Deadly Dadar!!

Today I need to take a local train. After years. I am gearing up for the journey. Thankfully it's not at 'peak' hours. I am dressed for the part too. But I am still contemplating whether I should give DD (Deadly Dadar) a slip by not changing trains (central and west)...

There have been a few years when I had to take a train six days a week to get to and from office. Untill I finally decided no jobs are worth the terror train rides. And the years of getting shoved, elbowed and stomped are now thankfully a thing of the past...

Back to DD , there are quite a few memories, I gloat to replay and talk about.

This was this time when I helped to catch a thief! As I saw the train whistling in, I dug my toes blowing dirt warming up for my jump in motion... All of a sudden, a man skips out of the slowing ladies compartment with screams of "chor! chor!" behind him. Instantaneously, I swept my arm around and caught a part of his shirt. He yanked hard, freed himself and fled. I didn't waste time and raced behind. All the warm up coming to good use. Up the stairs... I lunged and caught his leg. Both of us fell. Men watching, stunned.

Echoes of "chor! chor!" Pandemonium!!! He was trapped. The women alighting from the train reached and what followed was public trashing for the thief (before the cops rescued him), public speech for the lady whose gold chain was retrieved, public appreciation (wah! wah!) for me! I was a hero (or is it heroine?)!! The missed meeting and my boss' disapproval (at behaving very 'unladylike') didn't matter at all.

Another incident at DD made me feel like Moses. It was the last day of the year. Rushing home to get ready for a night of partying. Lost to the world, as I went with the flow of people on the crowded bridge. Absentmindedly twisting my body at intervals to protect myself from dirty paws and elbows that were aimed from people from the opposite direction. Suddenly, I stiffened. Was that a deliberate hand on my behind? And then, it was gone. As I turned, I saw a man turn around and smile.

That was it. I lost it. Racing madly towards him, I caught him by the collar and and punched him real hard. It felt so good! I rubbed my hands and turned to go back on my way. That was when the miracle happened. The way before me parted like the sea had. Where once was difficult for air to pass through, lay open an empty passage! And people stood on the sides and gaped at me... as I walked with my feet hardly touching the ground and my head in the clouds!

Today, I am just hoping for an uneventful journey.