Alaska

Dec 19 2008, Friday, Lisle-Chicago…
Finally I got to know what is called extreme. If there is any superlative degree for this word or any other substitution with more punch will nearly do the justice. As I grow up and got to know about places like Antarctica, Alaska, South Africa and other extremities (courtesy Geography study books), I was always thrilled with ideas of visiting such places and was assuming my self to be lucky even if I get a chance to have a glance at such places in my life. Chicago was not in the list. Definitely it shouldn’t be there as it was not that renowned for its ‘not too bad’ climate. One wonder it did to me today was, it removed one place off my list or to be fair, at least made my thrilling levels down. Alaska.

Thursday, people left early from offices and those who were flying for their Christmas vacations grabbed their coats from coat racks too early. Weather forecast websites, news channels and other broadcasting mediums were all pitching in with news and weather warnings, storm announcements and travel precautions and so on. I left yesterday from the office at regular time and was thinking if I could make to office today. First thing I did after waking up, I glanced from my bedroom window to see the pile of snow made by snow blowers but it wasn’t there. Road was still carpeted with think layer of snow without any signs of snow blowers cleaning it. I took showers and came out to steal a look one again and now road was clean enough to walk to station. My house is just 5-7 min walk from Lisle Metra station and usually I enjoy that walk. Today I couldn’t see my train waiting there but instead heard announcement that all the inbound and out bound trains are running at least 20-25 min behind the schedules. Waiting for around twenty min our train showed up and I grabbed my favorite window seat. They were still announcing the train will be late further due to some grade problem. I was watching out of window with thoughts of Alaska mounting.

I couldn’t see a single inch of land left uncovered and it was milky white think blanket everywhere and it was still snowing. Rail tracks were not visible and it made impression like our train is floating on the snow. Trees looked beautiful with white snow lining on them. Approaching union station, downtown, I could see buildings standing tall all covered with snow. It was foggy allover enough to make top few floors of Sears tower invisible. The daily office ride was feeling like long journey today. It felt significant expedition between two distant cities. But I enjoyed it as I was reading Jack Reacher Novel “Killing on the floor”. As train was getting closer to station, story was becoming interesting and Jack had figured out all about counterfeiting of money. I wished train should not have stopped at least for another an hour so that I could finish the story. Finally train arrived 40 min late at union station and I was out on road walking towards my office. Its again 5-7 min walk and I have to walk around two blocks. Walking in ice slurry felt like walking in a pool of mud. It took me way back in my childhood. We kids used to celebrate rain like a festival and were very fond of playing and roaming all over the place. Playing with paper boats in water pools was sheer fun. Mom used to yell at us to get back home and I always behaved like I unheard her yelling. I would go back home after an hour of her first warning. After few days mom became smarter and she started shouting at us one hour before time, she wanted us to be at home. By the time we understood this trick, we were quite grown up to muddle in rain.

I walked to the office with my thick coat, gloves and fleece cap on. I was making way through the ice slurry and it was quite slippery on wooden planks of bridge I have to cross. It was all gum boots, over coats, winter jackets all over and vapors coming from each mouth. Everyone was smoking this fog today. I reached my place in office and it was deserted. Like other offices around, my office also made pretty much space everywhere and seats were lying vacant with rare hustling of printers. Especially where I seat, I am left alone. We five people seat in crunchy little space with hard to move chairs but today I was king of the palace.. sorry place. I started my work thinking that it will be alright while going back to home. I will keep peeping from my 22nd floor glass window to get closer feel of Alaska. Weather people told that it will be nasty till 12 PM but still by some reason if it fails to satisfy my urge, I will still think of visiting Alaska some day….

lIFe

If I would have done my homework regularly…
If I would have obeyed my parents more…..
If I would have studied from better college…..
If I would have done my studies in medical, drama, journalism or anything else…
If I would have said ‘YES’ to that gal…
If that another Gal would have said ‘YES’ to me….
If I would have traveled the shorter route…
If someone would have guided me on each step..
If I would have boarded that train…
If would have spent more time with my children….
If I would have taken interest in family matters…
If I would have permitted my son to marry a gal he likes….
If I would have got some better work to do…
If I would have better no work to do at all…
If I would have not met my friend that evening in bar…
If ..
If….
If…. And some more Iffs… Random iffs, thoughtful Iffs, thoughtless Iffs, meaningful Iffs, meaningless Iffs, wild Iffs, small Iffs, big Iffs
If this.. Iff that…

Life is full of Iffs.. and why not, after all ‘LIFE’ its self has IF embedded in it..

