Anjaana Anjaani...Ki Kahani

"Phew! 1 more kilometer to go for the marathon to end. Let me check out some cute guy while running so that my attention will be diverted from this painfully long 1 km" I though while gasping for breath while running. I did not want to give up coz I was secretly competing with an elderly colleague of mine and my ego did not permit me to lag behind :)

Finally the painfully long 10 kms marathon came to an end. We assembled back to the place from where we started, had refreshments and started for our journey back home. 

Me: RICKSHAW! Kurla station chaloge?

Rickwalla 1: Nahi 

Me: Kurla station chaloge?

Rickwalla 2: Shakes his head in negative and leaves (What an Arse?)

Me (after crossing the road to the other side): Kurla station?

Rickwalla 3: Nahi Madam

"Excuse me. To go to Kurla station, do i have to take a rickshaw from here?" asked a guy wearing a t-shirt with his company logo. No dude. I am doing Kathakali here... I thought to myself slightly irritated with his stupid question. But i politely said yes to him...all thanks to manners taught to me in school.

Finally we hailed a rickshaw to Kurla. "Hi. I am Vikram (name changed). I am working for Tata Motors. What about you?"the once upon a time irritating guy introduced himself. I too introduced myself and we instantly got some bakra to pakaofy each other. We got down at Kurla station, paid the rick guy and started walking towards the station. Generally I am not very chatty with strangers and give big time attitude to talk if they are the first ones to strike the conversation with me. But with Vikram and I belonging to the same Tata Group helped in breaking the ice with an added advantage of the guy being easy to talk to.

Being a public holiday, I underestimated Mumbaikars to be sleeping in their houses. But the station was crowded to the fullest. We were talking about our work profiles, work locations, blah blah blah...and didnt notice the already almost approached train. As usual people started fighting to get into the already crowded train. There was no time for me to run towards the far-off ladies compartment. 

"There is no way I am getting into this train" I said knowing that the next arriving trains are gonna be equally crowded and wont make much difference. And then something unexpected happened before i could even react. Vikram held my hand firmly, pushed aside the crowd somehow and made way for me to get into the train safely. Once inside the train, throughout the journey he shielded me from the crowd so that nobody touched me or misbehaved. He didn't care about his wallet being picked or bothered about his injured back just so that I was safe. It was time for me to get down. Again he made way through the crowd for me to get down safely.

I am used to such gentlemanly behavior from my brothers and friends but that coming from a compete stranger whom I am never going to meet again ever bowled me completely. Fida over your Chivalry stranger. And thanks for the care.