The past few days have been a sort of 'revealationary' kind! (If I may be permitted to coin that word!)
I realised that the Deputy Station Master At Mumbai Central should have been a lawyer instead!
I had gone to him to register a complaint. I was boarding the Vadodara Express at Borivali since the Dehradun Express was bound for Bandra Terminus and we wanted to go to Bombay Central.
But even as I pushed Rukaiya aboard, the train started moving slowly. I proceeded to put her wheelchair on board but realised the train was accelerating too fast. So put the wheelchair back on the platform and jumped into the train. I pulled the chain in different segments four times, but the train did not stop.
The RPF constable on board did help and informed us that the luggage and wheelchair were kept at a juice stall and that I should go back and collect it.
Transported my handicapped sister on a handcart at Bombay Central to the taxi stand. I secured her in bed at home and left for Borivali. Found our luggage and the wheelchair and brought them to Bombay Central
Decided to lodge a complaint. Since the Station Master was only due to come in at 10 am, met his deputy. After listening to my complaint that the train did not stop despite my pulling the emergency chain what he said took me.by surprise
He explained how the whole suburban train schedule would have been rattled out of place. You could have been jailed for it, he said! You got saved because the train did not stop!
And I thought this man has got into a wrong vocation. He should've joined the bar at law! He would've made the finest of fine lawyers!
Anyway, to move on. The next revelation was more of a shock, not all plesant.
I had been travelling through Gujarat and at one point I decided to give away some clothes to a needy person.
A couple of people politely declined. Then someone pointed to a house where the lady of the house was serving chapatis, dal and rice to a man - unkempt hair, dirty and haggard looking.
I approached him and asked him if he would like to have the clothes. A little reluctant at first he accepted it after some urging from the lady who was feeding him.
A few polite queries brought forth some revelations which amazed and concerned me
His right foot was injured when he was getting away from the world's most heavily secured jail which has been without internet or mobile phone communication for the past almost two months.
I probed his feelings gently and he told me the same thing ,which fact finding missions and human rights groups have asserted. Self Determination. Freedom to choose their own destiny. His anger for the regime and it's leaders and for those responsible for the atrocities committed, was vehemently strong.
It was a poignant moment when he left, visibly limping. There was so much I wanted to do for him, but I could only wish him well. Fi-amaanulah! I leave you in the safeguard of Allah!
And there came a realization of Rukaiya's childlike petulance as she kept looking out of the train carriage window ceaselessly, sometimes pensively and excited at other.
She loves travelling and I can well imagine what it must have been for her to live in a limited motility situation the past sixty eight years of her life.
Decided to change routine and take her out on the Hajiali seaface last Thursday. Whilst returning met a group of friends who were trying to take group selfies outside NSCI and ii offered to help. We were meeting for the first time.
Whilst we were exchanging information about each other and clicking group selfie, one more friend of theirs came up and joined us.
No sooner did Rukaiya, my handicapped sister see this man, she exploded angrily telling him to go away
We were all taken aback. But just then realised the possible reason for this.
His cleanshaven face resembled Rajesh Gandhi, the neighbour staying in the flat opposite ours. When I asked Rukaiya who this person was, she promptly replied loudly and clearly 'Iqbal' For a moment I was nonplussed - a whole bunch of events of the past few years came back to me in a flash.
But that shall be Part 2 of this post. Rajesh Gandhi alias Iqbal deserves a full independent writeup
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