Small things

Living in Chicago for almost 2 years have done good to me in my social, practical, financial aspects. But the most significant change I liked is in my personal aspect. OK to keep it simple lets call them as small things….

With the screeching alarm saved as ‘Daily’ in my cell phone (6:40 AM), I wake up and turn that alarm off and then with 5 min warming up period (Dormant to Dominant) I push my self to bathroom just to be at bus stop at 7:30.

Small thing1: Su: My Bus driver, Su is a cheerful lady and she greets every passenger with her over whelming ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Hello’. The most exiting thing I found about her is more than her job she takes care of her passenger in knowing who get in bus from where, where to stop, she even waits for a min if someone is late and greater than that she maintains newspapers in bus for all passengers. These news papers are free newspapers which she picks from railway station and keep it in bus for passengers. Passengers go through morning news and start their routine. Some people get engaged in solving Sudoku and word puzzles. In this 10 min ride from my home to Railway station, it forms a small social circle of daily commuting passengers and bus driver. If she goes on any vacation people feel something missing from the routine and everyone greets her with smile when she is back.
The small things she does, cheer the air around and that makes difference; isn’t it?

Small thing 2: My share: Many people don’t know the fact that on most of the cold drink bottles, cans there is mark that if you return this can to recycle vendors, they will pay 5 cents for each can. The sole aim was to recycle the plastic, metal to avoid environmental harm. No one cares for that and just throw the cans, bottles in garbage cans. Once traveling in train I was listening to the conversation of a group where a guy mentioned that one of his colleagues actually collects these cans and bottles she uses and then on the way home drops at recycle vendor’s place for no money. She says I am doing my share to save my earth.

Small thing 3: Live Strong: I always liked to have some sort of band in my wrist/hand and once I saw people from Lance Armstrong cancer foundation (www.livestrong.org/) were creating social awareness by distributing yellow color band for each donor. They were also writing donor’s name on a strip of yellow paper and then making a chain of such strips. I stopped there and asked about it. I got the band by donating some money and I am wearing that band today too. Many of my friends asked me about it and how and where can they get that band by donating. Then I thought I could have asked that guy to give me some more bands and then I would have given those to my friends in return of some donations. Collecting this money I would have written a check to the foundation. This was very small thing I could have done but I missed it. Many people around us are always ready to do good just that they don’t find way easily. Next time for sure..

Small thing 4: Smiles: I consider kids smile as one of the Gods most amazing creations. Whenever I see small kids I wave at them saying Hi, Hello and they smile at me (some kids give mysterious, puzzled look). This smile fills my heart with happiness and my belief in the thought ‘Life is Beautiful!!’ just get stronger and stronger. Kids like to interact, play, learn things, know their surrounding and you can contribute for them.

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight. - Phyllis Diller

Short Stories

Let me confess this that I have been quite lazy these days and never looked at this blog page since ages. I am pretty sure that thousands will agree that scribbling on blog is lot better than virtaully working(soothing words for doing nothing???) in office. I have been so lazy that I wrote these stories for friend's blog but couldn't add the same on this one.

So friends and pals, guys and gals, dudes and dudettes here you go.
Disclaimer: These stories should be looked (read) just like stories and ingredients of these stories are very basic. 100% Fiction and 0.00% Reality.
If you find any resemblance of these stories or characters in these stories with any of the living or dead person or place or instance then consider yourself lucky and gift yourself a Disprin :)

TTE story #1: Khurshid Chacha
Being born and brought up in Mumbai Rohit was a soul and body of flesh with Mumbaian blood. Yes I assume being in Mumbai for a long will definitely build a slight shade to your blood. Heart pumps the blood faster to always run and catch a train or bus. It becomes so much, that even on weekend when there’s not that rush in trains, blood pushes us to run fast and grab the seat. He was a Virar boy and used to catch 7:02 fast from Virar to reach CST for his daily job. He was working as assistant in a small firm in the city. Traveling daily in same train develops special relationship with fellow passengers (Just like Hi friend in ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’). Khurshid chacha was his train mate and he also used to board from Virar. Chacha was in late fifties and were working in jewelry shop in Bhindi bazaar. He was so jovial that every day he has new jokes for his pals.
Rohit always enjoyed his humor and laugh a lot. This was some day in second week of August.

