Written on : 7 Aug 2008
Today I saw a young couple. I didn’t realize they were a couple at all till the andheri station. The man was obviously in the general compartment, and the woman in the ladies first class compartment. I got out at the andheri station, as usual, trying to rush past the stinking urinals which I am forced to smell everyday because the ladies compartments stop right in front of that part of the platform. The platform was less crowded than usual, it was later than the peak crowd hours. I saw a man come in front of the door of the ladies compartment, obviously looking for someone. This is nothing new – I see boyfriends, husbands, colleagues and friends come towards the ladies compartment everyday looking for women from whom the Mumbai local has separated them for the duration of the commute. This man looked quite upper middle class, dressed in formals, obviously a professional, around my age or maybe a little older. A decent face, though I didn’t really register much of his features. I saw his hands reach out. The woman was alighting from the compartment just after mine, and in her hand was a laptop bag. Dressed in formals too, complete with make up and an ethnic print handbag. Curly hair, somewhat tall, very much the capable professional. No words passed between them, and he took the laptop bag from her as she got off, while she, glad to be rid of the load she’d been carrying from lower parel, looked relieved to be able to hand it to him and adjust her hair and bag. Still not speaking, at least not audibly, they started walking towards the station exits.
I did not break my step, and continued on my own way towards the exit, my hair messed up from the ride, loaded with two bulky shopping bags and a heavy purse, not to mention my inconveniently large umbrella. Perhaps it was the fact that I was listening to romantic songs on my mp3 player, or that I would’ve given a lot at that moment for someone to help me with my bags, or sheer loneliness, but my heart twisted a little inside me at that moment. I felt more alone than I’ve felt since I moved here. I wished I had someone to look out for when I got off the crowded trains everyday, someone to walk up the station steps with, someone to take my bag every once in a while.
Like I said, its not uncommon to notice couples or friends travelling separately in the train and meeting up again on the platform. But there was something about this couple. Something in the reaching out of his hand before she even stepped off. Something in her handing over of the bag without even looking towards him, something in the steps towards the exit that seemed perfectly in sync, something in the obviation of the need for speech. It seemed to suggest more than just love. It suggested a comfort, from the mere presence of the other, or the knowledge that he was near. A comfort that made actions automatic without having to think. A sense of security that came from knowing that they were together, no matter what.
I saw the couple again. They were walking along the same route that I was taking in my auto. They were now deep in talk, probably telling each other about how their day had gone. I passed by them in my auto, which I had by some miracle got rather easily outside the station, I bumped along on that road, still trying to hold on to the bags, the purse, and the umbrella, and suddenly I felt tired. More tired than either of them looked – even though I was the one with transport and they were walking ankle deep in slush and muck.
