Train Journey - General Class

This story takes me 12 years back when i was boarding a train to my hometown Guwahati. On account of holiday rush, i was not able to get a ticket for a decent coach and hence i got into the general class compartment. To my shock, it was like a milk bottle filled to the brim and off-course there were spilled milk too. The next shock i got was when i saw most of the people sporting a smile in-spite of the suffocation and stench all around. The train journey to my home would span over four states and forty two hours and thats as per schedule, something unheard of in India. I was in a confused state of mind of whether to continue the long journey in a coach where i was standing and getting suffocated each minute someone far away changes his position. At last ,It was the smiles i saw from my fellow journey-men which made me understand that such a journey was indeed possible and I was up for it. The exit was mainly filled with Army men and the rest by laborers. This went on for around 3-4 hours when at a station in Uttar Pradesh, twenty percent of the people got down. That was a relieve. I could see the light, I could feel the air gushing in from the doors but most importantly i was able to get a small space on the floor all to myself. My space which was near to the exist was closely shared by a laborer and an army man. It was around 2 in the afternoon and I started to feel hungry. So I bought four boiled eggs that was being sold by a vendor inside the train. However I didn’t feel like eating it alone while the guys around me traveled without much issues. The next step was probably the best step that could have been taken that day. I went ahead and offered one egg each to the army man and the person sitting next to me. Though they strongly said no and at the same time appreciating the gesture, they succumbed to my relentless pressure. Slowly and slowly we started to talk and within a few minutes, we three gelled as if we were long lost friends. Jokes and quotes flew all around me with laughter and gaiety and the journey suddenly seemed blissful. It was already getting dark when the Army man did what would eventually be his best action that day. He opened his trunk that was filled with bottles of whiskey. The happiness was clear in the eyes that watched the bottles shine. It was the beginning of a long long night when we three were to open our inner secrets and feelings. The Army man was speaking of his childhood, his career and his love. Suddenly I saw a tear roll down him. He was crying saying his wife gave him the greatest gift that could ever be given and that was his baby daughter and the fact that he was not able to look after them, the way they deserve due to financial problems was making him sob. This was interrupted by the laborer sitting next to me. He started his story from early school days to his parents early death to his sisters marriage and how his brother in-law died and why he will never marry to keep his hundred percent devotion and love to his sister and niece. And here was me. A complete worthless soul and a pampered guy having troubles mingling with the poor. I kept awake long after my friends went to sleep. I was ashamed to the core. I could already see the early morning dark blue sky. Gulping my last sip of whiskey, I slowly fell into a sweet peaceful slumber with a vow of being a changed man.