“Ticket please”, TTE came from nowhere.
“Pass” Rohit said without any movement.
TTE moved to other people and everyone said Pass. TTE didn’t check anyone’s pass.
”Ticket please”
“Pass”, chacha said seeing at face of TTE.
“Show Me”
Chacha got bit amused with his request “It’s in pant pocket and difficult to take out and show in this crowd.”
Normally TTE will excuse to such situations but day was different.
“Ok. Stand up and show pass to me”.
“Sir we are daily commuters and we have monthly pass” remarked Rohit.
“Yes I know that and hence just want to see the same”.
“Sir, leave the matter. He has Pass, we know that”.
“No. How come I will let it go? Show me the pass and I will go from here. It’s that simple”.
“What if I don’t show you?” questioned frustrated chacha in his typical voice.
“Then I will have to take to Railway police next station.”
All the people were listening to these arguments and this was kind of today’s cover story. Chacha fumingly got up and from his seat and reached his pant pocket and took the pass out.
“You know what, here I have a pass but I will not show you”.
Suddenly he tore the pass in small pieces and whirled outside the window and everyone was watching with their mouths open.
“Now do whatever you want. I don’t have pass now. Take me to the jail or dump me anywhere. Let me see how you treat elder people”.
TTE face turned white and he didn’t know how to react. Every one was seeing at TTE and he felled ashamed of annoying senior person.
“Sorry Chacha, It’s my job to check tickets and passes. Don’t get angry I will go”.
“You people don’t believe others at all”.
No one said a word till next station. Next station TTE got off the train.
“Chacha, what happened to you? Why you didn’t show him your pass? Now see you will have to buy new pass and its unnecessary waste of money”
Chacha abruptly started laughing loud as if he was waiting for someone to ask this question. Everyone was staring at chacha and he didn’t stop laughing.
“The pass I tore in bits and pieces….” again laughing and trying to control his laughter
“…was expired pass of last month and I really missed my pass on table at home”.
Everyone was astonished and chacha was still laughing loud.
“Chacha aapne to TTE ko Mamu bana diyaa”.
Every one joined chacha and laughter lasted till next station…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TTE story #2: Jump
“Ticket please” asked TTE to Manoj.
“Sir I don’t have ticket because, I came in another train and this train was standing adjacent to my train when my train stopped at Thane. I wanted to get out of train on east side so I jumped from that train to this train and was just jumping on platform and this train started. I wanted to get off at Thane but could do that”.
“I don’t believe you. You are on this train; you have to show ticket for this train”.
“I am not lying, see I have ticket for that train till Thane” Manoj flashed that ticket.
“I don’t want to see that ticket, show me ticket for this train; else pay the fine”.
Manoj was very good liar but TTE was sure that he was lying and he didn’t want to listen to him.
“I don’t have money for paying fine”
“OK. That’s not a problem. Let get off at next station to say Hi to Railway police”
“Yes Sir.” Manoj was pretty sure that this is just a warning and TTE won’t do anything. He has tricked like this many times.
Train stopped at next station and TTE came near to Manoj.
“OK let’s get off and walk with me”.
What the heck thought Manoj and started walking next to TTE. They went to small railway police office and TTE told whole story to officer.
“What’s your name?” asked officer.
“Sir, Manoj”.
“What do you do?”
“I am student of a college in Thane”.
“Is that true that you are caught ticket less?”
“No sir, I mean yes sir… but it wasn’t my fault, I told him that I jumped from another train and he does not believe me.”
“Even I don’t believe you”.
Manoj acted well and with his pity face he tried to convince the officer and again told complete story.
“You should believe to such kids and should leave them sometimes..” said officer to TTE.
“But sir…”
“If he says he jumped from other train and he is showing you ticket for that train, that’s true right?” officer cut TTE in short.
Manoj was happy and was smiling inside thinking that he fooled both TTE and officer.
“Ok Manoj, you were not in that train and accidentally got there right?”
“Yes Sir”
“OK, I believe you. So I won’t fine you for 100 rupees for ticket less traveling”.
“Thank you sir” Manoj said with glowing eyes.
“You have jumped from another train, you don’t have to pay 100 rupees but you have to pay 250 rupees…”
Manoj fainted.
“… this is the fine for crossing tracks, which is serious offence.”
There was no answer for this…
Manoj paid the fine, took receipt and was walking from there. He glanced back at officer from a distance and TTE and Officer were still smiling…