi Express and he desperately wanted it to be on time.
