One Rainy Day
Author : Dr. K.S. Kang
Waiting, in a queue, for the bus, on
a rainy day Swaraj was calculating in his mind the time by which he will reach
his work place, provided he gets some conveyance soon atleast if not a bus
operated by State Transport Department. Beside him there were other people were
also waiting though not so many as on a normal day. Due to incessant heavy rain
since last night the stop nearly gave a deserted look as most of the vendors
have not turned up. As Swaraj looked around him he saw some school children
waiting for their school bus to come and pick them up. But children too were
few in number in comparison to a normal day as may parents must have asked heir
children to stay at home due to uncongenial weather. While waiting he was also
thinking about some excuse that he would make before his immediate boss. He
selected his excuses carefully ensuring that the same excuse is not repeated
twice atleast in a fortnight. While making the excuse of mother being ill
Swaraj was reminded about the life of a soldier who gets leave only on extra
ordinary grounds and the popular excuse with them was death of the mother and
it was a popular saying that a soldier’s mother died atleast thrice in his
entire career, so as to get leave quickly. Meanwhile a rickety bus appeared at
the corner. Though on a normal day every body tried to avoid this bus but in
today’s weather it appeared like a divine blessing as everybody was eager to
get into it. As the bus screeched to a halt Swaraj heaved a sigh of relief to
see the bus almost vacant as traffic today was quite thin due to rough and
hostile weather.
Conductor jumped out of the bus
shouting, ‘ sit only after taking the tickets, I will not give tickets inside’
so as to reduce his bothering to walk in a moving bus so as to give ticket to
every body. Conductor also realized that due to rainy weather traffic is less
so he did not feel the need to repeat his instruction and he headed quickly
towards the ticket kiosk. After taking ticket as Swaraj was boarding the bus
one of his co-commuter beckoned him to reserve a seat for him to which Swaraj
replied positively with a nod of his head. Swaraj took the seat meant for two just behind
the conductor seat, which used to be small triumph in normal days. Though bus
originated from Central Bus Depot but Swaraj and some of his friends dwelt at a
place far from the point of origin of the bus, so they boarded the bus from this
suburb stop that was nearer to their homes. On normal days they would find bus
full by the time it reached this suburban stop. Due to unfavourable weather
most of the casual travelers and students, particularly girls have decided not
to travel today as a result of which Swaraj was chatting comfortably with his
friend sitting in this comfortable and prized place. On the normal day Swaraj
would have considered himself lucky if he could get even the last seat at the
rear of the bus. Most of the days he could succeed only in getting standing
place in the aisle of the bus. Bus started moving slowly with conductor putting
his neck out of the window hoping to get some last minute passengers but he was
only disappointed as most of the bystanders were idlers loitering at that place
just to while away their time, so bus could gain normal speed when it entered
country side leaving the town behind.
As Swaraj and other passengers felt
the opne air of countryside they started dozing off as it was one of those few
moments of relaxation for them in their busy schedule as they could not do
anything now. The brakes of the bus brought Swaraj and others dozing passengers
to their senses and they realized that they are near their destination. Swaraj
left his seat and started moving towards the exit gate of the bus and as bus
stopped he jumped out of it and rushed towards his office as he was already
late. In his hurry of reaching the office he did not even notice that his other
friends have also got out of the bus or not. Swaraj had to walk nearly a mile
to reach the portals of his office. And by the time he entered the grand portal
of his office he was late by three quarters of an hour. While entering office
Swaraj was thinking about the extra work and extra time that he would have to
devote so as to appease his boss. To his utter relief Swaraj found the chair of
his boss vacant who had not turned up today either due to unruly weather or due
to his convenience loving nature.
But his joy was short lived as
Managing Director of the company Mr. Das entered and tapped the shoulder of
Swaraj uttering ‘ So late today, perhaps due to weather’, ‘ Yes sir, yes sir’ were the only words that
Swaraj could speak in reply. ‘ Go resume your work quickly’ said Mr Das as he
moved quickly towards his air-conditioned cabin. A gloominess hung on the face
of Swaraj as he moved towards his chair.
That day Swaraj had also to work during lunch break to make up for the loss of
time due to rains. He did not know about his other colleague but he could get
only his glimpse in the evening when he looked up from his table to find that
clock has struck five and everybody was rushing out of the office in order to
reach their homes quickly and safely. At the stop the bus was overcrowded
already but Swaraj was happy that he could reach the stop in time to get this
fast bus and the prospect of reaching his home early and the pleasant cool
breeze made him smile even in this gloomy weather that will be his heaven and
haven from the rough weather of the day.
