26 JANUARY 2013
Fiction
Short Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
26 January
2013.
Republic Day
of India
6:30 AM.
A cold
morning.
A woman sits
on a bench on the solitary platform of Girinagar Railway Station.
She looks at
her watch.
Then she looks
towards the Railway Track.
She has a
worried expression on her face.
The Station
Master comes out of his office holding two flags, one green and one red.
He sees the
woman and smiles at her.
The woman gets
up from the bench and asks the station master, “Is the shuttle late?”
“Yes, the
shuttle has been delayed. The express train is being stopped here. The shuttle has
been detained at the outer signal and will arrive here after the express train
goes away.”
“Oh, My
God…!!!”
“What
happened?” asks the station master.
“I don’t want
to be late for the Republic Day function in our school.”
“What time is
the function?”
“7:30. The
normal school time.”
“Oh.”
“I hope I will
reach in time,” the woman says anxiously.
“I don’t think
so. Normally the shuttle leaves here at 6:25 and reaches the Junction at 7.
It’s 35 minutes running time. Today the express is expected to arrive at 6:45
and will be detained here for at least 5 minutes. By the time the shuttle
arrives and leaves it will easily be past 7. Even if it makes up time and reaches
the junction by 7:30 you still have a 10 minute walk to school. I don’t think
you’ll be able to make it on time.”
“Oh, My God. I
will be in trouble if I am late for the Republic Day function. It will be so
humiliating,” the woman says in an anxious voice with nervousness written all
over her face.
“You’ve got a
first class pass, haven’t you?” the station master asks.
“Yes,” the
woman says.
“Then don’t
worry. You can travel by the express in the air-conditioned coach. I will tell
the TTE to permit you. The express will take less than 15 minutes to reach the
junction and you will be there latest by 7:10 and you can easily reach your
school well before 7:30.”
“Thank you so
much.”
“What ‘Thank
You’? You are like my daughter. This is the least I can do for you.”
“Why is the
express stopping here?” the woman asks.
“The express train
is being stopped here for Colonel Ashok,” the station master says.
Suddenly the
telephone rings and the station master rushes inside his office.
“The express train is
being stopped here for Colonel Ashok” – those words slice through the woman’s heart like a knife
slices through butter.
“So Ashok is a Colonel now. A big shot.
Big enough to get the express stopped for him at Girinagar where even the fast
passenger does not halt,” the woman says to herself.
Then the woman
is filled with hate and regret and she says to herself bitterly: “Had it not been for the scheming bitch
Menaka who mesmerized Ashok with her enticing charms and stole him away from
me, today I would been Mrs. Ashok – a Colonel’s Wife, a Memsahib.”
Suddenly, the
shrill whistle of the diesel engine of the express train disturbs her train of
thoughts and the express train arrives on the platform.
The
air-conditioned coach stops right in front of her. In the door stands Menaka,
Ashok’s wife.
Menaka sees the
woman and smiles at her but the woman does not return the smile.
The woman turns
her face away but looks at the door of the air-conditioned coach with the
corner of her eyes trying to catch a glimpse of Ashok.
The big
show-off that he is, she is sure Ashok will be in his resplendent uniform
strutting like a peacock.
But there is
no sign of Colonel Ashok.
Instead she sees
a young officer in uniform getting down from the train with Menaka and the both
of them start walking towards the end of the train.
“Come on, get
in fast,” the station master motions her towards the door of the
air-conditioned coach. He says something to the TTE and the TTE tells her to go
inside and sit on Seat No. 30.
She sits on
Seat No. 30.
A family – a
man, a woman and a small boy sit on the seats around her.
There is a jerk,
the tug of the engine, and the train starts moving and picks up speed.
The woman looks
at her watch.
6:50.
She heaves a
sigh of relief.
She will be
well on time for the Republic Day function.
The TTE arrives
to check her pass.
Curious, the
woman asks the TTE: “Why did the train stop here?”
“To detach the
refrigerated van at the end of the train,” the TTE says, “the van was carrying
the body of an army officer who died in action and sacrificed his life for the
nation. His widowed wife was sitting right here on Seat No. 30 – the same seat
where you are now sitting.”
“His name was
Colonel Ashok,” the man sitting in front says, “despite losing her husband the
courageous lady was so poised and calm. It is because of the sacrifice of such
brave people that we can celebrate Republic Day … ”
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2013
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramwamankarve@gmail.com
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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