Another Conversation

Recently I was travelling from Katni to Allahabad on a train called Kamayani Express. It had left from Katni at 1100 hrs (its scheduled time of departure being an hour ago) and was to reach Allahabad at 1530 hrs. So there was time to be spent in the train. Time! If there’s anything I hate more than anything else, it is delay. Why don’t any of the goddamned events happen when they are supposed to happen? The one hour long solitary wait (on the platform) had really pissed me off and the guy standing next to me had made my condition worse by getting on my nerves with his unhealthy habit of smoking cigarettes one after the other. I guessed it was his last day on this planet and he wanted to finish his packet before dying. I was just about to reduce the delay of his demise from Earth when - thankfully - the blasted train arrived.
I got into the train. I had a berth reserved in the 3 A/C compartment which happened to be an upper berth. The train was coming from Jabalpur and all the lower seats were already occupied by sleeping travellers. Who in the hell sleeps at 11 am?
That was a rhetorical question and besides it was not my concern. They had paid for their berths and had the liberty to use them in whatever manner they considered fit. But I didn’t want to sleep. However, the hibernating corpses on the lower berths spared no other option for me. Nevertheless, I made sure I got place to sit on a vacant side lower berth after chaining my suitcase in an appropriate place. I don’t like carrying food while travelling and so I ordered a vegetarian special lunch pack. I kept myself busy with Irving Wallace’s The Man. In a couple of hours the train reached Satna and the food was served. Around me people were waking up from their state of slumber. The elderly couple that occupied the lower berths in my compartment had also come alive and were sitting, so I moved there and sat next to the uncle. It allowed me to keep an eye on my luggage. As I sat there and ate, auntie got fascinated by the delicacies constituting my lunch. With Shahi Paneer, Mixed Vegetable, Lachha Parantha, Veg Pulao, Curd and a Sweet in my plate I was easily the centre of attraction (though that came at a price: 75 bucks). Soon we started talking. They learnt a little about me and I ,in turn, about them. They were coming from Trichy after having their son Pratyush admitted into NIT Trichy. However they looked quite worried (a common occurrence with Indian parents) for their son’s cell phone was apparently being picked by a girl who didn’t understand Hindi (must’ve been a South Indian) and they were not good in English either. Literally, uncle’s knowledge of English was limited to “I am S.P. Singh”. So they asked me to save their day.
What could I say? Opportunity knocks but once. Dil pe patthar rakh ke (silencing my heart’s voice) I yielded to their request. Apparently the girl was annoyed after having spoken to “I am S.P. Singh” umpteen times. The following is the conversation that transpired between us.

Me: Hello
She: Who’s this?
Me: Hi this is Robin. Could I speak to Pratyush?
She: No. Wrong number.
Me: Don’t hang up.
She: Haven’t I told you so many times already that I don’t know any Pratyush.
Me: Did I call you before?
She: Somebody else called like a twenty times from your number.
Me: Sorry about that. If you help me this’d be my last call.
She: What do you want?
Me: I want you to talk to me.
( A silence of a few seconds )
She: What?
Me: I mean, there’s some confusion. Help me clear it.
She: Okay. I too am fed up of this confusion.
Me: So, 9003xxxxx98. Is this your number?
She: Yes.
Me: Without a doubt?
She: Without a doubt.
Me: Could I know your name.
She: Why?
Me: Fine. So, Miss whatever-your-name-is, apparently this is also the no. of my buddy Pratyush who has just joined NIT Trichy.
She: I’ve already told you this is my number.
Me: Did I deny that? I’ll tell you what, you have no patience. You are merely interested in hanging up. You have no idea how worried Pratyush’s parents are. You are just concerned with your convenience. You seem like someone hostile to the normal standards of social behaviour. Imagine if you don’t get to talk to your parents, how’d you feel? Try to place yourself in the difficult position others are…. in
Go on. Hang up if you wish.
She: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mistreat you. Actually I’m also a new student at NIT Trichy. The place is new and I’m also missing my parents. Maybe the emotional strain is getting the better of me. That’s why I got annoyed.
Me: Yeah I know. I’ve been through that phase already.
She: Are you a new student too?
Me: No, but I was last year. I am in the second year now.
She: That’s nice. I could use some advice.
(Uncle and Auntie were giving me what-do-you-suppose-you’re-doing glances. Besides uncle’s eyes were also suggesting that his was a prepaid connection.)
Me: Yeah. Could you do me a favour? It is obvious that Pratyush is your batchmate. Look for him and if you find him, kindly ask him to contact his parents.
She: Yeah I’ll be pleased to do it.
Me: Thanks. I’ll hang up now.
She: Bbye.
Me: Bye.

That was it. I told uncle and auntie the extract of our conversation. They thanked me for the help. In my mind, I thanked them too.
An hour later, Pratyush did call his parents. And you know what, his no. was 9003xxxx89. That suggested uncle had interchanged the last two digits. Auntie was annoyed at this error but somebody else wasn’t.