I was on the platform for a while so I was watching the people to see how they behaved.
1) A bunch of 35-40 year olds going for an interview to Pune I guess. Someone seemed to have come to the platform across the tracks and one of them volunteered to go over and help. Wisely he was taking the steps or the elevator when a couple of them exhorted him to jump over the tracks. Really, really, pushed him but thankfully he held on despite their barbs. You don't need enemies when you have friends like these.
2) An announcement over the public speaker system for a lady from the hospitality or housekeeping or cleaning up staff - and soon enough I saw this slim lady hop on to the tracks and cross over and jump on to the platform on the other side. Why are they not asked to take the stairs?
3) This was a first. I saw a guy walking about near me and when he came walking back towards me, bag in hand and all, I was shocked to see him foaming at the mouth. I wondered if he has poisoned himself or had some reaction but he was walking quite casually. I watched him closely as he passed me by and realised he was brushing his teeth, walking on the platform, fully dressed, at 3 in the afternoon, tooth brush in hand. Amazing oral hygiene but he sure gave me a start.
4) In the Vistadome, a rather quiet place, we found a guy who got on at Solapur and who spoke loudly enough for the whole compartment to hear - for a very long time. How he had set up many restaurants in Solapur, how they have to get their money out, how the Bombay scheme will make them rich, how he will show great quality work in the next few months, how he will take care of his health - all very loudly. He also had this way of using cricketing metaphors - woh aapko clean bowled karne ke liye aaye the, lekin app ne apna wicket nahin diya etc. Luckily he fell asleep after that 30 minutes.
On the return journey we had this gentleman who sells some engineering products and who was talking to his salespeople, his receptionist Meena who would keep calling him every now and then with no reason, his customers, some credit card types who he told he would talk after his visit. I was sitting a clear 1-15 feet away and still got all the details - wish their girlfriends or mistresses had called. It would have been more fun.
5) On the return journey the train came on to the platform and all of us were waiting for them to open the doors. But there were at least to people who went and wrestled with the doors, tried to prise open the handle, this way and that, pushed against it with all their force - as if there was a death threat behind them and they needed to get into the train for safety. Before they broke open the door others told them - they will open the door sir, please wait.
6) There was this young girl who was next to me, a professional hip hop dancer who was on the way to some underground battle in Pune. I was so impressed with her - she took the train and was going to find the place herself, has been travelling solo for a while, spending her own money, pursuing her passion, teaching dance at Cult Fit, open to meeting people. For a change I offered her all the stuff that the catering served me and she modestly shared a bit which was nice and some type of an icebreaker. We had a nice chat about her career, about this underground battle, her chances and so on. One confident young girl she was. And very polite and smart.
The TTEs do not ask you for your ticket anymore which is such a relief - now they just ask you your seat number and name and figure it out from the details they have. Finally good sense prevails! People with a lot of baggage struggling, toilets stinking etc are still the norm but let's look at progress. The stations were clean, the staff courteous and generally a far more pleasant experience. Now, were there other things I forgot? Let me think.
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