Rail journey again

Rail journey again
Nostalgia twinning with melancholy takes over my emotions as I sit on a railway station bench at Anand. My mind adamantly recalls every rail journey I had in my life; a journey in midnight train to Rajkot with two friends, a journey to Mumbai with same set in college vacation, my tryst with Madras on Dadar Madra Express, midnight boarding of Grand Trunk express to go to Punjab, alighting at Kota station at 2 am. Anand station recognizes me well. This is the 6th time in 7 months. Coolies know me to be a man without luggage except for shirt on my back, bearer in Shatabdi know me to be a man who carries his Old Monk and diet Coke and one who never ears train food. My driver knows precise spot where I will stand when Shatabdi arrives ar Mumbai Central. Anand station is buzzing with people milling around to clamber on to 3 trains arriving before mine. This town is owned by Amul Milk people so their showcase shop at the station is buzzing. Railways have cleaned up their act so station and trains are cleaner than ever before. I have food, drink and the latest book of Jeffery Archer on Kindle. As Khalil Gibran wrote, what else do I need if I have these three things in my life!

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