LIFE IN A METRO

Despite all the hatred and the abhorrence that Monday does receive from (I’m pretty sure) everybody, it just doesn’t seem to die down! So, yes, it was just another Monday. I left my house at exactly 8:05, walked down the road, bargained with the rickshaw-wala, saving myself a good five bucks. I plugged my earphones in. Zeppelin playing in the background totally made me feel like a badass hero of some sorts. Got off the rickshaw, preferred to take the elevator. And bam! Just as the doors were about to close, there came an auntyji blocking the way. The next thing we know, the digital screen said “overload”. “Overload hogaya hai”, said the auntyji with adamance enlightening her face, adamance of not getting off the elevator. She started staring at me. After a good 50 seconds of no movement at all, I chose to get off the elevator and climbed up the stairs in annoyance. As soon as I walked over to the women’s checking area, I saw the lady who was now looking at me like I was some sort of a criminal. “Haath upar karo, madam. Checking karna hai”, said she. I followed her instructions religiously. Phew! So, I wasn’t carrying a bomb in my bag, after all. Great! I checked in and relented a little inside as I checked the balance in my metro card. Should not have spent the money on the tortillas, I thought to myself. I climbed up the stairs instead of entering the elevator this time, in order to avoid the experience that could have been. I could hear the metro arriving at the platform. I escalated my feet and got inside the coach just in the nick of time! I tried to walk over to the ladies’ compartment. All the eyes followed me like I was some sort of a model walking the ramp and honestly, this ‘attention’ wasn’t too likeable. And finally, after reaching my destination, my eyes started taking a stroll through the coach, looking for a vacant seat and yes, it was a good day! I found one, right next to the junction. I settled myself on the seat and it was an amazing feeling. I felt..victorious! There I was. Phew! I started looking around. This was my favourite way of passing time- observing the people around me. There were a lot of familiar faces- faces that never smiled at you (not even after almost a year of travelling together!). I could see a group of four girls talking about the hotty of the college and the ‘plastic’ beauty that was the only hurdle they had to overcome. There was a guy with (I’m assuming) his girlfriend standing at the junction of the coaches. He had encompassed the girl like he was some sort of a possession of his. Right across the junction, I could see an old man resting his head at the pole, waiting for the young guy to get up from the seat that he had occupied.(He didn’t think the guy would offer him a seat out of regard, did he?). But very honestly, I could see the gleam in his eyes. And I was pretty sure he was feeling the same way that I had been feeling a while ago (Please don’t judge. I would’ve offered my seat to an older woman. Just sayin’.:P). Poor soul, before he could even relish the pleasure, a well groomed woman tick-tocking in her three inch pumps came upto the guy and shot him a look. She didn’t say anything, she just stood still. And yes, the guy had to give up his ‘throne’ to the beautiful lady in red. The best part? He did so with a wide smile on his face! Aand I couldn’t help but laugh. And before I could realize, an invisible soul announced “Next station is Rajiv Chowk. The doors will open on the left. Please mind the gap”. This was it! It was here! I had to struggle my way out of here or else, I would be dragged away from my goal, quite literally. I took a deep breath, vacated my seat, played Buckethead (still feeling like a badass hero, by the way!) and waited for the doors to open. I had yet another  battle to fight..and win..