First Hour of 6.10 L P

The clean clothes after the early morning bath,spilling fragrance of  different soaps, added to the fresh morning look, to catch the morning undisturbed sitting or standing  nap on one leg or one bum or just perched on the edge.This was  the sole privilege the women enjoyed, in the morning 6.10 local passenger, ladies compartment. 

By the time they woke from the power nap which  some continued,  the aroma of eating packed breakfast would sail across, with hands washed out of the windows or wiped with cloth lest you lost your space. However there were always a considerate few, who sat for one hour and gave their standing counterparts some respite. 

There was this women who got her daughter married with as many loans she could muster, the repayment of which would perhaps would continue even after she retired. She was sad with tears  as how to handle the first delivery of her child. Her husband suffered a stroke and without timely medication was paralyzed and bedridden. She spoke with love of her good old days and never thought of her husband as a burden. She was the epitome of love and sunshine though deep in debts. Whom to ask , how to ask she thought as she swallowed her tears.

Then there was this Mary who had long past her marriageable age . Reason dowry constraint. Yet she looked forward  to that one day when the maid would become a woman. She cringed and saved every last penny for there was none to vouch for her back home. She even saved the fifty paise every  morning her bus fare when she managed to get a lift to the railway station.

Julie’s is another tale to tell. The whole bogie came to a standstill hearing her cries. She lost the back screw of her earring. All the women were on their knees scrambling not bothered about the well starched  sari’s crumpling, lending a hand . It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. The earring was the smallest any one could buy but for her it was the costliest thing she had.  Her heart wrenching cries made us all cringe with shame. She was beautiful and joyful person .But now the sadness and sorrow showed on her face.

Now, proposals for bride and groom  was a common norm in trains, as  the flow of lives emerged with natural grace. Soon a proposal came by to accept her as she was. Simply put when we go to buy vehicles in "as is condition". The daily friends contributed to buy her clothes and the little paraphernalia she would love. She was overwhelmed with joy and gave us a chocolate each. The marriage was solemnized in her local perish with just the people needed.

Occasional fights were a common sight but no one bothered with these trivialities. Every morning without fail the first few moments were spent in prayer with groups singing praising the Lord. There was no competition. The groups which travel led together had their space which no one intruded as at the end of the day everyone’s mission was the same.