CHENNAI EXPRESS

After spending the last week at home, Virat was returning to Chennai to resume his college. Twenty-two year old Virat was a young man yet something was there in his brown eyes that made him look like a man who had seen innumerable winters. He was a thin lad who had glasses since he was a kid yet he never wore them outside his classrooms. Glasses made me look uncool, Papa, he used to say to his father. The train was racing past villages, small towns and people who looked at the train with puzzled look, making its way to the destination. He was drowning in his pool of thoughts thinking about his time in Kolkata at home, about how time just ran away Six months from now and I will be a graduate He remembered his father’s words when they left to board the train “Son, time waits for no one, not even for a beautiful woman, so do what you want to do.”
Then the phone rang. Thinking of beautiful woman and you called. His face was beaming when he received Maya’s call. The smiling picture of hers on his tab turned him from the young blooming philosopher to a regular smitten lover in a matter of few seconds. The happiness in his voice was evident. They chatted for almost 3 hours until his battery ran out. He noticed that an old man who was sitting across him was looking at him continuously. That is weird. He may be, one of those people who just like to overhear other people’s stories. Hey, even I have done this, listening to conversations. So many lives, so many stories. Before going to sleep, the philosopher inside him again woke up.
Next morning, Maya called again and they chatted for an hour before hanging up. The old man then asked. “Where are you going, boy?”
“Chennai. I study there.”
“Where do you study in Chennai?”
“ABC Engineering College”
The old man answered with a smile “Lucky fellow! Which year?”
“Final year!”
“ Hahan! Got placed yet?”
He said “Yeah!” What Is he doing?
The old man continued to interrogate me and said “But you didn’t get placed in your dream company! I can guess that from your tone! “
Virat smiled“Yes” Is he a sooth sayer? Well, all old men have that uncanny ability to gauge people
“So what's next?
“Probably MBA If I get admission in any good college!”
He said as if he knew everything about the world “Dream of every engineer! Nowadays everyone wants to be a CEO of a Multinational Company!
But I don’t think it’s your dream kid.”
Now, this is spooky. How can he tell?
Virat cleared his throat and said “Yeah, I have a few other dreams.”
“I hope you will reach your goals. You seem very intelligent.”
Virat answered with a hint of surprise “Intelligent? I have been called many things but seldom intelligent. You are very kind, Sir.”
Old man answered “I have been called many things but seldom kind”
Both of them smiled. They started to chat. Virat was simply awestruck with the personality of this complete stranger who seemed to have a very different view towards the world.

The old man continued “So girlfriend is in same college?”
Virat was not ready to have this conversation. So he responded “Whaaa……What?”
“C'mon, I've been watching you since last night. Had you not been chatting, you could have written a whole book.”
Virat started to blush.
“Look at me. Look at my hairs. I’d dreamed about a lot of things in my college years. I'll die happily if I complete 10% of what I'd dreamed. You are almost done with your graduation. A lot of things are going to come now. Select wisely. Do not get distracted with what you've been dreaming to achieve. If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.
Take care of your parents. I would not suggest you to marry anyone (He laughed), but if you do, do with a sensible girl. Looks can't keep you happy for life. Never cheat in love. You are looking tired now. Got bored son?”
He may be interesting and all. But by God, I forgot to factor in the old age. He is boring me.
“ Nooo, no. It's very helping. No one had told me this before. But I have a question. Why have you asked me to look at your hair? You don't have any hair. You’re bald. “
The old man laughed. “Well. I'm glad you asked. That means you were paying attention. I've told you a lot of things now tell me honestly, do you love this girl you were chatting with?”
Virat answered hesitantly “Yes!! More than anything”
The old man smiled, and started packing his bags. He saw outside and saw train was about to reach Chennai. Virat started packing my bags too. As train stopped at the station, Virat thanked him and asked his name. He put his right arms around Virats’ shoulders and replied, "Well, you can call me, colonel….Till next time, Virat."
Wow, this colonel is one hell of a man. And the way he…..wait.. He said that I could have written a book….how on earth could he know about my writing??I guess…. I could never know that…
Virat was on his way to the college hostels, when he received Maya’s call.
"What did you tell my grandfather?" She angrily asked.
"Who?........ Wait Colonel??" I asked her in shock.
“Yes, colonel….He is my grandfather..” she replied.
Virat felt little ashamed but could not stop laughing on the fact that he blabbed almost everything to a man who he thought was a complete stranger.
“And By the way…you are invited for a dinner next Sunday…Nana was very persistent about your presence.” She said and cut the call.
O! Crap….
“There are no strangers in this world. If you don’t know some people, it doesn’t mean that they don’t know you.”
What happened at the dinner??, Well, it is a story for some other time..