Moon train

It's 9'O clock evening when Radhe would get his train from his hometown where he arrived for celebrating a festival for two days. It's done. The festival is over. He came home in such a narrow notice and for such a small time that he himself feels dizzy about it. It is as much as for the coming and so much for going back. At home, everyone is there, his family and some good friends. Back at the place of work, he knows that four walls keenly await him. But he will go. No questions would he ask with the inner self. He knows that it's this that he has to do and he is finally feeling determined about it. No, it didn't come easy. There were alternate phases of confusion, high shallow passions, some real moments with self, understanding of self-limits and time. Time is what Radhe has understood about the least and the most. He says, "Time changes, life changes".

Who comes home for two days? "Hey, stop seeing it from the privilege that you possess!". Radhe knows that he has more than a lot of people, who should as well but they may not.

The station platform seems less crowded. There are other travelers waiting for their trains which will take them to their destinations. He looks at people and understands how every one of them is dwelling in their own self-centric world. All of them have something going on in their minds. "Look at their faces and the line of oceans". Some would be ambitious, some would be content. Some just don't know what on earth is happening with them. But all of them would be thinking about something, something of recent occurrence, something important and close to them. Radhe wonders and wants to see a face laden with the love of someone that would possess a sweet smile and a kind heart. Irrespective of anything, that would be most beautiful.

The hometown is a much smaller place. Implicitly, it seems that life is easier, and people live easier. The zeal is perfect, sustainable, and limited. Is it so? He wonders and somewhere there is a departing sense of dilemma that had existed in his mind for long. "Life is a continuous struggle and one is at peace, only in death!".

The arrival of the train has been announced. It will come soon on the platform. Radhe quickly pays bid adieu to his dear ones who came to see him off. Today, Radhe feels lucky about it. He has been feeling grateful. He knows that it's not bad that he has to live. For all his ambitions, all this emotional turmoil is just the process. The more the baking, the better it is. Is he enjoying the pain? He doesn't know it as of now. He is still a river going nowhere!

With a heavy heart, he asks for leave. He took the train and came to his reserved seat. The compartment is empty. It's obvious, who travels just after a festival? Only the Jack heads like him. It's okay. The train has left the station. He opened the window. "Ah, a full moon! Look at it!". He lets pass the sweet comfort of his hometown before him. The houses are widely situated here. By another hour, the whole town will be fast asleep. There is already so much silence. Silence is lingering on the gates of the houses. Is it peace? Are these people ambitious as well? Are they all getting enough opportunities to test their potential in life? There are few people on the street, strolling like a kite lost in the air.

Radhe looked at the scenery by the last light of the town, till it got engulfed with darkness, large fields and lonesome village houses in the middle of the farms! What remained is the moon and its light. 

In time another station came and few people took the bogie. In his bogie, a middle-aged woman, perhaps much older than him, accompanied. She just had a small bag with her. Radhe had not looked at her nor does he bothers to introduce or start a customary conversation. At the moment, he just wants a private space and a peaceful, no-talk journey. He was making himself busy reading a book. "Why do people write in such a tough language?... Even if the content of the book is good, it's a pain to read academic jargon". After some pause, the train left the station.

How hard it is these days, that even with so much of population explosion, one doesn't find people with matching thoughts. It's hard to convince people, what is our viewpoint. It's not necessary to do so, but just with people with whom we are held with and live a life and share a space. There are many differences. There are many ways of living a life. We live, we die differently. It seems strange. Why can't there be a single thought process? No change. No regrets. No conflicts. Just equality, peace, and cooperation. 

Radhe hears that a queue of his favorite songs is being played by the middle-aged woman. Such a coincidence that she played four songs, all deeply likened by Radhe. He listens to each one of them in the same order as she is doing. It's obvious to feel attached. He did feel that he likes her. There are people who want to befriend others for similarities in thoughts. But wait! Yeah! All these are so heartbroken kinda songs. He realized that he listens to them only when he misses someone and someone close. She is a comrade by this regard, floating in the same emotions, albeit in remembrance of someone else! A loved one! Sad indeed... A pain was shared at that moment. Radhe did feel a tinge of empathy. He understands what it must be like this. Well at last, no, he is not alone. Phew. By another half an hour, he was asleep comfortably as if in companion with a good unknown friend... The cold wind kept coming from the window to enlighten his mood. The moon was shining brightly as if smiling in consonance. Someone's small wish was heard. Someone is assured that we are not alone. Someone is slightly happy.

When Radhe woke up in the morning, he was all by himself. There were some other strange unfamiliar faces in the compartment. Moon was overtaken by Sun. Darkness from the green fields has been lifted. Train is running with "chhuk chhuk chhuk chhuk" sound. The woman had departed in some middle station and he never knew it all. Sigh! "Just another change... It's okay". He already misses her, a good friend he never talked with... Radhe breathed with a heavy heart in the remaining journey. As good feelings are scarce, he wondered, "Was it a dream?".